RULE 16. When a nominative comes between the relative and the verb, the relative is governed by the following verb, or some other word in its own member of the sentence.

Whom, in the objective case, is placed before the verb that governs it, according to NOTE 1, under Rule 16. (Repeat the Note, and decline who.)

    “From what is recorded, he appears,” &c.

What is a comp. rel. pron. including both the antecedent and the relative, and is equivalent to that which, or the thing which—­Thing, the antecedent part of what, is a noun, the name of a thing—­com. the name of a species—­neuter gender, it has no sex—­third person, spoken of—­sing. number, it implies but one—­and in the obj. case, it is the object of the relation expressed by the prep. “from,” and gov. by it:  RULE 31. (Repeat the Rule, and every other Rule to which I refer.) Which, the relative part of what, is a pronoun, a word used instead of a noun—­relative, it relates to “thing” for its antecedent—­neut. gender, third person, sing. number, because the antecedent “thing” is with which it agrees, according to RULE 14. Rel pron. &c. Which is in the nom. case to the verb “is recorded,” agreeably to

RULE 15. The relative is the nominative case to the verb, when no nominative comes between it and the verb.

    “What have you learned?  Nothing.”

What is a pron. a word used, &c.—­relative of the interrogative kind, because it is used in asking a question—­it refers to the word “nothing” for its subsequent, according to

RULE 17. When the rel. pron. is of the interrog. kind, it refers to the word or phrase containing the answer to the question, for its subsequent, which subsequent must agree in case with the interrogative.  What is of the neut. gend. third pers. sing. because the subsequent “nothing” is with which it agrees; RULE 14. Rel. pron. agree, &c.—­It is in the obj. case, the object of the action, of the active-transitive verb “have learned,” and gov. by it, agreeably to RULE 16. When a nom. &c.  See NOTE 1, under the Rule.

NOTE. 1.  You need not apply gend. pers. and numb, to the interrogative when the answer to the question is not expressed.

WHO, WHICH, WHAT.

Truth and simplicity are twin sisters, and generally go hand in hand.  The foregoing exposition of the “relative pronouns,” is in accordance with the usual method of treating them; but if they were unfolded according to their true character, they would be found to be very simple, and, doubtless, much labor and perplexity, on the part of the learner, would thereby be saved.

Of the words called “relatives,” who, only, is a pronoun; and this is strictly personal; more so, indeed, if we except I and we, than any other word in our language, for it is always restricted to persons.  It ought to be classed with the personal pronouns. I, thou, he, she, it, we, ye, you, and they, relate to antecedents, as well as who.  Which, that, and what, are always adjectives.  They never stand for, but always belong to nouns, either expressed or implied.  They specify, like many other adjectives, and connect sentences.