Persons who are in doubt as to which form of the pronoun to use often try to avoid the difficulty by using one of the pronouns ending in “-self”—­pronouns which have the same form for both the nominative and the objective case.  Thus many persons, uncertain whether to use “I” or “me” in the sentence quoted above, would say instead, “She invited Mrs. R. and myself to go driving.”  This is no better than “Mrs. R. and I,” or “her and I.”  The pronouns in “-self” are properly used only for emphasis or in a reflexive sense.[49] It is right to say:  “I will go myself”; “Carrie herself went to the door”; “God helps those who help themselves.”  It would be wrong to say, “Harry and myself have bought a horse together.”

When a pronoun in “-self” is used reflexively, it refers to the subject of the clause in which it stands.

In sentences like “This advice is free to whoever will take it,” the word ending in “-ever” is the subject of the verb “will take,” not the object of the preposition “to.”  The right form, therefore, is “whoever,” not “whomever.”  The object or, better, the “base” of the preposition “to” is the whole clause, “whoever will take it.”

[47] Ibid., pp. 61-62. [48] I omit ye, you, because they are used interchangeably.  I omit also compounds of who, whom. [49] “Foundations,” p. 64.

EXERCISE XXVII.

Insert the proper form of pronoun in each blank, and give the reason for your choice:—­

I

I, ME, MYSELF. 1.  Taking a carriage, my brother and—­drove to the east end of Cape
   Elizabeth.
2.  Mr. C. and—­walked around the lake by moonlight. 3.  The walk gave pleasure to both Mr. C. and—. 4.  Between you and—­, affairs look dark. 5.  The Star contains a paper on “Our Streets,” which was written by—. > 6.  He is taller than—.[50] 7.  There is, you remember, an old agreement between you and—­ 8.  May John and—­go to the ball-game? 9.  Please let John and—­go to the ball-game. 10.  They met Robert and—­in the village. 11.  Who is there?  Only—. 12.  To send—­away, and for a whole year, too,—­, who had never been away
    from home, was not easy for mother.
13.  Will you let Brown and—­have your boat? 14.  Dr. Holmes shook hands with the girls,—­among the rest. 15.  Next month my brother and—­are going to Bar Harbor. 16.  It was—­who called to you. 17.  I was beside—. 18.  Would you go, if you were—? 19.  Father bought brother and—­tickets for the concert. 20.  He said he would bring some flowers to Frances and—. 21.  You suffer from headache more than—. 22.  We shall soon see which is the better boxer, you or—. 23.  Who rang the bell?—. 24.  The taller man was supposed to be—. 25.  Every one has gone except you and—. 26.  The world will rest content with such poor things as you and—. 27.