There is no use for any _man's_ taking up his abode in a house built of glass.--CARLYLE.
As to _his_ having good grounds on which to rest an action for life.--DICKENS.
The case was made known to me by a _man's_ holding out the little creature dead.--DE QUINCEY.
There may be reason for a _savage's_ preferring many kinds of food which the civilized man rejects.--THOREAU.
It informs me of the previous circumstances of _my_ laying aside my clothes.--C. BROCKDEN BROWN.
The two strangers gave me an account of _their_ once having been themselves in a somewhat similar condition.--AUDUBON.
There was a chance of _their_ being sent to a new school, where there were examinations.--RUSKIN
This can only be by _his_ preferring truth to his past apprehension of truth.--EMERSON
III. PERSONAL PRONOUNS AND THEIR ANTECEDENTS.
409. The pronouns of the third person usually refer back to some preceding noun or pronoun, and ought to agree with them in person, number, and gender.
[Sidenote: _Watch for the real antecedent._]
There are two constructions in which the student will need to watch the pronoun,--when the antecedent, in one person, is followed by a phrase containing a pronoun of a different person; and when the antecedent is of such a form that the pronoun following cannot indicate exactly the gender. Examples of these constructions are,--
_Those_ of us who can only maintain _themselves_ by continuing in some business or salaried office.--RUSKIN.
Suppose the life and fortune of _every one_ of us would depend on _his_ winning or losing a game of chess.--HUXLEY.
If _any one_ did not know it, it was _his_ own fault.--CABLE.
_Everybody_ had _his_ own life to think of.--DEFOE.
410. In such a case as the last three sentences,--when the antecedent includes both masculine and feminine, or is a distributive word, taking in each of many persons,--the preferred method is to put the pronoun following in the masculine singular; if the antecedent is neuter, preceded by a distributive, the pronoun will be neuter singular.
The next _correspondent_ wants you to mark out a whole course of life for _him_.--HOLMES.
Every _city_ threw open _its_ gates.--DE QUINCEY.
Every _person_ who turns this page has _his_ own little diary.--THACKERAY.