Objections to this method of treating these pronouns, will doubtless be preferred by those who assert, that a noun is understood after these words, and not represented by them.  But this is assertion without proof; for, if a noun were understood, it might be supplied.  If the question be put, whose book? and the answer be, mine, ours, hers, or theirs, the word book is included in such answer.  Were it not included, we might supply it, thus, mine book, ours book, hers book, and so on.  This, however, we cannot do, for it would be giving a double answer:  but when the question is answered by a noun in the possessive case, the word book is not included, but implied; as, Whose book?  John’s, Richard’s; that is, John’s book; Richard’s book.

This view of the subject, without a parallel, except in the compounds what, whoever, and others, is respectfully submitted to the public; believing, that those who approve of a critical analysis of words, will coincide with me.  Should any still be disposed to treat these words so superficially as to rank them among the simple pronouns, let them answer the following interrogatory:  If what, when compound, should be parsed as two words, why not mine, thine, his, hers, ours, yours, and theirs?

5. Mine and thine, instead of my and thy, are used in solemn style, before a word beginning with a vowel or silent h; as, “Blot out all mine iniquities;” and when thus used, they are not compound. His always has the same form, whether simple or compound; as, “Give John his book; That desk is his.”  Her, when placed before a noun, is in the possessive case; as, Take her hat:  when standing alone, it is in the objective case; as, Give the hat to her.

When you shall have studied this lecture attentively, and committed the declension of the personal pronouns, you may commit the following SYSTEMATIC ORDER OF PARSING.

The order of parsing a PERSONAL PRONOUN, is—­a pronoun, and why?—­personal, and why?—­person, and why?—­gender and number, and why?—­RULE:  case, and why?—­RULE.—­Decline it.

There are many peculiarities to be observed in parsing personal pronouns in their different persons; therefore, if you wish ever to parse them correctly, you must pay particular attention to the manner in which the following are analyzed.  Now notice, particularly, and you will perceive that we apply only one rule in parsing I and my, and two in parsing thou, him, and they.

    “I saw my friend.”

I is a pronoun, a word used instead of a noun—­personal, it represents the person speaking, understood—­first person, it denotes the speaker—­singular number, it implies but one—­and in the nominative case, it represents the actor and subject of the verb “saw,” and governs it, agreeably to RULE 3. The nom. case gov. the verb.  Declined—­first pers. sing. num. nom.  I, poss. my or mine, obj. me.  Plur. nom. we, poss. our or ours, obj. us.