erb_ relating
to it. But many of our modern grammarians disregard these principles, and
do not restrict their "_participial nouns_" to the construction of nouns,
in either of these respects. For example: Because one may say, "_To read
superficially_, is useless," Barnard supposes it right to say, "_Reading
superficially_ is useless." "But the _participle_," says he, "will also
take the adjective; as, '_Superficial reading_ is useless.'"--_Analytic
Gram._, p. 212. In my opinion, this last construction ought to be
preferred; and the second, which is both irregular and unnecessary,
rejected. Again, this author says: "We have laid it down as a rule, that
the possessive case belongs, like an adjective, to a _noun_. What shall be
said of the following? 'Since the days of Samson, there has been no
instance of _a man's_ accomplishing a task so stupendous.' The _entire
clause_ following _man's_, is taken as a noun. 'Of a man's _success_ in a
task so stupendous.' would present no difficulty. A part of a sentence, or
even a single participle, _thus often_ stands _for a noun_. 'My going will
depend on my father's giving his consent,' or 'on my father's consenting.'
A participle _thus used_ as a noun, may be called a PARTICIPIAL
NOUN."--_Ib._, p. 131. I dislike this doctrine also. In the first example,
_man_ may well be made the leading word in sense; and, as such, it must be
in the objective case; thus: "There has been no instance of a _man
accomplishing_ a task so stupendous." It is also proper to say. "_My going_
will depend on my _father's consenting_," or, "on my _father's consent_."
But an action possessed by the agent, ought not to be transitive. If,
therefore, you make this the leading idea, insert _of_: thus, "There has
been no instance of a _man's accomplishing of_ a task so stupendous." "My
going will depend on my _father's giving of_ his consent."--"My _brother's
acquiring [of_] the French language will be a useful preparation for his
travels."--_Barnard's Gram._, p. 227. If participial nouns retain the power
of participles, why is it wrong to say, "A superficial reading books is
useless?" Again, Barnard approves of the question, "What do you think of my
_horse's running to-day_?" and adds, "Between this form of expression and
the following, 'What do you think of my _horse running_ to-day?' it is
sometimes said, that we should make a distinction; because the former
implies that the horse had actually run, and the latter, th