A variety of pleasing objects charm the eye. The number of inhabitants
of the United States exceed nine millions. Nothing but vain and foolish
pursuits delight some persons.
In vain our flocks and fields increase our store,
When our abundance make us wish for more.
While ever and anon, there falls
Huge heaps of hoary, moulder'd walls.
LECTURE III.
OF ARTICLES.
An article is a word prefixed to nouns to limit their signification; as,
_a_ man, _the_ woman.
There are only two articles, _a_ or _an_, and _the. A_ or _an_ is called
the indefinite article. _The_ is called the definite article.
The _indefinite article_ limits the noun to one of a kind, but to no
particular one; as, _a_ house.
The _definite article_ generally limits the noun to a particular object,
or collection of objects; as, _the_ house, _the_ men.
The small claims of the article to a separate rank as a distinct part of
speech, ought not to be admitted in a scientific classification of
words. _A_ and _the, this_ and _that, ten, few_, and _fourth_, and many
other words, are used to restrict, vary, or define the signification of
the nouns to which they are joined.
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