naturally a plural signification; and a few or a great many is not a collection so definite that wo can well conceive of fews and manies; but both are sometimes construed substantively, though in modern English it seems to be mostly by ellipsis of the noun. Example: "The praise of the judicious few is an ample compensation for the neglect of the illiterate many.”—Churchill's Gram., p. 278. Dr. Johnson says, the word many is remarkable in Saxon for its frequent use. The following are some of the examples in which he calls it a substantive, or noun: "After him the rascal many ran."-Spenser. "O thou fond many."—Shakspeare. A care-craz'd mother of a many children."—Id. "And for thy sake have I shed many a tear.”—Id. "The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven."-South. "He is liable to a great many inconveniences every moment of his life."-Tillotson. Seeing a great many in rich gowns, he was amazed."Addison. "There parting from the king, the chiefs divide, And wheeling east and west, before their many ride."—Dryden. OBS. 28.-"On the principle here laid down, we may account for a peculiar use of the article with the adjective few, and some other diminutives. In saying, 'A few of his adherents remained with him;' we insinuate, that they constituted a number sufficiently important to be formed into an aggregate: while, if the article be omitted, as, Few of his adherents remained with him;' this implies, that he was nearly deserted, by representing them as individuals not worth reckoning up. A similar difference occurs between the phrases: 'He exhibited a little regard for his character;' and 'He exhibited little regard for his character.'"-Churchill's Gram., p. 279. The word little, in its most proper construction, is an adjective, signifying small; as, "He was little of stature."-Luke. "Is it not a little one?"-Genesis. And in sentences like the following, it is also reckoned an adjective, though the article seems to relate to it, rather than to the subsequent noun; or perhaps t may be taken as relating to them both: "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep."-Prov., vi, 10; xxiv, 33. But by a common ellipsis, it is used as a noun, both with and without the article; as, "A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked."-Psalms, xxxvii, 16. "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith."-Prov., xv, 16. "He that despiseth little things, shall perish by little and little."-Ecclesiasticus. It is also used adverbially, both alone and with the article a; as, "The poor sleep little."-Otway. "Though they are a little astringent."-Arbuthnot. "When he had gone a little farther thence."-Mark, i, 19. "Let us vary the phrase [in] a very little" [degree]. -Kames, Vol. ii, p. 163. OBS. 29.-"As it is the nature of the articles to limit the signification of a word, they are applicable only to words expressing ideas capable of being individualized, or conceived of as single things or acts; and nouns implying a general state, condition, or habit, must be used without the article. It is not vaguely therefore, but on fixed principles, that the article is omitted, or inserted, in such phrases as the following: 'in terror, in fear, in dread, in haste, in sickness, in pain, in trouble; in a fright, in a hurry, in a consumption; the pain of his wound was great; her son's dissipated life was a great trouble to her."-Churchill's Gram., p. 127. OBS. 30.-Though the, an, and a, are the only articles in our language, they are far from being the only definitives. Hence, while some have objected to the peculiar distinction bestowed upon these little words, firmly insisting on throwing them in among the common mass of adjectives; others have taught, that the definitive adjectives-I know not how many-such as, this, that, fese, those, any, other, some, all, both, each, every, either, neither-"are much more properly articles than any thing else."-Hermes, p. 234. But, in spite of this opinion, it has somehow happened, that these definitive adjectives have very generally, and very absurdly, acquired the name of pronouns. Hence, we find Booth, who certainly excelled most other grammarians in learning and acuteness, marvelling that the articles "were ever separated from the class of pronouns." To all this I reply, that the, an, and a, are worthy to be distinguished as the only articles, because they are not only used with much greater frequency than any other definitives, but are specially restricted to the limiting of the signification of nouns. Whereas the other definitives above mentioned are very often used to supply the place of their nouns; that is, to represent them understood. For, in general, it is only by ellipsis of the noun after it, and not as the representative of a noun going before, that any one of these words assumes the appearance of a pronoun. Hence, they are not pronouns, but adjectives. Nor are they "more properly articles than any thing else;" for, "if the essence of an article be to define and ascertain" the meaning of a noun, this very conception of the thing necessarily supposes the noun to be used with it. ODS. 31.-The following example, or explanation, may show what is meant by definitives. Let the general term be man, the plural of which is men: A man-one unknown or indefinite; The ma-one known or particular; The men-some particular ones; Any man-one indefinitely; A certain man-one definitely; This man-one near; That man-one distant; These men—several near; Those men-several distant; Such a man-one like some other; Such men-some like others; Many a man—a multitude taken singly; Many men—an indefinite multitude taken plurally; A thousand men—a definite multitude; Every man—all or each without exception; Each man-both or all taken separately; Some man-one, as opposed to none; Some men-an indefinite number or part; All men-the whole taken plurally; No men-none of the sex; No mannever one of the race. The following construction may be considered an archaism, or a form of expression that is now obsolete: "You have bestowed a many of kindnesses upon me."-Walker's English Particles, p. 278. EXAMPLES FOR PARSING. PRAXIS II.-ETYMOLOGICAL. In the Second Praxis, it is required of the pupil-to distinguish and define the different parts of speech, and to explain the ARTICLES as definite or indefinite. The definitions to be given in the Second Praxis, are two for an article, and one for a noun, an adjective, a pronoun, a verb, a participle, an adverb, a conjunction, a preposition, or an interjection. Thus: EXAMPLE PARSED. "The task of a schoolmaster laboriously prompting and urging an indolent class, is worse than his who drives lazy horses along a sandy road."-G. Brown. The is the definite article. 1. An article is the word the, an, or a, which we put before nouns to limit their signification. 2. The definite article is the, which denotes some particular thing or things. Task is a noun. 1. A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, that can be known or mentioned. Of is a preposition. 1. A preposition is a word used to express some relation of different things or thoughts to each other, and is generally placed before a noun or a pronoun. A is the indefinite article. 1. An article is the word the, an, or a, which we put before nouns to limit their signification. 2. The indefinite article is an or a, which denotes one thing of a kind, but not any particular one. Schoolmaster is a noun. 1. A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, that can be known or mentioned. Laboriously is an adverb. 1. An adverb is a word added to a verb, a participle, an adjective, or an other adverb; and generally expresses time, place, degree, or manner. Prompting is a participle. 1. A participle is a word derived from a verb, participating the properties of a verb, and of an adjective or a noun; and is generally formed by adding ing, d, or ed, to the verb. And is a conjunction. 1. A conjunction is a word used to connect words or sentences in construction, and to show the dependence of the terms so connected. Urging is a participle. 1. A participle is a word derived from a verb, participating the properties of a verb, and of an adjective or a noun; and is generally formed by adding ing, d, or ed, to the verb. An is the indefinite article. 1. An article is the word the, an, or a, which we put before nouns to limit their sigaification. 2. The indefinite article is an or a, which denotes one thing of a kind, but not any particular one. Indolent is an adjective. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or pronoun, and generally expresses quality. Worse is an adjective. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or pronoun, and generally expresses quality. Than is a conjunction. 1. A conjunction is a word used to connect words or sentences in construction, and to show the dependence of the terms so connected. His is a pronoun. 1. A pronoun is a word used in stead of a noun. Who is a pronoun. 1. A pronoun is a word used in stead of a noun. Drives is a verb. 1. A verb is a word that signifies to be, to act, or to be acted upon. Lazy is an adjective. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or pronoun, and generally expresses quality. A is the indefinite article. 1. An article is the word the, an, or a, which we put before nouns to limit their sig- LESSON I-PARSING. "The Honourable, the Corporation of the city, granted the use of the common council chamber, for holding the Convention; generously adding the privilege of occupying the rotunda, or the new court-room, if either would better suit the wishes of the committee." Journal of Literary Convention, N. Y., 1830. "When the whole is put for a part, or a part for the whole; the genus for a species, or a species for the genus; the singular number for the plural, or the plural for the singular; and, in general, when any thing less, or any thing more, is put for the precise object meant; the figure is called a Synecdoche."-See Blair's Rhet., p. 141. 66 "The truth is, a representative, as an individual, is on a footing with other people; but, as a representative of a State, he is invested with a share of the sovereign authority, and is so far a governor of the people."-See Webster's Essays, p. 50. Knowledge is the fruit of mental labour-the food and the feast of the mind. In the pursuit of knowledge, the greater the excellence of the subject of inquiry, the deeper ought to be the interest, the more ardent the investigation, and the dearer to the mind the acquisition of the truth."-Keith's Evidences, p. 15. "Canst thou, O partial Sleep! give thy repose To the wet seaboy in an hour so rude?"-Shakspeare. LESSON II-PARSING. "Every family has a master; (or a mistress-I beg the ladies' pardon ;) a ship has a master; when a house is to be built, there is a master; when the highways are repairing, there is a master; every little school has a master: the continent is a great school; the boys are numerous, and full of roguish tricks; and there is no master. The boys in this great school play truant, and there is no person to chastise them."-See Webster's Essays, p. 128. "A man who purposely rushes down a precipice and breaks his arm, has no right to say, that surgeons are an evil in society. A legislature may unjustly limit the surgeon's fee; but the broken arm must be healed, and a surgeon is the only man to restore it."-See ib., p. 135. "But what new sympathies sprung up immediately where the gospel prevailed! It was made the duty of the whole Christian community to provide for the stranger, the poor, the sick, the aged, the widow, and the orphan."-M'Ilvaine's Evi., p. 408. "In the English language, the same word is often employed both as a noun and as a verb; and sometimes as an adjective, and even as an adverb and a preposition also. Of this, round is an example."-See Churchill's Gram., p. 24. "The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket, The moss-covered bucket, arose from the well."-Woodworth. LESSON III-PARSING. "Most of the objects in a natural landscape are beautiful, and some of them are grand: a flowing river, a spreading oak, a round hill, an extended plain, are delightful; and even a rugged rock, and a barren heath, though in themselves disagreeable, contribute by contrast to the beauty of the whole."-See Kames's El. of Crit., i, 185. "An animal body is still more admirable, in the disposition of its several parts, and in their order and symmetry: there is not a bone, a muscle, a blood-vessel, a nerve, that hath not one corresponding to it on the opposite side; and the same order is carried through the most minute parts."-See ib., i, 271. "The constituent parts of a plant, the roots, the stem, the branches, the leaves, the fruit, are really different systems, united by a mutual dependence on each other."—Ib., i, 272. "With respect to the form of this ornament, I observe, that a circle is a more agreeable figure than a square, a globe than a cube, and a cylinder than a parallelopip'edon. A column is a more agreeable figure than a pilaster; and, for that reason, it ought to be preferred, all other circumstances being equal. An other reason concurs, that a column connected with a wall, which is a plain surface, makes a greater variety than a pilaster."-See ib., ii, 352. "But ah! what myriads claim the bended knee! Go, count the busy drops that swell the sea."-Rogers. IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION. ERRORS RESPECTING ARTICLES. LESSON I.-ADAPT THE ARTICLES. "Honour is an useful distinction in life."-Milnes's Greek Grammar, p. vii. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the article an is used before useful, which begins with the sound of yu. But, according to a principle expressed on page 225th, “A is to be used whenever the following word begins with a consonant sound." Therefore, an should here be changed to a: thus, Honour is a useful distinction in life."] "No writer, therefore, ought to foment an humour of innovation."-Jamieson's Rhet., p. 55. "Conjunctions require a situation between the things of which they form an union."—Ib., p. 83. 'Nothing is more easy than to mistake an u for an a."-Tooke's Diversions, i, 130. "From making so ill an use of our innocent expressions."-Wm. Penn. "To grant thee an heavenly and incorruptible crown of glory." ."-Sewel's Hist., Ded., p. iv. "It in no wise follows, that such an one was able to predict."-Ib., p. viii. "With an harmless patience they have borne most heavy oppressions."-Ib., p. x. "My attendance was to make me an happier man."-Spect., No. 480. "On the wonderful nature of an human mind.”—Ib., 554. "I have got an hussy of a maid, who is most craftily given to this."-Ib., No. 534. "Argus is said to have had an hundred eyes, some of which were always awake."-Classic Stories, p. 148. "Centiped, an hundred feet; centennial, consisting of a hundred years."-Town's Analysis, p. 19. "No good man, he thought, could be an heretic."-Gilpin's Lives, p. 72. "As, a Christian, an infidel, an heathen."-Ash's Gram., p. 50. Of two or more words, usually joined by an hyphen."-Blair's Gram., p. 7. "We may consider the whole space of an hundred years as time present."-BEATTIE: Murray's Gram., p. 69. In guarding against such an use of meats and drinks."-Ash's Gram., p. 138. "Worship is an homage due from man to his Creator."-Annual Monitor for 1836. Then, an eulogium on the deceased was pronounced.”—Grimshaw's U. S., p. 92. But for Adam there was not found an help meet for him."-Gen., ii, 20. "My days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth."-Psalms, cii, 3. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof." -Exod., xii, 45. 'The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill, as the hill of Bashan." —Psalms, lxviii, 15. But I do declare it to have been an holy offering, and such an one too as was to be once for all."- Wm. Penn. An hope that does not make ashamed those that have it." -Barclay's Works, Vol. i, p. 75. "Where there is not an unity, we may exercise true charity." -Ib., i, 96. "Tell me, if in any of these such an union can be found?"-Brown's Estimate, ii, 16. "Such holy drops her tresses steeped, 66 Though 'twas an hero's eye that weeped."-Sir W. Scott. LESSON II.-INSERT ARTICLES. "This veil of flesh parts the visible and invisible world."-Sherlock. [FORMULE.-Not proper, because the article the is omitted before invisible, where the sense requires it. But, according to a suggestion on page 225th, “Articles should be inserted as often as the sense requires them." Therefore, the should be here supplied; thus, "This veil of flesh parts the visible and the invisible world."] "The copulative and disjunctive conjunctions operate differently on the verb.”—Murray's Gram., Vol. ii, p. 286. Every combination of a preposition and article with the noun."— İb., i, 44. "Either signifies, 'the one or the other;' neither imports not either, that is, not one nor the other.'"-Ib., i, 56. "A noun of multitude may have a pronoun, or verb, agreeing with it, either of the singular or plural number."-Bucke's Gram., p. 90. "Copulative conjunctions are, principally, and, as, both, because, for, if, that, then, since, &c."—Sec ib., 28. "The two real genders are the masculine and feminine."-1b., 34. "In which a mute and liquid are represented by the same character, th."-Music of Nature, p. 481. "They said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee."--Luke, vii, 20. "They indeed remember the names of abundance of places."-Spect., No. 474. "Which created a great dispute between the young and old men."-Goldsmith's Greece, Vol. ii, p. 127. "Then shall be read the Apostles' or Nicene Creed."-Com. Prayer, p. 119. "The rules concerning the perfect tenses and supines of verbs are Lily's."-King Henry's Gram., p. iv. "It was read by the high and the low, the learned and illiterate."-Johnson's Life of Swift. "Most commonly, both the pronoun and verb aro understood.”—Buchanan's Gram., p. viii. "To signify the thick and slender enunciation of tone."-Knight, on the Greek Alph., p. 9. "The difference between a palatial and guttural aspirate is very small."-Ib., p. 12. "Leaving it to waver between the figurative and literal sense."-Jamieson's Rhet., p. 154. "Whatever verb will not admit of both an active and passive signification."-Alex. Murray's Gram., p. 31. "The is often set before adverbs in the comparative or superlative degree."-Ib., p. 15; Kirkham's Gram., 66. "Lest any should fear the effect of such a change upon the present or succeeding age of writers."-Fowle's Common School Gram., p. 5. "In all these measures, the accents are to be placed on even syllables; and every line is, in general, more melodious, as this rule is more strictly observed."-L. Murray's Octavo Gram., p. 256; Jamieson's Rhet., 307. "How many numbers do nouns appear to have? Two, the singular and plural.”—Smith's New "How many persons? Three persons-the first, second, and third."-Ib., p. 10. cases? Three-the nominative, possessive and objective.”—Ib., p. 12. "Ah! what avails it me, the flocks to keep, Gram., p. 8. "How many POPE'S WORKS: British Poets, Vol. vi, p. 309: Lond., 1800. LESSON III.-OMIT ARTICLES. The negroes are all the descendants of Africans."—Morse's Geog. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the article the before descendants, is useless to the construction, and injurious to the sense. But, according to a principle on page 225th, "Needless articles should be omitted; they seldom fail to pervert the sense." Therefore, the should be here omitted; thus, "The negroes are all descendants of Africans."] "A Sybarite was applied as a term of reproach to a man of dissolute manners."-Morse's Ancient Geog., p. 4. "The original signification of knave was a boy."- Webster's El. Spell., p. 136. "The meaning of these will be explained, for the greater clearness and precision."-Bucke's Gram., p. 58. "What Sort of a Noun is Man? A Noun Substantive common."-Buchanan's Gram., p. 166. "Is what ever used as three kinds of a pronoun?”—Kirkham's Gram., p. 117. "They delighted in the having done it, as well as in the doing of it."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 344. "Both the parts of this rule are exemplified in the following sentences."-Murray's Gram., p. 174. "He has taught them to hope for another and a better world.”—S. L. Knapp. "It was itself only preparatory to a future, a better, and perfect revelation."—Keith's Evid., p. 23. then makes another and a distinct syllable."-Brightland's Gram., p. 17. "The eternal clamours "Es of a selfish and a factious people."-Brown's Estimate, i, 74. "To those whose taste in Elocution is but a little cultivated."-Kirkham's Eloc., p. 65. "They considered they had but a Sort of a Gourd to rejoice in."-Bennet's Memorial, p. 333. "Now there was but one only such a bough, in spacious and shady grove."-Bacon's Wisdom, p. 75. "Now the absurdity of this latter supposi "This tion will go a great way towards the making a man easy."-Collier's Antoninus p. 131. is true of the mathematics, where the taste has but little to do."-Todd's Student's Manual, p. 331. "To stand prompter to a pausing, yet a ready comprehension."--Rush, on the Voice, p. 251. "Such an obedience as the yoked and the tortured negro is compelled to yield to the whip of the overseer."-Chalmers's Serm., p. 90. "For the gratification of a momentary and an unholy desire." -Wayland's Mor. Sci., p. 288. "The body is slenderly put together; the mind a rambling sort of a thing."-Collier's Antoninus, p. 26. "The only nominative to the verb, is, the officer."-Murray's Gram., ii, 22. "And though in the general it ought to be admitted, &c."-Blair's Rhet., p. 376. "Philosophical writing admits of a polished, a neat, and elegant style."-Ib., p. 367. But notwithstanding this defect, Thomson is a strong and a beautiful describer."-Ib., p. 405. "So should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved."-SHAK.: Hen. v. "Who felt the wrong, or fear'd it, took the alarm, Appeal'd to Law, and Justice lent her arm."-Pope, p. 406. LESSON IV.-CHANGE ARTICLES. “To enable us to avoid the too frequent repetition of the same word."—Bucke's Gr., p. 52. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the article the is used to limit the meaning of "repetition," or "too frequent repetition," where a would better suit the sense. But, according to a principle on page 225th, “The articles can seldom be put one for the other, without gross impropriety and either is of course to be preferred to the other, as it better suits the sense." Therefore, "the" should be a, which, in this instance, ought to be placed after the adjective; thus, "To enable us to avoid too frequent a repetition of the same word."] : "The former is commonly acquired in the third part of the time."-Burn's Gram., p. xi. "Sometimes the adjective becomes a substantive, and has another adjective joined to it: as, "The chief good.'"-L. Murray's Gram., i, 169. "An articulate sound is the sound of the human voice, formed by the organs of speech."-Ib., i, 2; Lowth's Gram., 2; T. Smith's, 5. "Tense is the distinction of time: there are six tenses."-Maunder's Gram., p. 6. "In this case, the ellipsis of the last article would be improper."-L. Murray's Gram., i, p. 218. "Contrast has always the effect to make each of the contrasted objects appear in the stronger light.”—Ib., i, 349; Blair's Rhet., p. 167. These remarks may serve to show the great importance of the proper use of the article."-Lowth's Gram., p. 12; Murray's, i, 171. "Archbishop Tillotson,' says an author of the History of England, died in this year.'"-Blair's Rhet., p. 107. "Pronouns are used instead of substantives, to prevent the too frequent repetition of them."-Alex. Murray's Gram., p. 22. That, as a relative, seems to be introduced to save the too frequent repetition of who and which."—Ib., p. 23. "A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun to avoid the too frequent repetition of the same word."-L. Murray's Gram., i, p. 28. "That is often used as a relative, to prevent the too frequent repetition of who and which."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 109; L. Murray's, i, 53; Hiley's, 84. "His knees smote one against an other."Logan's Sermons. "They stand now on one foot, then on another.”- Walker's Particles, p. 259. "The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."—Gen., xxxi, 49. "Some have enumerated ten [parts of speech], making a participle a distinct part."-L. Murray's Gram, i, p. 29. "Nemesis rides upon an Hart, because a Hart is a most lively Creature."-Bacon's Wisdom, p. 50. "The transition of the voice from one vowel of the diphthong to another."-Wilson's Essay on Gram., p. 29. "So difficult it is to separate these two things from one another."-Blair's Rhet., p. 92. "Without the material breach of any rule."-Ib., p. 101. "The great source of a loose style, in opposition to precision, is the injudicious use of those words termed synonymous."-Ib., p. 97. "The great source of a loose style, in opposition to precision, is the injudicious use of the words termed synonymous."-Murray's Gram., i, p. 302. “Sometimes one article is improperly used for another."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 197. "Satire of sense, alas! can Sporus feel? Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel ?"-Pope, p. 396. LESSON V.-MIXED EXAMPLES. "The head "Here they confound the mate"The Irish and Scotish Celtic "He hath no delight in the strength of an horse."-Maturin's Sermons, p. 311. of it would be an universal monarch."-Butler's Analogy, p. 98. rial and formal object of faith.”—Barclay's Works, Vol. iii, p. 57. are one language; the Welsh, Cornish, and Armorican, are another."-Dr. Murray's Hist., Vol. ii, p. 316. "In an uniform and perspicuous manner."-Ib., i, 49. "SCRIPTURE, n. Appropriately, and by way of distinction, the books of the Old and New Testament; the Bible."-Webster's Dict. "In two separate volumes, entitled the Old and the New Testaments."-Wayland's Mor. Sci., p. 139. "The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a revelation."-Ib. "Q has ever an u after it; which is not sounded in words derived from the French."-Wilson's Essay, p. 32. "What should we say of such an one? That he is regenerate? No."-Hopkins's Prim. Ch., p. 22. "Some grammarians subdivide vowels into the simple and the compound."-Murray's Gram., i, p. 8. "Emphasis has been further distinguished into the weaker and stronger emphasis."-Ib., Emphasis has also been divided into superior and the inferior emphasis.”—Ib., i, 245, 244. |