a conjunction, the pronoun they, representing conditions, may be regularly supplied, as above.  In the latter, indeed, as is not a pronoun; because it refers to “so far,” which is not a noun.  But the sentence is bad English; because the verb concern or concerns is improperly left without a nominative.  Say therefore, ’I shall consider his censures so far only as they concern my friend’s conduct;’—­or, ’so far only as my friend’s conduct is concerned.’  The following is an other example which I conceive to be wrong; because, with an adverb for its antecedent, as is made a nominative:  “They ought therefore to be uttered as quickly as is consistent with distinct articulation.”—­Sheridan’s Elocution, p. 76.  Say rather, “They ought therefore to be uttered with as much rapidity as is consistent with distinct articulation.”

OBS. 11.—­Lindley Murray was so much puzzled with Tooke’s notion of as, and Campbell’s doctrine of the impersonal verb, that he has expressly left his pupils to hesitate and doubt, like himself, whether one ought to say “as follows” or “as follow,” when the preceding noun is plural; or—­to furnish an alternative, (if they choose it,) he shows them at last how they may dodge the question, by adopting some other phraseology.  He begins thus:  “Grammarians differ in opinion, respecting the propriety of the following modes of expression:  ’The arguments advanced were nearly as follows;’ ‘the positions were, as appears, incontrovertible.’”—­ Murray’s Gram., 8vo, p. 146.  Then follows a detail of suggestions from Campbell and others, all the quotations being anonymous, or at least without definite references.  Omitting these, I would here say of the two examples given, that they are not parallel instances.  For, “as follows,” refers to what the arguments were,—­to the things themselves, considered plurally, and immediately to be exhibited; wherefore the expression ought rather to have been, “as follow,” or, “as they here follow.”  But, “as appears” means “as it appears,” or “as the case now appears;” and one of these plain modes of expression would have been much preferable, because the as is here evidently nothing but a conjunction.

OBS. 12.—­“The diversity of sentiment on this subject,” says L. Murray, “and the respectability of the different opponents, will naturally induce the readers to pause and reflect, before they decide.”—­Octavo Gram., p. 147.  The equivalent expressions by means of which he proposes to evade at last the dilemma, are the following:  “The arguments advanced were nearly such as follow;”—­“The arguments advanced were nearly of the following nature;”—­“The following are nearly the arguments which were advanced;”—­ “The arguments advanced were nearly those which follow:”—­“These, or nearly