As girls were once, as we _ourself_ have been.--TENNYSON.


[Sidenote: _Origin of these reflexives._]

95. The question might arise, Why are _himself_ and _themselves_ not
_hisself_ and _theirselves_, as in vulgar English, after the analogy
of _myself_, _ourselves_, etc.?

The history of these words shows they are made up of the
dative-objective forms, not the possessive forms, with _self_. In
Middle English the forms _meself_, _theself_, were changed into the
possessive _myself_, _thyself_, and the others were formed by analogy
with these. _Himself_ and _themselves_ are the only ones retaining a
distinct objective form.

In the forms _yourself_ and _yourselves_ we have the possessive _your_
marked as singular as well as plural.


[Sidenote: _Use of the reflexives._]

96. There are three uses of reflexive pronouns:--

(1) _As object of a verb or preposition, and referring to the same
person or thing as the subject_; as in these sentences from Emerson:--

He who offers _himself_ a candidate for that covenant comes up
like an Olympian.