lustrate that idle and puzzling distinction which he and some others make
between "possessive adjective pronouns" and "the genitive case of the
personal pronouns;" and, if I understand him, the author will here have
_her_ and _his_ to be of the former class, and _hers_ and _his_ of the
latter. It were a better use of time, to learn how to employ such words
correctly. Unquestionably, they are of the same class and the same case,
and would be every way equivalent, if the first form were fit to be used
elliptically. For example: "The same phrenzy had hindered the Dutch from
improving to _their_ and to the common advantage the public misfortunes of
France."--_Bolingbroke, on Hist._, p. 309. Here the possessive case _their_
appears to be governed by _advantage_ understood, and therefore it would
perhaps be better to say, _theirs_, or _their own_. But in the following
instance, _our_ may be proper, because both possessives appear to be
governed by one and the same noun:--

"Although 'twas _our_ and _their_ opinion
Each other's church was but a Rimmon."--_Hudibras_.

OBS. 3.--_Mine_ and _thine_ were formerly preferred to _my_ and _thy_,
before all words beginning with a vowel sound; or rather, _mine_ and
_thine_ were the original forms,[207] and _my_ and _thy_ were first
substituted for them before consonants, and afterwards before vowels: as,
"But it was thou, a man _mine_ equal, _my_ guide, and _mine_
acquaintance."--_Psalms_, lv, 13. "_Thy_ prayers and _thine_ alms are come
up for a memorial before God."--_Acts_, x, 4. When the Bible was
translated, either form appears to have been used before the letter _h_;
as, "Hath not _my hand_ made all these things?"--_Acts_, vii, 50. "By
stretching forth _thine hand_ to heal."--_Acts_, iv, 30. According to
present practice, _my_ and _thy_ are in general to be preferred before all
nouns, without regard to the sounds of letters. The use of the other forms,
in the manner here noticed, has now become obsolete; or, at least,
antiquated, and peculiar to the poets. We occasionally meet with it in
modern verse, though not very frequently, and only where the melody of the
line seems to require it: as,

"Time writes no wrinkle on _thine_ azure brow."--_Byron_.

"Deign on the passing world to turn _thine_ eyes."--_Johnson_.

"_Mine_ eyes beheld the messenger divine."--_Lusiad_.

"_Thine_ ardent symphony sublime and high."--_Sir W. Scott_.

OBS. 4.--The possessives _m