were addressing one whom he supposed to be
unacquainted with the fact related, he might make the temple referred to
a still more definite object in the mind of the hearer by a farther
explanation of it; thus, "Solomon built _a_ temple _on mount Zion_; and
that was _the_ temple _to which the Jews resorted to worship_."

"_The_ lunatic, _the_ poet, and _the_ lover,
Are of imagination all compact."

"_The_ horse is a noble animal;" "_The_ dog is a faithful creature;"
"_The_ wind blows;" "_The_ wolves were howling in _the_ woods." In these
examples, we do not refer to any particular lunatics, poets, lovers,
horses, dogs, winds, wolves, and woods, but we refer to these
_particular classes_ of things, in contradistinction to other objects or
classes. The phrase, "Neither _the_ one nor _the_ other," is an idiom of
the language.

REMARKS.--This method of elucidating the articles, which is popular
with Blair, Priestley, Lowth, Johnson, Harris, Beattie, Coote,
Murray, and many other distinguished philologists, is discarded by
some of our modern writers. But, by proving that this theory is
exceptionable, they by no means make it appear, that it ought,
therefore, to be rejected.

Exceptionable or not, they have not been able to supply its place
with one that is more _convenient in practice_. Neither have they
adopted one _less_ exceptionable. The truth is, after all which can
be done to render the definitions and rules of grammar comprehensive
and accurate, they will still be found, when critically examined by
men of learning and science, more or less exceptionable. These
exceptions and imperfections are the unavoidable consequence of the
imperfections of the language. Language, as well as every thing else
of human invention, will always be _imperfect_. Consequently, a
_perfect_ system of grammatical principles, would not suit it. A
_perfect_ grammar will not be produced, until some _perfect_ being
writes it for a _perfect_ language; and a perfect language will not
be constructed, until some _super-human_ agency is employed in its
production. All grammatical principles and systems which are not
_perfect_, are _exceptionable_.

NOTES.

1. The article is _omitted_ before nouns implying the different
virtues, vices, passions, qualities, sciences, arts, metals, herbs,
&c.; as, "_Modesty_ is becoming; _Falsehood_ is odious; _G