I need $this->self to be identical to and reference to $this, but how in PHP 5.2+?

[comp.lang.php]

[PHP]
<?
class EditResultGener ator extends MethodGenerator ForActionPerfor mer {

/**
* Create an instance of itself if $this does not yet exist as an
EditResultGener ator class object
*
* @access private
* @see is_class
*/
function &generateSel f() { // STATIC VOID METHOD
if (!is_object($th is) || @!is_class($thi s, 'EditResultGene rator')) {
$this->self =& new EditResultGener ator();
} else {
$this->self =& $this;
}
}

}
?>
[/PHP]

This self-generating function serves a purpose to ensure that if part
of the application does this:

[PHP]
<?
EditResultGener ator::getResult ();
?>
[/PHP]

That it will work *exactly* the same as if I did this:

[PHP]
<?
$edit =& new EditResultGener ator();
$result = $edit->getResult();
?>
[/PHP]

However, I cannot change hundreds of lines of code from the former to
the latter just to ensure instantiation is uniform, so I'm stuck with
the fact that I have to generate a $this->self EditResultGener ator
class object if $this does not exist, otherwise, $this->self must be
*absolutely identical* to $this, in fact, be a reference!

This works beautifully in PHP 4.3+, but bombs in PHP 5.2.

How can I get it to work in PHP 5.2+?

Phil