uneducated. It is not only used to imply persons, but things, and
even, ideas, and therefore, in speaking or writing, its assistance
is constantly required. The perplexity respecting this word arises
from the fact that in using it in the construction of a long
sentence, sufficient care is not taken to ensure that when _it_ is
employed it really points out or refers to the object intended. For
instance, "It was raining when John set out in his cart to go to the
market, and he was delayed so long that it was over before he
arrived." Now what is to be understood by this sentence? Was the
rain over? or the market? Either or both might be inferred from the
construction of the sentence, which, therefore, should be written
thus:--"It was raining when John set out in his cart to go to the
market, and he was delayed so long that the market was over before
he arrived."