ON THE SYNTAX OF THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS, AND THE PRONOUNS OF THE THIRD PERSON. § 444. As _his_ and _her_ are genitive cases (and not adjectives), there is no need of explaining such combinations as _his mother_, _her father_, inasmuch as no concord of gender is expected. The expressions are respectively equivalent to _mater ejus_, not _mater sua_; _pater ejus_, -- _pater suus_. § 445. It has been stated that _its_ is a secondary genitive, and it may be added, that it is of late origin in the language. The Anglo-Saxon form was _his_, the genitive of _he_ for the neuter and masculine equally. Hence, when, in the old writers, we meet _his_, where we expect _its_, we must not suppose that any personification takes place, but simply that the old genitive common to the two genders is used in preference to the modern one limited to the neuter, and irregularly formed. The following instances are the latest specimens of its use: "The apoplexy is, as I take it, a kind of lethargy. I have read the cause of _his_ effects in Galen; _it_ is a kind of deafness."--_2 Henry IV._ i. 2. "If the salt have lost _his_ savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? _It_ is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast _it_ out."--_Luke_ xiv. 35. "Some affirm that every plant has _his_ particular fly or caterpillar, which it breeds and feeds."--WALTON'S _Angler_. "This rule is not so general, but that _it_ admitteth of _his_ exceptions."--CAREW. * * * * * CHAPTER VII. ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORD SELF. § 446. The undoubted constructions of the word _self_, in the present state of the cultivated English, are threefold. 1. _Government._--In _my-self_, _thy-self_, _our-selves_, and _your-selves_, the construction is that of a common substantive with an adjective or genitive case. _My-self_ = _my individuality_, and is similarly construed--_mea individualitas_ (or _persona_), or _mei individualitas_ (or _persona_). 2. _Apposition._--In _him-self_ and _them-selves_, when accusative, the construction is that of a substantive in apposition with a pronoun. _Himself_ = _him_, _the individual_. 3. _Composition._--It is only, however, when _himself_ and _themselves_, are in the _accusative_ case, that the construction is appositional. When they are used as _nominatives_, it must be explained on another principle. In phrases like _He himself_ was present _They themselves_ were present,