The Grammar of English Grammars · Chapter 157Chapter II.—Articles
This chapter is not translated yet. You are reading the original.
In this chapter, and those which follow it, the Rules of Syntax are again exhibited, in the order of the parts of speech, with Examples, Exceptions, Observations, Notes, and False Syntax. The Notes are all of them, in form and character, subordinate rules of syntax, designed for the detection of errors. The correction of the False Syntax placed under the rules and notes, will form an oral exercise, similar to that of parsing, and perhaps more useful.[334]
Articles relate to the nouns which they limit:[335] as, "At a little distance from the ruins of the abbey, stands an aged elm."
"See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing, The sot a hero, lunatic a king."—Pope's Essay, Ep. ii, l. 268.
The definite article used intensively, may relate to an adjective or adverb of the comparative or the superlative degree; as, "A land which was the mightiest."—Byron. "The farther they proceeded, the greater appeared their alacrity."—Dr. Johnson. "He chooses it the rather"—Cowper. See Obs. 10th, below.
The indefinite article is sometimes used to give a collective meaning to what seems a plural adjective of number; as, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis."—Rev., iii, 4. "There are a thousand things which crowd into my memory."—Spectator, No. 468. "The centurion commanded a hundred men."—Webster. See Etymology, Articles, Obs. 26.
OBS. 1.—The article is a kind of index, usually pointing to some noun; and it is a general, if not a universal, principle, that no one noun admits of more than one article. Hence, two or more articles in a sentence are signs of two or more nouns; and hence too, by a very convenient ellipsis, an article before an adjective is often made to relate to a noun understood; as, "The grave [people] rebuke the gay [people], and the gay [people] mock the grave" [people].—Maturin's Sermons, p. 103. "The wise [persons] shall inherit glory."—Prov., iii, 35. "The vile [person] will talk villainy."—Coleridge's Lay Sermons, p. 105: see Isaiah, xxxii, 6. "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" [ones].—Psal., xix, 7. "The Old [Testament] and the New Testament are alike authentic."—"The animal [world] and the vegetable world are adapted to each other."—"An epic [poem] and a dramatic poem are the same in substance."—Ld. Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 274. "The neuter verb is conjugated like the active" [verb].—Murray's Gram., p. 99. "Each section is supposed to contain a heavy [portion] and a light portion; the heavy [portion] being the accented syllable, and the light [portion] the unaccented" [syllable].—Rush, on the Voice, p. 364.
OBS. 2.—Our language does not, like the French, require a repetition of the article before every noun in a series; because the same article may serve to limit the signification of several nouns, provided they all stand in the same construction. Hence the following sentence is bad English: "The understanding and language have a strict connexion."—Murray's Gram., i, p. 356. The sense of the former noun only was meant to be limited. The expression therefore should have been, "Language and the understanding have a strict connexion," or, "The understanding has a strict connexion with language." In some instances, one article seems to limit the sense of several nouns that are not all in the same construction, thus: "As it proves a greater or smaller obstruction to the speaker's or writer's aim."—Campbell's Rhet., p. 200. That is—"to the aim of the speaker or the writer." It is, in fact, the possessive, that limits the other nouns; for, "a man's foes" means, "the foes of a man;" and, "man's wisdom," means, "the wisdom of man." The governing noun cannot have an article immediately before it. Yet the omission of articles, when it occurs, is not properly by ellipsis, as some grammarians declare it to be; for there never can be a proper ellipsis of an article, when there is not also an ellipsis of its noun. Ellipsis supposes the omitted words to be necessary to the construction, when they are not so to the sense; and this, it would seem, cannot be the case with a mere article. If such a sign be in any wise necessary, it ought to be used; and if not needed in any respect, it cannot be said to be understood. The definite article being generally required before adjectives that are used by ellipsis as nouns, we in this case repeat it before every term in a series; as, "They are singled out from among their fellows, as the kind, the amiable, the sweet-tempered, the upright."—Dr. Chalmers.
"The great, the gay, shall they partake The heav'n that thou alone canst make?"—Cowper.
OBS. 3.—The article precedes its noun, and is never, by itself, placed after it; as, "Passion is the drunkenness of the mind."—Southey. When an adjective likewise precedes the noun, the article is usually placed before the adjective, that its power of limitation may extend over that also; as, "A concise writer compresses his thoughts into the fewest possible words."—Blair's Rhet., p. 176.
"The private path, the secret acts of men, If noble, far the noblest of their lives."—Young.
OBS. 4.—The relative position of the article and the adjective is seldom a matter of indifference. Thus, it is good English to say, "both the men," or, "the two men;" but we can by no means say, "the both men" or, "two the men." Again, the two phrases, "half a dollar," and "a half dollar," though both good, are by no means equivalent. Of the pronominal adjectives, some exclude the article; some precede it; and some follow it, like other adjectives. The word same is seldom, if ever used without the definite article or some stronger definitive before it; as, "On the same day,"—"in that same hour,"—"These same gentlemen." After the adjective both, the definite article may be used, but it is generally unnecessary, and this is a sufficient reason for omitting it: as, "The following sentences will fully exemplify, to the young grammarian, both the parts of this rule."—Murray's Gram., i, p. 192. Say, "both parts." The adjective few may be used either with or without an article, but not with the same import: as, "The few who were present, were in the secret;" i. e., All then present knew the thing. "Few that were present, were in the secret;" i.e., Not many then present knew the thing. "When I say, 'There were few men with him,' I speak diminutively, and mean to represent them as inconsiderable; whereas, when I say, 'There were a few men with him,' I evidently intend to make the most of them."—Murray's Gram., p. 171. See Etymology, Articles, Obs. 28.
OBS. 5.—The pronominal adjectives which exclude the article, are any, each, either, every, much, neither, no, or none, some, this, that, these, those. The pronominal adjectives which precede the article, are all, both, many, such, and what; as, "All the world,"—"Both the judges,"—"Many a[336] mile,"—"Such a chasm,"—"What a freak." In like manner, any adjective of quality, when its meaning is limited by the adverb too, so, as, or how, is put before the article; as, "Too great a study of strength, is found to betray writers into a harsh manner."—Blair's Rhet., p. 179. "Like many an other poor wretch, I now suffer all the ill consequences of so foolish an indulgence." "Such a gift is too small a reward for so great a labour."—Brightland's Gram., p. 95. "Here flows as clear a stream as any in Greece. How beautiful a prospect is here!"—Bicknell's Gram., Part ii, p. 52. The pronominal adjectives which follow the article, are few, former, first, latter, last, little, one, other, and same; as, "An author might lean either to the one [style] or to the other, and yet be beautiful."—Blair's Rhet., p. 179. Many, like few, sometimes follows the article; as, "The many favours which we have received."—"In conversation, for many a man, they say, a many men."—Johnson's Dict. In this order of the words, a seems awkward and needless; as,
"Told of a many thousand warlike French."—Shak.
OBS. 6.—When the adjective is preceded by any other adverb than too, so, as, or how, the article is almost always placed before the adverb: as, "One of the most complete models;"—"An equally important question;"—"An exceedingly rough passage;"—"A very important difference." The adverb quite, however, may be placed either before or after the article, though perhaps with a difference of construction: as, "This is quite a different thing;"—or, "This is a quite different thing." "Finding it quite an other thing;"—or, "Finding it a quite other thing."—Locke, on Ed., p. 153. Sometimes two adverbs intervene between the article and the adjective; as, "We had a rather more explicit account of the Novii."—Philol. Museum, i, 458. But when an other adverb follows too, so, as, or how, the three words should be placed either before the article or after the noun; as, "Who stands there in so purely poetical a light."—Ib., i, 449. Better, perhaps: "In a light so purely poetical."
OBS. 7.—The definitives this, that, and some others, though they supersede the article an or a, may be followed by the adjective one; for we say, "this one thing," but not, "this a thing." Yet, in the following sentence, this and a being separated by other words, appear to relate to the same noun: "For who is able to judge this thy so great a people?"—1 Kings, iii, 9. But we may suppose the noun people to be understood after this. Again, the following example, if it is not wrong, has an ellipsis of the word use after the first a:
"For highest cordials all their virtue lose, By a too frequent and too bold a use."—Pomfret.
OBS. 8.—When the adjective is placed after the noun, the article generally retains its place before the noun, and is not repeated before the adjective: as, "A man ignorant of astronomy;"—"The primrose pale." In Greek, when an adjective is placed after its noun, if the article is applied to the noun, it is repeated before the adjective; as, "[Greek: Hæ polis hæ megalæ,]"—"The city the great;" i.e., "The great city." [337]
OBS. 9.—Articles, according to their own definition and nature, come before their nouns; but the definite article and an adjective seem sometimes to be placed after the noun to which they both relate: as, "Section the Fourth;"—"Henry the Eighth." Such examples, however, may possibly be supposed elliptical; as, "Section, the fourth division of the chapter;"—"Henry, the eighth king of that name:" and, if they are so, the article, in English, can never be placed after its noun, nor can two articles ever properly relate to one noun, in any particular construction of it. Priestley observes, "Some writers affect to transpose these words, and place the numeral adjective first; [as,] 'The first Henry.' Hume's History, Vol. i, p. 497. This construction is common with this writer, but there seems to be a want of dignity in it."—Rudiments of E. Gram., p. 150. Dr. Webster cites the word Great, in "Alexander the Great" as a name, or part of a name; that is, he gives it as an instance of "cognomination." See his American Dict., 8vo. And if this is right, the article may be said to relate to the epithet only, as it appears to do. For, if the word is taken substantively, there is certainly no ellipsis; neither is there any transposition in putting it last, but rather, as Priestley suggests, in putting it first.
OBS. 10.—The definite article is often prefixed to comparatives and superlatives; and its effect is, as Murray observes, (in the words of Lowth,) "to mark the degree the more strongly, and to define it the more precisely: as, 'The more I examine it, the better I like it.' 'I like this the least of any.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 33; Lowth's, 14. "For neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse."—1 Cor., viii, 8. "One is not the more agreeable to me for loving beef, as I do; nor the less agreeable for preferring mutton."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. ii, p. 365. "They are not the men in the nation, the most difficult to be replaced."—Priestley's Gram., p. 148. In these instances, the article seems to be used adverbially, and to relate only to the adjective or adverb following it. (See observation fourth, on the Etymology of Adverbs.) Yet none of our grammarians have actually reckoned the an adverb. After the adjective, the noun might perhaps be supplied; but when the word the is added to an adverb, we must either call it an adverb, or make an exception to Rule 1st above: and if an exception is to be made, the brief form which I have given, cannot well be improved. For even if a noun be understood, it may not appear that the article relates to it, rather than to the degree of the quality. Thus: "The deeper the well, the clearer the water." This Dr. Ash supposes to mean, "The deeper well the well is, the clearer water the water is."—Ash's Gram., p. 107. But does the text specify a particular "deeper well" or "clearer water?" I think not. To what then does the refer, but to the proportionate degree of deeper and clearer?
OBS. 11.—The article the is sometimes elegantly used, after an idiom common in the French language, in lieu of a possessive pronoun; as, "He looked him full in the face; i. e. in his face."—Priestley's Gram., p. 150. "Men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal."—Rom., xi, 4. That is, their knees.
OBS. 12.—The article an or a, because it implies unity, is applicable to nouns of the singular number only; yet a collective noun, being singular in form, is sometimes preceded by this article even when it conveys the idea of plurality and takes a plural verb: as, "There are a very great number [of adverbs] ending in ly."—Buchanan's Syntax, p. 63. "A plurality of them are sometimes felt at the same instant."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 114. In support of this construction, it would be easy to adduce a great multitude of examples from the most reputable writers; but still, as it seems not very consistent, to take any word plurally after restricting it to the singular, we ought rather to avoid this if we can, and prefer words that literally agree in number: as, "Of adverbs there are very many ending in ly"—"More than one of them are sometimes felt at the same instant." The word plurality, like other collective nouns, is literally singular: as, "To produce the latter, a plurality of objects is necessary."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 224.
OBS. 13.—Respecting the form of the indefinite article, present practice differs a little from that of our ancient writers. An was formerly used before all words beginning with h, and before several other words which are now pronounced in such a manner as to require a: thus, we read in the Bible, "An help,"—"an house,"—"an hundred,"—"an one,"—"an ewer,"—"an usurer;" whereas we now say, "A help,"—"a house,"—"a hundred,"—"a one,"—"a ewer,"—"a usurer."
OBS. 14.—Before the word humble, with its compounds and derivatives, some use an, and others, a; according to their practice, in this instance, of sounding or suppressing the aspiration. Webster and Jameson sound the h, and consequently prefer a; as, "But a humbling image is not always necessary to produce that effect."—Kames, El. of Crit., i, 205. "O what a blessing is a humble mind!"—Christian Experience, p. 342. But Sheridan, Walker, Perry, Jones, and perhaps a majority of fashionable speakers, leave the h silent, and would consequently say, "An humbling image,"—"an humble mind,"—&c.
OBS. 15.—An observance of the principles on which the article is to be repeated or not repeated in a sentence, is of very great moment in respect to accuracy of composition. These principles are briefly stated in the notes below, but it is proper that the learner should know the reasons of the distinctions which are there made. By a repetition of the article before several adjectives in the same construction, a repetition of the noun is implied; but without a repetition of the article, the adjectives, in all fairness of interpretation, are confined to one and the same noun: as, "No figures will render a cold or an empty composition interesting."—Blair's Rhet., p. 134. Here the author speaks of a cold composition and an empty composition as different things. "The metaphorical and the literal meaning are improperly mixed."—Murray's Gram., p. 339. Here the verb are has two nominatives, one of which is expressed, and the other understood. "But the third and the last of these [forms] are seldom used."—Adam's Lat. Gram., p. 186. Here the verb "are used" has two nominatives, both of which are understood; namely, "the third form," and "the last form." Again: "The original and present signification is always retained."—Dr. Murray's Hist. of Lang., Vol. ii, p. 149. Here one signification is characterized as being both original and present. "A loose and verbose manner never fails to create disgust."—Blair's Rhet., p. 261. That is, one manner, loose and verbose. "To give a short and yet clear and plain answer to this proposition."—Barclay's Works, Vol. i, p. 533. That is, one answer, short, clear, and plain; for the conjunctions in the text connect nothing but the adjectives.
OBS. 16.—To avoid repetition, even of the little word the, we sometimes, with one article, join inconsistent qualities to a plural noun;—that is, when the adjectives so differ as to individualize the things, we sometimes make the noun plural, in stead of repeating the article: as, "The north and south poles;" in stead of, "The north and the south pole."—"The indicative and potential moods;" in stead of "The indicative and the potential mood."—"The Old and New Testaments;" in stead of, "The Old and the New Testament." But, in any such case, to repeat the article when the noun is made plural, is a huge blunder; because it implies a repetition of the plural noun. And again, not to repeat the article when the noun is singular, is also wrong; because it forces the adjectives to coalesce in describing one and the same thing. Thus, to say, "The north and south pole" is certainly wrong, unless we mean by it, one pole, or slender stick of wood, pointing north and south; and again, to say, "The north and the south poles," is also wrong, unless we mean by it, several poles at the north and others at the south. So the phrase, "The Old and New Testament" is wrong, because we have not one Testament that is both Old and New; and again, "The Old and the New Testaments," is wrong, because we have not several Old Testaments and several New ones: at least we have them not in the Bible.
OBS. 17.—Sometimes a noun that admits no article, is preceded by adjectives that do not describe the same thing; as, "Never to jumble metaphorical and plain language together."—Blair's Rhet., p. 146. This means, "metaphorical language and plain language;" and, for the sake of perfect clearness, it would perhaps be better to express it so. "For as intrinsic and relative beauty must often be blended in the same building, it becomes a difficult task to attain both in any perfection."—Karnes, El. of Crit., Vol. ii, p. 330. That is, "intrinsic beauty and relative beauty" must often be blended; and this phraseology would be better. "In correspondence to that distinction of male and female sex."—Blair's Rhet., p. 74. This may be expressed as well or better, in half a dozen other ways; for the article may be added, or the noun may be made plural, with or without the article, and before or after the adjectives. "They make no distinction between causes of civil and criminal jurisdiction."— Adams's Rhet., Vol. i, p. 302. This means—"between causes of civil and causes of criminal jurisdiction;" and, for the sake of perspicuity, it ought to have been so written,—or, still better, thus: "They make no distinction between civil causes and criminal."
NOTE I.—When the indefinite article is required, a should always be used before the sound of a consonant, and an, before that of a vowel; as, "With the talents of an angel, a man may be a fool."—Young.
NOTE II.—The article an or a must never be so used as to relate, or even seem to relate, to a plural noun. The following sentence is therefore faulty: "I invited her to spend a day in viewing a seat and gardens."—Rambler, No. 34. Say, "a seat and its gardens."
NOTE III.—When nouns are joined in construction, with different adjuncts, different dependence, or positive contrast, the article, if it belong at all to the latter, must be repeated. The following sentence is therefore inaccurate: "She never considered the quality, but merit of her visitors."—Wm. Penn. Say, "the merit." So the article in brackets is absolutely necessary to the sense and propriety of the following phrase, though not inserted by the learned author: "The Latin introduced between the Conquest and [the] reign of Henry the Eighth."—Fowler's E. Gram., 8vo, 1850, p. 42.
NOTE IV.—When adjectives are connected, and the qualities belong to things individually different, though of the same name, the article should be repeated: as, "A black and a white horse;"—i. e., two horses, one black and the other white. "The north and the south line;"—i. e., two lines, running east and west.
NOTE V.—When adjectives are connected, and the qualities all belong to the same thing or things, the article should not be repeated: as, "A black and white horse;"—i. e., one horse, piebald. "The north and south line;"—i. e., one line, running north and south, like a meridian. NOTE VI.—When two or more individual things of the same name are distinguished by adjectives that cannot unite to describe the same thing, the article must be added to each if the noun be singular, and to the first only if the noun follow them in the plural: as, "The nominative and the objective case;" or, "The nominative and objective cases."—"The third, the fifth, the seventh, and the eighth chapter;" or, "The third, fifth, seventh, and eighth chapters." [338]
NOTE VII.—When two phrases of the same sentence have any special correspondence with each other, the article, if used in the former, is in general required also in the latter: as, "For ye know neither the day nor the hour."—Matt., xxv, 13. "Neither the cold nor the fervid are formed for friendship."—Murray's Key, p. 209. "The vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom."—Matt., xxvii, 51.
NOTE VIII.—When a special correspondence is formed between individual epithets, the noun which follows must not be made plural; because the article, in such a case, cannot be repeated as the construction of correspondents requires. Thus, it is improper to say, "Both the first and second editions" or, "Both the first and the second editions" for the accurate phrase, "Both the first and the second edition;" and still worse to say, "Neither the Old nor New Testaments" or, "Neither the Old nor the New Testaments" for the just expression, "Neither the Old nor the New Testament." Yet we may say, "Neither the old nor the new statutes" or, "Both the early and the late editions;" for here the epithets severally apply to more than one thing.
NOTE IX.—In a series of three or more terms, if the article is used with any, it should in general be added either to every one, or else to the first only. The following phrase is therefore inaccurate: "Through their attention to the helm, the sails, or rigging."—Brown's Estimate, Vol. i, p. 11. Say, "the rigging."
NOTE X.—As the article an or a denotes "one thing of a kind," it should not be used as we use the, to denote emphatically a whole kind; and again, when the species is said to be of the genus, no article should be used to limit the latter. Thus some will say, "A jay is a sort of a bird;" whereas they ought to say, "The jay is a sort of bird." Because it is absurd to suggest, that one jay is a sort of one bird. Yet we may say, "The jay is a bird," or, "A jay is a bird;" because, as every species is one under the genus, so every individual is one under both.
NOTE XI.—The article should not be used before the names of virtues, vices, passions, arts, or sciences, in their general sense; before terms that are strictly limited by other definitives; or before any noun whose signification is sufficiently definite without it: as, "Falsehood is odious."—"Iron is useful."—"Beauty is vain."—"Admiration is useless, when it is not supported by domestic worth"—Webster's Essays, p. 30.
NOTE XII.—When titles are mentioned merely as titles; or names of things, merely as names or words; the article should not be used before them: as, "He is styled Marquis;" not, "the Marquis," or, "a Marquis,"—"Ought a teacher to call his pupil Master?"—"Thames is derived from the Latin name Tam~esis."
NOTE XIII.—When a comparison or an alternative is made with two nouns, if both of them refer to the same subject, the article should not be inserted before the latter; if to different subjects, it should not be omitted: thus, if we say, "He is a better teacher than poet," we compare different qualifications of the same man; but if we say, "He is a better teacher than a poet," we speak of different men, in regard to the same qualification.
NOTE XIV.—The definite article, or some other definitive, (as this, that, these, those,) is generally required before the antecedent to the pronoun who or which in a restrictive clause; as, "All the men who were present, agreed to it."—W. Allen's Gram., p. 145. "The thoughts which passion suggests are always plain and obvious ones."—Blair's Rhet., p. 468. "The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God."—Luke, xviii, 27. See Etymology, Chap. V, Obs. 26th, &c., on Classes of Pronouns.
NOTE XV.—The article is generally required in that construction which converts a participle into a verbal or participial noun; as, "The completing of this, by the working-out of sin inherent, must be by the power and spirit of Christ in the heart."—Wm. Penn. "They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."—Isaiah, lxvi, 24. "For the dedicating of the altar."—Numb., vii, 11.
NOTE XVI.—The article should not be added to any participle that is not taken in all other respects as a noun; as, "For the dedicating the altar."—"He made a mistake in the giving out the text." Expunge the, and let dedicating and giving here stand as participles only; for in the construction of nouns, they must have not only a definitive before them, but the preposition of after them.
NOTE XVII.—The false syntax of articles properly includes every passage in which there is any faulty insertion, omission, choice, or position, of this part of speech. For example: "When the verb is a passive, the agent and object change places."—Lowth's Gram., p. 73. Better: "When the verb is passive, the agent and the object change places." "Comparisons used by the sacred poets, are generally short."—Russell's Gram., p. 87. Better: "The comparisons," &c. "Pronoun means for noun, and is used to avoid the too frequent repetition of the noun."—Infant School Gram., p. 89. Say rather: "The pronoun is put for a noun, and is used to prevent too frequent a repetition of the noun." Or: "The word PRONOUN means for noun; and a pronoun is used to prevent too frequent a repetition of some noun."
[Fist][The examples of False Syntax placed under the rules and notes, are to be corrected orally by the pupil, according to the formules given, or according to others framed in like manner, and adapted to the several notes.]
"I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel."—Hosea, vi, 10.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the article an is used before horrible, which begins with the sound of the consonant h. But, according to Note 1st, under Rule 1st, "When the indefinite article is required, a should always be used before the sound of a consonant, and an, before that of a vowel." Therefore, an should be a; thus, "I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel."]
"There is an harshness in the following sentences."—Priestley's Gram., p. 188. "Indeed, such an one is not to be looked for."—Blair's Rhet., p. 27. "If each of you will be disposed to approve himself an useful citizen."—Ib., p. 263. "Land with them had acquired almost an European value."—Webster's Essays, p. 325. "He endeavoured to find out an wholesome remedy."—Neef's Method of Ed., p. 3. "At no time have we attended an Yearly Meeting more to our own satisfaction."—The Friend, v, 224. "Addison was not an humourist in character."—Kames, El. of Crit., i, 303. "Ah me! what an one was he?"—Lily's Gram., p. 49. "He was such an one as I never saw."—Ib. "No man can be a good preacher, who is not an useful one."—Blair's Rhet., p. 283. "An usage which is too frequent with Mr. Addison."—Ib., p. 200. "Nobody joins the voice of a sheep with the shape of an horse."—Locke's Essay, p. 298. "An universality seems to be aimed at by the omission of the article."—Priestley's Gram., p. 154. "Architecture is an useful as well as a fine art."—Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 335. "Because the same individual conjunctions do not preserve an uniform signification."—Nutting's Gram., p. 78. "Such a work required the patience and assiduity of an hermit."—Johnson's Life of Morin. "Resentment is an union of sorrow with malignity."—Rambler, No. 185. "His bravery, we know, was an high courage of blasphemy."—Pope. "Hyssop; a herb of bitter taste."—Pike's Heb. Lex., p. 3.
"On each enervate string they taught the note To pant, or tremble through an Eunuch's throat."—Pope.
"At a sessions of the court in March, it was moved," &c.—Hutchinson's Hist. of Mass., i, 61. "I shall relate my conversations, of which I kept a memoranda."—Duchess D'Abrantes, p. 26. "I took another dictionary, and with a scissors cut out, for instance, the word ABACUS."—A. B. Johnson's Plan of a Dict., p. 12. "A person very meet seemed he for the purpose, of a forty-five years old."—Gardiner's Music of Nature, p. 338. "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings."—Luke, ix, 28." There were slain of them upon a three thousand men."—1 Mac., iv, 15." Until I had gained the top of these white mountains, which seemed another Alps of snow."—Addison, Tat., No. 161. "To make them a satisfactory amends for all the losses they had sustained."—Goldsmith's Greece, p. 187. "As a first fruits of many more that shall be gathered."—Barclay's Works, i, 506. "It makes indeed a little amends, by inciting us to oblige people."—Sheffield's Works, ii, 229. "A large and lightsome backstairs leads up to an entry above."—Ib., p. 260. "Peace of mind is an honourable amends for the sacrifices of interest."—Murray's Gram., p. 162; Smith's, 138. "With such a spirit and sentiments were hostilities carried on."—Robertson's America, i, 166. "In the midst of a thick woods, he had long lived a voluntary recluse."—G. B. "The flats look almost like a young woods."—Morning Chronicle. "As we went on, the country for a little ways improved, but scantily."—Essex County Freeman, Vol. ii, No. 11. "Whereby the Jews were permitted to return into their own country, after a seventy years captivity at Babylon."—Rollin's An. Hist., Vol. ii, p. 20. "He did riot go a great ways into the country."—Gilbert's Gram., p. 85.
"A large amends by fortune's hand is made, And the lost Punic blood is well repay'd."—Rowe's Lucan, iv, 1241.
"As where a landscape is conjoined with the music of birds and odour of flowers."—Kames, El. of Crit., i, 117. "The last order resembles the second in the mildness of its accent, and softness of its pause."—Ib., ii, 113. "Before the use of the loadstone or knowledge of the compass."—Dryden. "The perfect participle and imperfect tense ought not to be confounded."—Murray's Gram., ii, 292. "In proportion as the taste of a poet, or orator, becomes more refined."—Blair's Rhet., p. 27. "A situation can never be intricate, as long as there is an angel, devil, or musician, to lend a helping hand."—Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 285. "Avoid rude sports: an eye is soon lost, or bone broken."—"Not a word was uttered, nor sign given."—Brown's Inst., p. 125. "I despise not the doer, but deed."—Ibid. "For the sake of an easier pronunciation and more agreeable sound."—Lowth. "The levity as well as loquacity of the Greeks made them incapable of keeping up the true standard of history."— Bolingbroke, on Hist., p. 115.
"It is proper that the vowels be a long and short one."—Murray's Gram., p. 327. "Whether the person mentioned was seen by the speaker a long or short time before."—Ib., p. 70; Fisk's, 72. "There are three genders, Masculine, Feminine, and Neuter."—Adam's Lat. Gram., p. 8. "The numbers are two; Singular and Plural."—Ib., p. 80; Gould's, 77. "The persons are three; First, Second, [and] Third."—Adam, et al. "Nouns and pronouns have three cases; the nominative, possessive, and objective."—Comly's Gram., p. 19; Ingersoll's, 21. "Verbs have five moods; namely, the Indicative, Potential, Subjunctive, Imperative, and Infinitive."— Bullions's E. Gram., p. 35; Lennie's, 20. "How many numbers have pronouns? Two, the singular and plural."—Bradley's Gram., p. 82. "To distinguish between an interrogative and exclamatory sentence."—Murray's Gram., p. 280; Comly's, 163; Ingersoll's, 292. "The first and last of which are compounded members."—Lowth's Gram., p. 123. "In the last lecture, I treated of the concise and diffuse, the nervous and feeble manner."—Blair's Rhet., p. 183. "The passive and neuter verbs, I shall reserve for some future conversation."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 69. "There are two voices; the Active and Passive."—Adam's Gram., p. 59; Gould's, 87. "Whose is rather the poetical than regular genitive of which."—Dr. Johnson's Gram., p. 7. "To feel the force of a compound, or derivative word."—Town's Analysis, p. 4. "To preserve the distinctive uses of the copulative and disjunctive conjunctions."—Murray's Gram., p. 150; Ingersoll's, 233. "E has a long and short sound in most languages."— Bicknell's Gram., Part ii, p. 13. "When the figurative and literal sense are mixed and jumbled together."—Blair's Rhet., p. 151. "The Hebrew, with which the Canaanitish and Phoenician stand in connection."—CONANT: Fowler's E. Gram., 8vo, 1850, p. 28. "The languages of Scandinavia proper, the Norwegian and Swedish."—Fowler, ib., p. 31.
"The path of truth is a plain and a safe path"—Murray's Key, p. 236. "Directions for acquiring a just and a happy elocution."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 144. "Its leading object is to adopt a correct and an easy method."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 9. "How can it choose but wither in a long and a sharp winter."—Cowley's Pref., p. vi. "Into a dark and a distant unknown."—Chalmers, on Astronomy, p. 230. "When the bold and the strong enslaved his fellow man."—Chazotte's Essay, p. 21. "We now proceed to consider the things most essential to an accurate and a perfect sentence." —Murray's Gram., p. 306. "And hence arises a second and a very considerable source of the improvement of taste."—Blair's Rhet., p. 18. "Novelty produces in the mind a vivid and an agreeable emotion."—Ib., p. 50. "The deepest and the bitterest feeling still is, the separation."— Dr. M'Rie. "A great and a good man looks beyond time."—Brown's Institutes, p. 125. "They made but a weak and an ineffectual resistance." —Ib. "The light and the worthless kernels will float."—Ib. "I rejoice that there is an other and a better world."—Ib. "For he is determined to revise his work, and present to the publick another and a better edition."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 7. "He hoped that this title would secure him an ample and an independent authority."—Murray's Gram., p. 172: see Priestley's, 147. "There is however another and a more limited sense."—Adams's Rhet., Vol. ii, p. 232.
"This distinction forms, what are called the diffuse and the concise styles."—Blair's Rhet., p. 176. "Two different modes of speaking, distinguished at first by the denominations of the Attic and the Asiatic manners."—Adams's Rhet., Vol. i, p. 83. "But the great design of uniting the Spanish and the French monarchies under the former was laid."— Bolingbroke, on History, p. 180. "In the solemn and the poetic styles, it [do or did] is often rejected."—W. Allen's Gram., p. 68. "They cannot be at the same time in the objective and the nominative cases."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 151; Ingersoll's, 239; R. G. Smith's, 127. "They are named the POSITIVE, the COMPARATIVE, and the SUPERLATIVE degrees."—Smart's Accidence, p. 27. "Certain Adverbs are capable of taking an Inflection, namely, that of the comparative and the superlative degrees."—Fowler's E. Gram., 8vo, 1850, §321. "In the subjunctive mood, the present and the imperfect tenses often carry with them a future sense."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 187; Fisk's, 131. "The imperfect, the perfect, the pluperfect, and the first future tenses of this mood, are conjugated like the same tenses of the indicative."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 145. "What rules apply in parsing personal pronouns of the second and third person?"—Ib., p. 116. "Nouns are sometimes in the nominative or objective case after the neuter verb to be, or after an active-intransitive or passive verb."—Ib., p. 55. "The verb varies its endings in the singular in order to agree in form with the first, second, and third person of its nominative."—Ib., p. 47. "They are identical in effect, with the radical and the vanishing stresses."—Rush, on the Voice, p. 339. "In a sonnet the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth line rhyme to each other: so do the second, third, sixth, and seventh line; the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth line; and the tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth line."—Churchill's Gram., p. 311. "The iron and the golden ages are run; youth and manhood are departed."—Wright's Athens, p. 74. "If, as you say, the iron and the golden ages are past, the youth and the manhood of the world."—Ib. "An Exposition of the Old and New Testament."—Matthew Henry's Title-page. "The names and order of the books of the Old and New Testament."—Friends' Bible, p. 2; Bruce's, p. 2; et al. "In the second and third person of that tense."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 81. "And who still unites in himself the human and the divine natures."—Gurney's Evidences, p. 59. "Among whom arose the Italian, the Spanish, the French, and the English languages."—L. Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 111. "Whence arise these two, the singular and the plural Numbers."—Burn's Gram., p. 32.
"Neither the definitions, nor examples, are entirely the same with his."—Ward's Pref. to Lily's Gram., p. vi. "Because it makes a discordance between the thought and expression."—Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 24. "Between the adjective and following substantive."—Ib. ii, 104. "Thus, Athens became both the repository and nursery of learning."—Chazotte's Essay, p. 28. "But the French pilfered from both the Greek and Latin."—Ib., p. 102. "He shows that Christ is both the power and wisdom of God."—The Friend, x, 414. "That he might be Lord both of the dead and living."—Rom., xiv, 9. "This is neither the obvious nor grammatical meaning of his words."—Blair's Rhet., p. 209. "Sometimes both the accusative and infinitive are understood."—Adam's Gram., p. 155; Gould's, 158. "In some cases we can use either the nominative or accusative promiscuously."—Adam, p. 156; Gould, 159. "Both the former and latter substantive are sometimes to be understood."—Adam, p. 157; Gould, 160. "Many whereof have escaped both the commentator and poet himself."—Pope. "The verbs must and ought have both a present and past signification."—Murray's Gram., p. 108. "How shall we distinguish between the friends and enemies of the government?"—Webster's Essays, p. 352. "Both the ecclesiastical and secular powers concurred in those measures."—Campbell's Rhet., p. 260. "As the period has a beginning and end within itself it implies an inflexion."—Adams's Rhet., ii, 245. "Such as ought to subsist between a principal and accessory."—Kames, on Crit., ii, 39.
"When both the upward and the downward slides occur in pronouncing a syllable, they are called a Circumflex or Wave."—Kirkham's Elocution, pp. 75 and 104. "The word that is used both in the nominative and objective cases."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 69. "But all the other moods and tenses of the verbs, both in the active and passive voices, are conjugated at large."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 81. "Some writers on Grammar object to the propriety of admitting the second future, in both the indicative and subjunctive moods."—Ib., p. 82. "The same conjunction governing both the indicative and the subjunctive moods, in the same sentence, and in the same circumstances, seems to be a great impropriety."—Ib., p. 207. "The true distinction between the subjunctive and the indicative moods in this tense."—Ib., p. 208. "I doubt of his capacity to teach either the French or English languages."—Chazotte's Essay, p. 7. "It is as necessary to make a distinction between the active transitive and the active intransitive forms of the verb, as between the active and passive forms."—Nixon's Parser, p. 13.
"As comprehending the terms uttered by the artist, the mechanic, and husbandman."—Chazotte's Essay, p. 24. "They may be divided into four classes—the Humanists, Philanthropists, Pestalozzian and the Productive Schools."—Smith's New Gram., p. iii. "Verbs have six tenses, the Present, the Imperfect, the Perfect, the Pluperfect, and the First and Second Future tenses."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 138; L. Murray's, 68; R. C. Smith's, 27; Alger's, 28. "Is is an irregular verb neuter, indicative mood, present tense, and the third person singular."—Murray's Gram., Vol. ii, p. 2. "Should give is an irregular verb active, in the potential mood, the imperfect tense, and the first person plural."—Ibid. "Us is a personal pronoun, first person plural, and in the objective case."—Ibid. "Them is a personal pronoun, of the third person, the plural number, and in the objective case."—Ibid. "It is surprising that the Jewish critics, with all their skill in dots, points, and accents, never had the ingenuity to invent a point of interrogation, of admiration, or a parenthesis."—Wilson's Hebrew Gram., p. 47. "The fifth, sixth, seventh, and the eighth verse."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 263. "Substitutes have three persons; the First, Second, and the Third."—Ib., p. 34. "John's is a proper noun, of the masculine gender, the third person, singular number, possessive case, and governed by wife, by Rule I."—Smith's New Gram., p. 48. "Nouns in the English language have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and objective."—Barrett's Gram., p. 13; Alexander's, 11. "The Potential [mood] has four [tenses], viz. the Present, the Imperfect, the Perfect, and Pluperfect."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 96.
"Where Science, Law, and Liberty depend, And own the patron, patriot, and the friend."—Savage, to Walpole.
"A pronoun is a part of speech put for a noun."—Paul's Accidence, p. 11. "A verb is a part of speech declined with mood and tense."—Ib., p. 15. "A participle is a part of speech derived of a verb."—Ib., p. 38. "An adverb is a part of speech joined to verbs to declare their signification."—Ib., p. 40. "A conjunction is a part of speech that joineth sentences together."—Ib., p. 41. "A preposition is a part of speech most commonly set before other parts."—Ib., p. 42. "An interjection is a part of speech which betokeneth a sudden motion or passion of the mind."—Ib., p. 44. "An enigma or riddle is also a species of allegory."—Blair's Rhet., p. 151; Murray's Gram., 343. "We may take from the Scriptures a very fine example of an allegory."—Ib.: Blair, 151; Mur., 341. "And thus have you exhibited a sort of a sketch of art."—HARRIS: in Priestley's Gram., p. 176. "We may 'imagine a subtle kind of a reasoning,' as Mr. Harris acutely observes."—Churchill's Gram., p. 71. "But, before entering on these, I shall give one instance of a very beautiful metaphor, that I may show the figure to full advantage."—Blair's Rhet., p. 143. "Aristotle, in his Poetics, uses metaphor in this extended sense, for any figurative meaning imposed upon a word; as a whole put for the part, or a part for a whole; the species for the genus, or a genus for the species."—Ib., p. 142. "It shows what kind of an apple it is of which we are speaking."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 69. "Cleon was another sort of a man."—Goldsmith's Greece, Vol. i, p. 124. "To keep off his right wing, as a kind of a reserved body."—Ib., ii, 12. "This part of speech is called a verb."—Mack's Gram., p. 70. "What sort of a thing is it?"—Hiley's Gram., p. 20. "What sort of a charm do they possess?"—Bullions's Principles of E. Gram., p. 73.
"Dear Welsted, mark, in dirty hole, That painful animal, a Mole."—Note to Dunciad, B. ii, l. 207.
"Either thou or the boys were in the fault."—Comly's Key, in Gram., p. 174. "It may, at the first view, appear to be too general."—Murray's Gram., p. 222; Ingersoll's, 275. "When the verb has a reference to future time."—Ib.: M., p. 207; Ing., 264. "No; they are the language of imagination rather than of a passion."—Blair's Rhet., p. 165. "The dislike of the English Grammar, which has so generally prevailed, can only be attributed to the intricacy of syntax."—Russell's Gram., p. iv. "Is that ornament in a good taste?"—Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 326. "There are not many fountains in a good taste."—Ib., ii, 329. "And I persecuted this way unto the death."—Acts, xxii, 4. "The sense of the feeling can, indeed, give us the idea of extension."—Blair's Rhet., p. 196. "The distributive adjective pronouns, each, every, either, agree with the nouns, pronouns, and verbs, of the singular number only."—Murray's Gram., p. 165; Lowth's, 89. "Expressing by one word, what might, by a circumlocution, be resolved into two or more words belonging to the other parts of speech."—Blair's Rhet., p. 84. "By the certain muscles which operate all at the same time."—Murray's Gram., p. 19. "It is sufficient here to have observed thus much in the general concerning them."—Campbell's Rhet., p. 112. "Nothing disgusts us sooner than the empty pomp of language."—Murray's Gram., p. 319.
"He is entitled to the appellation of a gentleman."—Brown's Inst., p. 126. "Cromwell assumed the title of a Protector."—Ib. "Her father is honoured with the title of an Earl."—Ib. "The chief magistrate is styled a President."—Ib. "The highest title in the state is that of the Governor."—Ib. "That boy is known by the name of the Idler."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 205. "The one styled the Mufti, is the head of the ministers of law and religion."—Balbi's Geog., p. 360. "Banging all that possessed them under one class, he called that whole class a tree."—Blair's Rhet., p. 73. "For the oak, the pine, and the ash, were names of whole classes of objects."—Ib., p. 73. "It is of little importance whether we give to some particular mode of expression the name of a trope, or of a figure."—Ib., p. 133. "The collision of a vowel with itself is the most ungracious of all combinations, and has been doomed to peculiar reprobation under the name of an hiatus."—J. Q. Adams's Rhet., Vol. ii, p. 217. "We hesitate to determine, whether the Tyrant alone, is the nominative, or whether the nominative includes the spy."—Cobbett's E. Gram., ¶ 246. "Hence originated the customary abbreviation of twelve months into a twelve-month; seven nights into se'night; fourteen nights into a fortnight."—Webster's Improved Gram., p. 105.
"He is a better writer than a reader."—W. Allen's False Syntax, Gram., p. 332. "He was an abler mathematician than a linguist."—Ib. "I should rather have an orange than apple."—Brown's Inst., p. 126. "He was no less able a negotiator, than a courageous warrior."—Smollett's Voltaire, Vol. i, p. 181. "In an epic poem we pardon many negligences that would not be permitted in a sonnet or epigram."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 186. "That figure is a sphere, or a globe, or a ball."—Harris's Hermes, p. 258.
"Carriages which were formerly in use, were very clumsy."—Inst., p. 126. "The place is not mentioned by geographers who wrote at that time."—Ib. "Questions which a person asks himself in contemplation, ought to be terminated by points of interrogation."—Murray's Gram., p. 279; Comly's, 162; Ingersoll's, 291. "The work is designed for the use of persons, who may think it merits a place in their Libraries."—Murray's Gram., 8vo., p. iii. "That persons who think confusedly, should express themselves obscurely, is not to be wondered at."—Ib., p. 298. "Grammarians who limit the number to two, or at most to three, do not reflect."—Ib., p. 75. "Substantives which end in ian, are those that signify profession."—Ib., p. 132. "To these may be added verbs, which chiefly among the poets govern the dative."—Adam's Gram., p. 170; Gould's, 171. "Consonants are letters, which cannot be sounded without the aid of a vowel."—Bucke's Gram., p. 9. "To employ the curiosity of persons who are skilled in grammar."—Murray's Gram., Pref., p. iii. "This rule refers only to nouns and pronouns, which have the same bearing or relation."—Ib., i, p. 204. "So that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear."—Heb., xi, 3. "Man is an imitative creature; he may utter sounds, which he has heard."—Wilson's Essay on Gram., p. 21. "But men, whose business is wholly domestic, have little or no use for any language but their own."—Webster's Essays, p. 5.
"Great benefit may be reaped from reading of histories."—Sewel's Hist., p. iii. "And some attempts were made towards writing of history."—Bolingbroke, on Hist., p. 110. "It is Invading of the Priest's Office for any other to Offer it."—Right of Tythes, p. 200. "And thus far of forming of verbs."—Walker's Art of Teaching, p. 35. "And without shedding of blood is no remission."—Heb., ix, 22. "For making of measures we have the best method here in England."—Printer's Gram. "This is really both admitting and denying, at once."—Butler's Analogy, p. 72. "And hence the origin of making of parliaments."—Brown's Estimate, Vol. i, p. 71. "Next thou objectest, that having of saving light and grace presupposes conversion. But that I deny: for, on the contrary, conversion presupposeth having light and grace."—Barclay's Works, Vol. i, p. 143. "They cried down wearing of rings and other superfluities as we do."—Ib., i, 236. "Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel."—1 Peter, iii, 3. "In spelling of derivative Words, the Primitive must be kept whole."—British Gram., p. 50; Buchanan's Syntax, 9. "And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar."—Numbers, vii, 10. "Boasting is not only telling of lies, but also many unseemly truths."—Sheffield's Works, ii, 244. "We freely confess that forbearing of prayer in the wicked is sinful."—Barclay, i, 316. "For revealing of a secret, there is no remedy."—Inst. E. Gram., p. 126. "He turned all his thoughts to composing of laws for the good of the state."—Rollin's Ancient Hist., Vol. ii, p. 38.
UNDER NOTE XVI.—PARTICIPLES, NOT NOUNS. "It is salvation to be kept from falling into a pit, as truly as to be taken out of it after the falling in."—Barclay, i, 210. "For in the receiving and embracing the testimony of truth, they felt eased."—Ib., i, 469. "True regularity does not consist in the having but a single rule, and forcing every thing to conform to it."—Philol. Museum, i, 664. "To the man of the world, this sound of glad tidings appears only an idle tale, and not worth the attending to."—Life of Tho. Say, p. 144. "To be the deliverer of the captive Jews, by the ordering their temple to be re-built," &c.—Rollin, ii, 124. "And for the preserving them from being defiled."—N. E. Discipline, p. 133. "A wise man will avoid the showing any excellence in trifles."—Art of Thinking, p. 80. "Hirsutus had no other reason for the valuing a book."—Rambler, No. 177; Wright's Gram., p. 190. "To the being heard with satisfaction, it is necessary that the speaker should deliver himself with ease."—Sheridan's Elocution, p. 114. "And to the being well heard, and clearly understood, a good and distinct articulation contributes more, than power of voice."—Ib., p. 117.
"Potential means the having power or will; As, If you would improve, you should be still." —Tobitt's Gram., p. 31.
"For the same reason, a neuter verb cannot become a passive."—Lowth's Gram., p. 74. "The period is the whole sentence complete in itself."—Ib., p. 115. "The colon or member is a chief constructive part, or greater division of a sentence."—Ib. "The semicolon or half member, is a less constructive part or subdivision, of a sentence or member."—Ib. "A sentence or member is again subdivided into commas or segments."—Ib., p. 116. "The first error that I would mention, is, a too general attention to the dead languages, with a neglect of our own."—Webster's Essays, p. 3. "One third of the importations would supply the demands of people."—Ib., p. 119. "And especially in grave stile."—Priestley's Gram., p. 72. "By too eager pursuit, he ran a great risk of being disappointed."—Murray's Key, Octavo Gram., Vol. ii, p. 201. "Letters are divided into vowels and consonants."—Murray's Gram., i, p. 7; and others. "Consonants are divided into mutes and semi-vowels."—Ib., i, 8; and others. "The first of these forms is most agreeable to the English idiom."—Ib., i, 176. "If they gain, it is a too dear rate."—Barclay's Works, i, 504. "A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to prevent a too frequent repetition of it."—Maunder's Gram., p. 1. "This vulgar error might perhaps arise from a too partial fondness for the Latin."—Dr. Ash's Gram., Pref., p. iv. "The groans which a too heavy load extorts from her."—Hitchcock, on Dyspepsy, p. 50. "The numbers [of a verb] are, of course, singular and plural."—Bucke's Gram. p. 58. "To brook no meanness, and to stoop to no dissimulation, are the indications of a great mind."—Murray's Key, ii, 236. "This mode of expression rather suits familiar than grave style."—Murray's Gram., i, 198. "This use of the word rather suits familiar and low style."—Priestley's Gram., p. 134. "According to the nature of the composition the one or other may be predominant."—Blair's Rhet., p. 102. "Yet the commonness of such sentences prevents in a great measure a too early expectation of the end."—Campbell's Rhet., p. 411. "An eulogy or a philippie may be pronounced by an individual of one nation upon the subject of another."—Adams's Rhet., i, 298. "A French sermon, is for most part, a warm animated exhortation."—Blair's Rhet., p. 288. "I do not envy those who think slavery no very pitiable a lot."—Channing, on Emancipation, p. 52. "The auxiliary and principal united, constitute a tense."—Murray's Gram., i, 75. "There are some verbs which are defective with respect to persons."—Ib., i, 109. "In youth, the habits of industry are most easily acquired."—Murray's Key, ii, 235. "Apostrophe (') is used in place of a letter left out."—Bullions's Eng. Gram., p. 156.