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Wholegrain Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

unusual formulation...

"No doubt"with a grin"some such pitiless man as has lost his piety in much the same way that the jockey loses his honesty."

http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/3/

I don't understand this passage or should I say this construction, especially what "as" is doing here... I am not a native speaker can you help me understand?
  

Top answer

"? A person previously referred to in the context is probably (no doubt) one of a number of similar cruel men, who have lost their godliness etc. The sentence seems to want a subject and verb.

— Avangi

  • "?
  • A person previously referred to in the context is probably (no doubt) one of a number of similar cruel men, who have lost their godliness etc.
  • The sentence seems to want a subject and verb.
  • This person is , no doubt, an example of the type described as follows.
  • (such a person as) - A.
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3 Answers
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Are you comfortable with, "A poor man such as I has little chance in the world."?

A person previously referred to in the context is probably (no doubt) one of a number of similar cruel men, who have lost their godliness etc.

The sentence seems to want a subject and verb. This person is, no doubt, an example of the type described as follows. (such a person as)
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I'd say that "one who" is implied.
... some such man as one who has lost his piety in ...
(one = a man)
CJ
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such pitiless man as has lost his piety
as is dialect for that
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