_Noun_, derived from the Latin word _nomen_, signifies _name_. The name
of any thing [1] that exists, whether animate or inanimate, or
which we can see, hear, feel, taste, smell, or think of, is a noun.
_Animal, bird, creature, paper, pen, apple, fold, house, modesty,
virtue, danger_, are all nouns. In order that you may easily distinguish
this part of speech from others, I will give you a _sign_, which will be
useful to you when you cannot tell it by the _sense_. Any word that will
make sense with _the_ before it, is a noun. Try the following words by
this sign, and see if they are nouns: tree, mountain, soul, mind,
conscience, understanding. _The_ tree, _the_ mountain, _the_ soul, and
so on. You perceive, that they will make sense with _the_ prefixed;
therefore you know they are _nouns_. There are, however, exceptions to
this rule, for some nouns will not make sense with _the_ prefixed. These
you will be able to distinguish, if you exercise your mind, by their
_making sense of themselves_; as, _goodness, sobriety, hope,
immortality_.
[1] The word _thing_, from the Saxon verb _thingian_, to think, is
almost unlimited in its meaning.
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