To this rule sentences like the following are apparent, but not real, exceptions:— The elephant is an intelligent animal. I like to go out on the water. The small-pox leaves marks behind it. In each of these sentences "the" is used in a generic sense. The elephant" "the water as distinguished from land; "the small-pox," all cases of small-pox. Superfluous Articles. It is sometimes a question whether an article is or is not necessary. I. Mrs. Bennet is not the kind of woman to put up with these things without a struggle. II. Mrs. Bennet is not the kind of a woman to put up with these things without a struggle. If we wish to assert that Mrs. Bennet belongs to a certain kind, or class, of women, we may say that she is a certain kind of woman, for this form of expression is a wellestablished idiom; but it is manifestly incorrect to call her "the kind of a woman," that is, one of a class of one. Other examples are I. The opinion at both ends of the Capitol is that some sort of bill will be passed. I don't think that I should care for that sort of opportunity. She was a belle at parties. I emphatically protest against the usual attitude of people towards puns. II. The opinion at both ends of the Capitol is that some sort of a bill will be passed. I don't think that I should care for that sort of an opportunity. She was a belle at the parties. I emphatically protest against the usual attitude of people towards the puns. In each of the last two examples, the remark is a general one, with nothing definite in it,-nothing which calls for the definite article. To put "the" before "parties" or "puns" M is to give apparent definiteness to what is really indefinite. The reader naturally asks "What parties?" "What puns?" but he finds no answer in the sentence. I. She was a belle at the parties in Papanti's Hall. I emphatically protest against the usual attitude of people towards the puns in Hood's poems. II. She was a belle at the parties. I emphatically protest against the usual attitude of people towards the puns. The additional words, "in Papanti's Hall," "in Hood's poems," give definiteness to what was indefinite, and thus justify the presence of "the." Other examples are I. Returning to the room, I had hurriedly pulled off my coat and collar before I heard knocks on the door. Last night the committee met in my room. Fifteen minutes after they adjourned, visitors began to come. II. Returning to the room, I had hurriedly pulled off my coat and collar before I heard the knocks upon the door. Last night the committee met in my room. Fifteen minutes after they adjourned, the visitors began to come. In these sentences considered apart from what has gone before, "the knocks" and "the visitors are improper; but the presence of the in each case might be justified by something already said, or, as in the preceding examples, by the addition of limiting words. "At present," "at the present time," and "in need" are well-established expressions; but "at the present" and "in the need" are not in accordance with the English idiom. I. Children have not the patience to puzzle over a thing that is not intelligible after a second reading, at most. II. Children have not the patience to puzzle over a thing that is not intelligible after a second reading, at the most. the proper form; Several centuries ago "at the most was In these examples, it is improper to put the definite article before "one;" for the meaning is indefinite, since 66 "one" may be either of the two persons spoken of. When, however, one of the two has been designated, there can be but one 66 other; " he is, therefore, "the other.” SUPERFLUOUS ARTICLES are misleading, and should be omitted. Omitted Articles. - Perhaps more mischief is caused by the omission of necessary articles than by the insertion of unnecessary ones. I. It was a little difficult to tell in the dark, but she decided that the figures were those of a lady and a gentleman. II. It was a little difficult to tell in the dark, but she decided that the figures were those of a lady and gentleman. I. He deems it no sin to steal a book or an umbrella. II. He deems it no sin to steal a book or umbrella. An intelligent reader of these sentences as originally written is not likely to be misled by the absence of the article; but good use requires its insertion. Other examples are I. A boy and a girl young enough to be punished could not possibly fall in love. The portraits include a full and a profile view of Washington. The omission of "a" before II. A boy and girl young enough to be punished could not possibly fall in love. The portraits include a full and profile view of Washington. "profile" leaves room for the supposition that Washington's full face and his profile form a single portrait. These sentences are objectionable because they are susceptible of absurd interpretations rather than because they are likely to be misunderstood. There are cases, however, in which the presence or the absence of the article affects the meaning: e. g., "A red and a white flag" means two flags, one red and the other white; "A red and white flag" means one flag of two colors. I. Berkeley attained eminence as a thinker and a divine. II. Berkeley attained eminence as a thinker and divine. "A thinker and divine” might be understood as referring to two aspects of one way in which "Berkeley attained eminence." The writer probably means that Berkeley "attained eminence " in two ways, as "a thinker" and II. Neither the army nor navy was ready when the war broke out. If "the" is used before "army," it should be used before "navy;" if it is omitted before "navy," it should be omitted before "army." The two words should be treated alike. I. The text-books are the Franklin or the Munroe Readers. II. The text-books are the Franklin or Munroe Readers. As "Franklin" is the name of one set of readers, and "Munroe" of another, "the " is required before "Munroe; if "Franklin" and "Munroe" were different names for the same set of readers, the sentence under II. would be correct. I. "The Nation" tries to sit on both the President and the Over seers. II. "The Nation" tries to sit on both the President and Overseers. In the absence of "the" before "Overseers,” an uninformed reader might at first suppose that "the President and Overseers" formed one body, and that "both" referred to that body and to some other body yet to be mentioned: Other examples are I. The revenue is divided between the Catholic and the Protestant schools. II. The revenue is divided between the Catholic and Protestant schools. |