understood, for we can insert no word, or
words, that will reconcile the phrase with any other rule of grammar: and
if we employ a pronoun personal instead of the relative, as _he_, which
will admit of being resolved elliptically, it must be put in the nominative
case."--_Ib._, p. 352. Against this gentleman's doctrine, one may very well
argue, as he himself does against that of Murray, Russell, and others; that
on no other occasion do we speak of putting "the objective case absolute;"
and if, agreeably to the analogy of our own tongue, our distinguished
authors would condescend to say _than who_,[436] surely nobody would think
of calling this an instance of the nominative case absolute,--except
perhaps one swaggering _new theorist_, that most pedantic of all scoffers,
Oliver B. Peirce.

OBS. 22.--The sum of the matter is this: the phrase, _than who_, is a more
regular and more analogical expression than _than whom_; but both are of
questionable propriety, and the former is seldom if ever found, except in
some few grammars; while the latter, which is in some sort a Latinism, may
be quoted from many of our most distinguished writers. And, since that
which is irregular cannot be parsed by rule, if out of respect to authority
we judge it allowable, it must be set down among the _figures_ of grammar;
which are, all of them, intentional deviations from the ordinary use of
words. One late author treats the point pretty well, in this short hint:
"After the conjunction _than_, contrary to analogy, _whom_ is used in stead
of _who_."--_Nutting's Gram._, p. 106. An other gives his opinion in the
following note: "When _who_ immediately follows _than_, it is used
_improperly_ in the objective case; as, 'Alfred, _than whom_ a greater king
never reigned;'--_than whom_ is not grammatical. It ought to be, _than
who_; because _who_ is the nominative to _was_ understood.--_Than whom_ is
as bad a phrase as 'he is taller _than him_.' It is true that some of our
best writers have used _than whom_; but it is also true, that they have
used _other_ phrases which we have rejected as ungrammatical; then why not
reject this too?"--_Lennie's Grammar_, Edition of 1830, p. 105.

OBS. 23.--On this point. Bullions and Brace, two American copyists and
plagiarists of Lennie, adopt opposite notions. The latter copies the
foregoing note, without the last sentence; that is, without admitting that
"_than whom_" has ever been used by good writers. See _Brace'