verbal nouns, the leading word in
sense should always be made the leading or governing word in the
construction; and where there is reason to doubt whether the possessive
case or some other ought to come before the participle, it is better to
reject both, and vary the expression. Examples: "Any person may easily
convince himself of the truth of this, by listening to _foreigners
conversing_ in a language [which] he does not understand."--_Churchill's
Gram._, p. 361. "It is a relic of the ancient _style abounding_ with
negatives."--_Ib._, p. 367. These forms are right; though the latter might
be varied, by the insertion of "_which abounds_" for "_abounding_." But the
celebrated examples before cited, about the "_lady holding up_ her train,"
or the "_lady's holding up_ her train,"--the "_person dismissing_ his
servant," or the "_person's dismissing_ his servant,"--the "_horse running_
to-day," or the "_horse's running_ to-day,"--and many others which some
grammarians suppose to be interchangeable, are equally bad in both forms.

NOTE XI.--Participles, in general, however construed, should have a clear
reference to the proper subject of the being, action, or passion. The
following sentence is therefore faulty: "By _establishing_ good laws, our
_peace_ is secured."--_Russell's Gram._, p. 88; _Folker's_, p. 27. Peace
not being the _establisher_ of the laws, these authors should have said,
"By _establishing_ good laws, _we_ secure our peace." "_There will be no
danger_ of _spoiling_ their faces, or of _gaining_ converts."--_Murray's
Key_, ii, p. 201. This sentence is to me utterly unintelligible. If the
context were known, there might possibly be some sense in saying, "_They_
will be in no danger of spoiling their faces," &c. "The law is annulled, in
the very _act of its being made_."--_O. B. Peirce's Gram._, p. 267. "The
_act of_ MAKING _a law_," is a phrase intelligible; but, "the _act of its_
BEING MADE," is a downright solecism--a positive absurdity.

NOTE XII.--A needless or indiscriminate use of participles for nouns, or of
nouns for participles, is inelegant, if not improper, and ought therefore
to be avoided. Examples: "_Of_ denotes possession or _belonging_."--
_Murray's Gram._, Vol. i, p. 118; _Ingersoll's_, 71. "The preposition _of_,
frequently implies possession, property, or _belonging to_."--_Cooper's Pl.
and Pr. Gram._, p. 137. Say, "_Of_ frequently denotes possession, or _the
relation of property_." "England pe