An English Grammar Part 93

Some one must be poor, and in want of his gold--or his corn.

a.s.sume that no one is in want of _either_.--RUSKIN

Their [Ernest's and the poet's] minds accorded into one strain, and made delightful music which _neither_ could have claimed as all his own.--HAWTHORNE.

[Sidenote: _Use of_ any.]

Sometimes these are made to refer to several objects, in which case any should be used instead; as,--

Was it the winter's storm? was it hard labor and spare meals? was it disease? was it the tomahawk? Is it possible that _neither_ of these causes, that not all combined, were able to blast this bud of hope?--EVERETT.

Once I took such delight in Montaigne ...; before that, in Shakespeare; then in Plutarch; then in Plotinus; at one time in Bacon; afterwards in Goethe; even in Bettine; but now I turn the pages of _either_ of them languidly, whilst I still cherish their genius.--EMERSON.

[Sidenote: Any _usually plural_.]

423. The adjective p.r.o.noun any is nearly always regarded as plural, as shown in the following sentences:--

If _any_ of you _have_ been accustomed to look upon these hours as mere visionary hours, I beseech you, etc.--BEECHER

Whenever, during his stay at Yuste, _any_ of his friends had died, he had been punctual in doing honor to _their_ memory.--STIRLING.

But I enjoy the company and conversation of its inhabitants, when _any_ of them _are_ so good as to visit me.--FRANKLIN.

Do you think, when I spoke anon of the ghosts of Pryor's children, I mean that _any_ of them _are_ dead?--THACKERAY.

In earlier Modern English, _any_ was often singular; as,--

If _any_, speak; for _him_ have I offended.--SHAKESPEARE.

If _any_ of you lack wisdom, let _him_ ask of G.o.d.--_Bible_.

Very rarely the singular is met with in later times; as,--

Here is a poet doubtless as much affected by his own descriptions as _any_ that _reads_ them can be.--BURKE.

[Sidenote: _Caution_.]

The above instances are to be distinguished from the adjective _any_, which is plural as often as singular.

[Sidenote: None _usually plural_.]

424. The adjective p.r.o.noun none is, in the prose of the present day, usually plural, although it is historically a contraction of _ne an_ (not one). Examples of its use are,--

In earnest, if ever man was; as _none_ of the French philosophers _were_.--CARLYLE.

_None_ of Nature's powers _do_ better service.--PROF. DANA

One man answers some question which _none_ of his contemporaries _put_, and is isolated.--EMERSON.

_None obey_ the command of duty so well as those who are free from the observance of slavish bondage.--SCOTT.

Do you think, when I spoke anon of the ghosts of Pryor's children, I mean that any of them are dead? _None are_, that I know of.--THACKERAY.

Early apples begin to be ripe about the first of August; but I think _none_ of them _are_ so good to eat as some to smell.--Th.o.r.eAU.

The singular use of _none_ is often found in the Bible; as,--

_None_ of them _was_ cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.--LUKE iv 27

Also the singular is sometimes found in present-day English in prose, and less rarely in poetry; for example,--

Perhaps _none_ of our Presidents since Washington _has_ stood so firm in the confidence of the people.--LOWELL

In signal _none his_ steed should spare.--SCOTT

Like the use of _any_, the p.r.o.noun _none_ should be distinguished from the adjective _none_, which is used absolutely, and hence is more likely to confuse the student.

Compare with the above the following sentences having the adjective _none_:--

Reflecting a summer evening sky in its bosom, though _none_ [no sky] was visible overhead.--Th.o.r.eAU

The holy fires were suffered to go out in the temples, and _none_ [no fires] were lighted in their own dwellings.--PRESCOTT

[Sidenote: All _singular and plural_.]

425. The p.r.o.noun all has the singular construction when it means _everything_; the plural, when it means _all persons_: for example,--

[Sidenote: _Singular_.]

The light troops thought ... that _all was_ lost.--PALGRAVE

_All was_ won on the one side, and _all was_ lost on the other.--BAYNE

Having done _all_ that _was_ just toward others.--NAPIER

[Sidenote: _Plural_.]

But the King's treatment of the great lords will be judged leniently by _all_ who _remember_, etc.--PEARSON.

When _all were_ gone, fixing his eyes on the mace, etc.--LINGARD

_All_ who did not understand French _were_ compelled, etc.--McMASTER.

[Sidenote: Somebody's else, _or_ somebody else's?]