to be necessarily in the same case. But
Greene varies this example into other "_abridged forms_," thus: "I knew
_that he was a foreigner_," = "I knew _his being_, or _of his being a
foreigner_." "The fact _that he was a foreigner_, = _of his being a
foreigner_, was undeniable." "_When he was first called a foreigner_, = _on
his being first called a foreigner_, his anger was excited."--_Ib._, p.
171. All these changes _enlarge_, rather than abridge, the expression; and,
at the same time, make it questionable English, to say the least of it.

OBS. 9.--In some examples, the adverb _there_ precedes the participle, and
we evidently have nothing by which to determine the case that follows; as,
"These judges were twelve in number. Was this _owing to there being_
twelve primary _deities_ among the Gothic nations?"--_Webster's Essays_, p.
263. Say rather: "Was this _because there were_ twelve primary deities
among the Gothic nations?" "How many are injured by Adam's fall, that know
nothing of _there ever being_ such a man in the world!"--_Barclay's
Apology_, p. 185. Say rather,--"_who know not that there ever was_ such a
man in the world!"

OBS. 10.--In some other examples, we find a possessive before the
participle, and a doubtful case after it; as, "This our Saviour himself was
pleased to make use of as the strongest argument of _his_ being the
promised _Messiah_"--_Addison's Evidences_, p. 81. "But my chief affliction
consisted in _my_ being singled out from all the other boys, by a lad about
fifteen years of age, as a proper _object_ upon whom he might let loose the
cruelty of his temper."--_Cowper's Memoir_, p. 13. "[Greek: Tou patros
[ontos] onou euthus hypemnaesthae]. He had some sort of recollection of his
_father's_ being an ass"--_Collectanea Graeca Minora, Notae_, p. 7. This
construction, though not uncommon, is anomalous in more respects than one.
Whether or not it is worthy to form an exception to the rule of _same
cases_, or even to that of _possessives_, the reader may judge from the
observations made on it under the latter. I should rather devise some way
to avoid it, if any can be found--and I believe there can; as, "This our
Saviour himself was pleased to _advance_ as the strongest _proof that he
was_ the promised Messiah."--"But my chief affliction consisted in _this,
that I was_ singled out," &c. The story of the mule is, "_He seemed to
recollect on a sudden that his father was an ass_." This is the proper
me