logical connection with the numeral _one_; but that it is derived from
the French _on_ = _homme_ = _homo_ = _man_; and that it has replaced the
Old English _man_ or _me_.

s. 465. Two other pronouns, or, to speak more in accordance with the
present habit of the English language, one pronoun, and one adverb of
pronominal origin, are also used indeterminately, viz., _it_ and _there_.

s. 466. _It_ can be either the subject or the predicate of a sentence,--_it
is this_, _this is it_, _I am it_, _it is I_. When _it_ is the subject of a
proposition, the verb necessarily agrees with it, and can be of the
singular number only; no matter what be the number of the predicate--_it is
this_, _it is these_.

When _it_ is the predicate of a proposition, the number of the verb depends
upon the number of the subject. These points of universal syntax are
mentioned here for the sake of illustrating some anomalous forms.

s. 467. _There_ can only be the predicate of a subject. It differs from
_it_ in this respect. It follows also that it must differ from _it_ in
never affecting the number of the verb. This is determined by the nature of
the subject--_there is this_, _there are these_.

When we say _there is these_, the analogy between the words _these_ and
_it_ misleads us; the expression being illogical.

Furthermore, although a predicate, _there_ always stands in the beginning
of propositions, i.e., in the place of the subject. This also misleads.

s. 468. Although _it_, when the subject, being itself singular, absolutely
requires that its verb should be singular also, there is a tendency to use
it incorrectly, and to treat it as a plural. Thus, in German, when the
predicate is plural, the verb joined to the singular form _es_ ( = _it_) is
plural--_es sind menschen_, literally translated = _it are men_; which,
though bad English, is good German.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ARTICLES.

s. 469. The rule of most practical importance about the articles is the
rule that determines when the article shall be repeated as often as there
is a fresh substantive, and when it shall not.

When two or more substantives following each other denote the same object,
the article precedes the first only. We say, _the secretary and treasurer_
(or, _a secretary and treasurer_), when the two offices are held by one
person.

When two or more substantives following each other denote different
objects, the articl