What does "that" refer to here?

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, English As A Second Language
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Plus, does "itself" refer back to "such errors"?

Context:

Genius is bound to be indulgent. It should know human errors so well — has, with its large luminous forces, such errors itself when it deigns to be human, that, where others may scorn, genius should only pity. ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton

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https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Genius

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Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 401 • Replies: 6

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Genius is bound to be indulgent. It should know human errors so well — (it) has, with its large luminous forces, such errors (of its own) when it deigns to be human, that (intro. conjunction to clause) where others may scorn, genius should only pity.

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@oristarA,

I've eaten so much recently THAT I have got fat.
I suppose, used like that, it is a conjunction.

Quote:

Plus, does "itself" refer back to "such errors"?

No, it refers back to "genius".

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@PUNKEY,

PUNKEY wrote:

Genius is bound to be indulgent. It should know human errors so well — (it) has, with its large luminous forces, such errors (of its own) when it deigns to be human, that (intro. conjunction to clause) where others may scorn, genius should only pity.

It seems to have an "it...that..." structure. Does the clause led by "that" refer back to "it"?

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@oristarA,

No, it introduces a consequence of the clause led by "it" (as my previous post made clear).

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@McTag,

McTag wrote:

No, it introduces a consequence of the clause led by "it" (as my previous post made clear).

Oops! The red "it" is a mismark in my quotation. It should the hidden it in "(it) has" - which is the "it...that" structure I intended to refer to.

Sorry I failed to get "the clause" in your reply. Does the clause refer to "(it) has..."?

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@oristarA,

I think Punkey's first post gives a comprehensive solution.

The original is a very awkward sentence, in a very dated style.

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What does "that" refer to here?

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