saints the victory.”—­Sermon.  “It may seem odd to talk of we subscribers”—­Fowlers True Eng.  Gram., p. 20.  “And they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters; for I will pour their wickedness upon them.”—­Jeremiah, xiv, 16.  “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”—­Philippians, ii, 25.

   “Amidst the tumult of the routed train,
    The sons of false Antimachus were slain;
    He, who for bribes his faithless counsels sold,
    And voted Helen’s stay for Paris’ gold.”
        —­Pope, Iliad, B. xi. l. 161.

    “See the vile King his iron sceptre bear—­
    His only praise attends the pious Heir;
    He, in whose soul the virtues all conspire,
    The best good son, from the worst wicked sire.” 
        —­DR. LOWTH:  Union Poems, p. 19.

    “Then from thy lips poured forth a joyful song
    To thy Redeemer!—­yea, it poured along
    In most melodious energy of praise,
    To God, the Saviour, he of ancient days.”
        —­Arm Chair, p. 15.

RULE IV.—­POSSESSIVES.

A Noun or a Pronoun in the possessive case, is governed by the name of the thing possessed:  as, “God’s mercy prolongs man’s life.”—­Allen.

   “Theirs is the vanity, the learning thine;
    Touched by thy hand, again Rome’s glories shine.”—­Pope.

OBSERVATIONS ON RULE IV.

OBS. 1.—­Though the ordinary syntax of the possessive case is sufficiently plain and easy, there is perhaps, among all the puzzling and disputable points of grammar, nothing more difficult of decision, than are some questions that occur respecting the right management of this case.  That its usual construction is both clearly and properly stated in the foregoing rule, is what none will doubt or deny.  But how many and what exceptions to this rule ought to be allowed, or whether any are justly demanded or not, are matters about which there may be much diversity of opinion.  Having heretofore published the rule without any express exceptions, I am not now convinced that it is best to add any; yet are there three different modes of expression which might be plausibly exhibited in that character.  Two of these would concern only the parser; and, for that reason, they seem not to be very important.  The other involves the approval or reprehension of a great multitude of very common expressions, concerning which our ablest grammarians differ in opinion, and our most popular digest plainly contradicts itself.  These points are; first, the apposition of possessives, and the supposed ellipses which may affect that construction; secondly, the government of the possessive case after is, was, &c., when the ownership of a thing is simply affirmed or denied; thirdly, the government of the possessive by a participle, as such—­that is, while it retains the government and adjuncts of a participle.