or thing, but do not particularly refer to any one more than another; as, "From yonder shrine, I hear a hollow sound." POPE. The is called the definite article, and determines the particular thing, or things intended, and distinguishes them, as it were, from any other of the kind; as, "The gates of hell are open night and day; Smooth the defcent and easy is the way." DRYDEN. When a substantive is used without an article to limit and determine its signification, it is taken in its most extensive sense; as, "A creature of a more exalted mind Was wanting yet, and then was man design'd." IBID. to The is often used before adverbs, in the comparative and superlative degree; and seems increase their force and emphasis; as, "The more difficultly any thing is acquired, the more it is valued." SECTION II. OF A SUBSTANTIVE. SUBSTANTIVE is the name of any thing A that we can think or speak of; as, a man, a house, justice, goodness. Every word that will take the articles a, an, or the before it, without the addition of any other word, is a substantive; as, a boy, a book, an apple, the house, the school. Substantives are of two kinds, common and proper. Substantives common, or common names, are such as denote a whole kind or species; as, a man, a city, a river; which may be understood of any man, any city, or any river. Substantives proper, or proper names, are such as denote the individuals of any kind, or species; as, John, London, the Thames. Thus man is the common name of all men; John is the name of some particular man.-Every city is called a city, but every city is not called London, London is therefore the proper name of a particular city. To substantives belong number, case, and gender. There are two numbers; the singular which speaks of one thing only; as, a man, a book: and the plural which speaks of more than one; as men, books. In English, the plural for the most part, is formed by adding s to the singular; as king, kings; boy, boys. When the singular ends in x, ch, sh, or s, the plural is formed by adding es; as, glass, glasses; brush, brushes; church, churches. When the singular ends in y, the plural is made by changing the y into ies; as, fairy, fairies; lady, ladies. When the singular ends in ƒ or fe, the plural usually ends in ves; as, calf, calves; half, halves, knife, knives. The plural is sometimes formed by adding en. to the singular; as ox, oxen; chick, chicken. Some Some words change the singular termination into en; as, man, men; woman, women. The plural is sometimes formed by adding ren to the singular; as, child, children;-and brother makes brothers, and brethren. . Several words form the plural very irregularly; as, die, dice; mouse, mice; goose, geese; foot, feet; tooth, teeth; penny, pence. Some words are the same in both numbers; as, sheep, deer, swine, &c. Some have no plural; as, wheat, rice, barley. Others have no singular; as, ashes, bellows, lungs, tongs. Some words, derived immediately from the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, form their plural as in their original languages; as, cherub, cherubim ; seraph, seraphim; phænomenon, phænomena; magus, magi; radius, radii. Substantives in English have two cases; the nominative and the genitive: The nominative case is that state of the substantive in which it is only named; as, a man, the book. The genitive casé denotes property, or possession; and is formed of the nominative, by adding s with an apostrophe; as, the man's house, Alexander's horse. Gender is the distinction of sex. So that, properly speaking, there are but two genders; the masculine, which denotes the male kind; as, a man; and the feminine, which denotes the female 'kind; as, a woman. Those words which signify things without life, or that have no distinction of sex, are said to be of the neuter gender; as, a house, a stone. Some words are said to be of the doubtful gender; such as, child, lamb, sparrow, eagle, &c. In In these the gender is not determined; though we know they must be either masculine or feminine. Amongst inanimate things, custom and figurative speech occasionally make some masculine, and others feminine; perhaps from some distant analogy they may be supposed to have to the different sexes; thus, a ship, a church, a city, &c. are used as feminines; the sun, death, &c. as masculines. There are five different ways of distinguishing the sexes in English. I. By making use of different words; as Male. Female. Male. Female. II. Sometimes another word is added to distinguish the sex; as, man-servant. III. Sometimes the sex is distinguished by the words male and female; as, a male-child, a femalechild. IV. In two words the termination of the masculine is changed into ir; as, administrator, administratrix; executor, executrix. b V. But V. But most commonly the feminine is formed by changing the termination of the masculine into ess, or adding ess to it; as, Male. Female. Ambaffador Ambassadress Baron Baroness Governor Governéss Tutor Tutoress Heir Heiress Viscount Viscountess. SECTION III. OF AN ADJECTIVE. AN ADJECTIVE is a word added to a substantive, to express its nature, quality, or property; as, a good man, a fine house, a pleasant garden. "But, O my muse, what numbers wilt thou find, ADDISON. Adjectives may be known by putting the word thing after them, with which they make good sense; as, good thing, great thing, fine thing. Adjec |