have disapproved of the terms by which they have been designated. Instead of the generally received appellations of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions, they have adopted those of names, substitutes, attributes, modifiers, and connectives. This spirit of innovation has extended itself to other parts of grammar, and especially to the names of the Tenses. Not satisfied with the ancient and approved terms, several writers on the subject, have introduced the following, as more accurate and expressive Present tense indefinite, Present tense emphatic, Present progressive or continued; Past tense continuately. Prior past tense indefinite, Preterite indefinite and emphatic; The foretelling future imperfect, Prior future indefinite, Future imperfect progressive and many others, corresponding with these, which it would be tedious to

enumerate.

Of what use such deviations from the customary, established terms of our best grammarians, can be productive, we are unable to conceive. They certainly tend to perplex and confound the student, if their promoters advanced no farther: but when we reflect that the friends and projectors of such innovations, may be continually altering and extending our grammatical nomenclature; there appears to be additional reason for rejecting them, and adhering to long-established names. These are universally intelligible; and, if preserved, would produce a happy uniformity among all the teachers and learners of the language. They have likewise a great similarity to the terms used in teaching other languages; and, on this ground also, it is highly proper to retain them.

If any of the old terms should appear to be, in some respects, too comprehensive; and, in others, too limited; it would be much more eligible, to contract or enlarge their extent, by explanatory notes and observations, than by sweeping away our ancient landmarks, and setting up others; which, after all, are without authority, and may

themselves, when critically examined, be found inconvenient and exceptionable.

We shall close our remarks on this subject, by introducing the sentiments of Dr. Johnson respecting it: they are extracted from his "Grammar of the English Tongue."—" In this division and order of the parts of grammar, I follow (says he) the common grammarians, without inquiring whether a fitter distribution might not be found. Experience has long shown this method to be so distinct as to obviate confusion, and so comprehensive as to prevent any inconvenient omissions. 1 likewise use the terms already received, and already understood, though perhaps others more proper might sometimes be invented. Sylburgius, and other innovators, whose new terms have sunk their learning into neglect, have left sufficient warning against the trifling ambition of teaching arts in a new language."

CHAPTER II.

OF THE ARTICLES.

An Article is a word prefixed to substantives, to point them out, and to show how far their signification extends: as, a garden, an eagle, the

woman.

In English, there are but two articles, a and the a becomes an before a vowel*, and before a silent h: as, an acorn, an hour. But if the h be sounded, the a only is to be used: as, a hand, a heart, a highway.

The inattention of writers and printers to this necessary distinction, has occasioned the frequent use of an before h, when it is to be pronounced; and this circumstance, more than any other, has probably contributed to that indistinct utterance, or total omission, of the sound signified by this letter, which very often occurs umongst readers and speakers. An horse, an husband, an herald, an heathen, and many similar associations, are frequently to be found in works of taste and merit. To remedy this evil, readers should be taught to omit, in all similar cases, the sound of the n, and to give the h its full pro

nunciation.

A or an is styled the indefinite article: it is used in a vague sense to point out one single thing of

*A instead of an is now used before words beginning with u long. See page 41, letter U. It is also used before one; as, many a one.—An must be used before words where the A is not silent, if the accent is on the second tillable: as, an heroic action, an historical account, &c.

the kind, in other respects indeterminate: as, "Give me a book;" " Bring me an apple.

The is called the definite article; because it ascertains what particular thing or things are meant: as, "Give me the book;" "Bring me the apples;" meaning some book, or apples, referred to.

A substantive without any article to limit it, is generally taken in its widest sense: as, "A candid temper is proper for man;" that is, for all mankind.

The peculiar use and importance of the articles will be seen in the following examples: "The son of a king—the son of the king—a son of the king. Each of these three phrases has an entirely different meaning, through the different application of the articles a and the.

"Thou art a man," is a very general and harmless position; but, "Thou art the man," (as Nathan said to David,) is an assertion capable of striking terror and remorse into the heart.

The article is omitted before nouns that imply the different virtues, vices, passions, qualities, sciences, arts, metals, herbs, &c.: as, " prudence is commendable; falsehood is odious; anger ought to be avoided;" &c. It is not prefixed to a proper name: as, "Alexander," (because that of itself denotes a determinate individual or particular thing,) except for the sake of distinguishing a particular family: as, "He is a Howard, or of the family of the Howards;" or by way of eminence: as, Every man is not a Newton;""He has the courage of an Achilles :" or when some noun is understood: "He sailed down the (river) Thames, in the (ship) Britannia."

When an adjective is used with the noun to which the article relates, it is placed between the article and the noun: as," a good man," "an agreeable woman," "the best friend." On some occasions, however, the adjective

"such a shame,"

precedes a or an: as, ""as great a man as Alexander," "too careless an author."

The indefinite article can be joined to substantives in the singular number only; the definite article may be joined al o to plurals.

But there appears to be a remarkable exception to this rule, in the use of the adjectives few and many, (the latter chiefly with the word great before it,) which, though joined with plural substantives, yet admit of the singular article a: as, a few men; a great many men.

The reason of it is manifest, from the effect which the article has in these phrases: it means a small or great number collectively taken; and therefore gives the idea of a whole, that is, of unity. Thus likewise, a dozen, a score, a hundred, or a thousand, is one whole number, an aggregate of many collectively taken; and therefore still retains the article a, though jomed as an adjective to a plural substantive; as, a hundred year*, &c.

The indefinite article is sometimes placed between the adjective many, and a singular noun: as,

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene,

"The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:

"Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,

"And waste its sweetness on the desert air."

In these lines, the phrases, many a gem and many a flow'r, refer to many sons and many flowers, separately, not collectively considered.

The definite article the ;s frequently applied to adverbs in the comparative and superlative degree; and its effect is, 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."

Though the definitions and uses of the articles, as we have explained them, are conformable to those exhibited by Harris, Lowth, Johnson, Beattie, Priestley, Blair, Coote, Crombie, and other respectable grammarians,