But these tendencies, or at least the more extravagant of them, belong to the next chapter. How much influence they exert, even indirectly, is shown by the American disdain of the English precision in the use of the indefinite pronoun, already noticed. I turn to the Saturday Evening Post, and in two minutes find: “one feels like an atom when he begins to review his own life and deeds.”

I'm not sure what Mencken is objcting to. Comments, please.

I suspect he would have preferred "one feels like an atom when one begins to review one's own life and deeds."

Quite possibly. I am quite ignorant of such fine points. I would have said it just the way it appeared. More votes, please.

Never mind the clashing pronouns, the image is crap ~ who the hell knows how an atom 'feels', so how can that simile illuminate the meaning in any way?

But yes, the clash as written is ugly, I would vote; it's the verbal equivalent of changing horses in mid stream. OTOH, use of 'one' is largely archaic to modern ears, I suspect.

Although I've heard 'his' or 'hers' used as indefinite (eg. automobiles being personified) these old ears would rather hear one's use altered to be *gender neutral, unless it is known and appropriate.

This reminds me of Helen Reddy, upon winning the Grammy for "I am woman" thanked God because "she made it happen".

self-YART