r an alternative is made with two nouns, if
both of them refer to the same subject, the article should not be inserted
before the latter; if to different subjects, it should not be omitted:
thus, if we say, "He is a better teacher than poet," we compare different
qualifications of the same man; but if we say, "He is a better teacher than
_a_ poet," we speak of different men, in regard to the same qualification.

NOTE XIV.--The definite article, or some other definitive, (as _this, that,
these, those_,) is generally required before the antecedent to the pronoun
_who_ or _which_ in a restrictive clause; as, "All _the men who_ were
present, agreed to it."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 145. "The _thoughts which_
passion suggests are always plain and obvious ones."--_Blair's Rhet._, p.
468. "The _things which_ are impossible with men, are possible with
God."--_Luke_, xviii, 27. See Etymology, Chap. V, Obs. 26th, &c., on
Classes of Pronouns.

NOTE XV.--The article is generally required in that construction which
converts a participle into a verbal or participial noun; as, "_The
completing of_ this, by _the working-out of_ sin inherent, must be by the
power and spirit of Christ in the heart."--_Wm. Penn_. "They shall be _an
abhorring_ unto all flesh."--_Isaiah_, lxvi, 24. "For _the dedicating of_
the altar."--_Numb._, vii, 11.

NOTE XVI.--The article should not be added to any participle that is not
taken in all other respects as a noun; as, "For _the_ dedicating the
altar."--"He made a mistake in _the_ giving out the text." Expunge _the_,
and let _dedicating_ and _giving_ here stand as participles only; for in
the construction of nouns, they must have not only a definitive before
them, but the preposition _of_ after them.

NOTE XVII.--The false syntax of articles properly includes every passage in
which there is any faulty insertion, omission, choice, or position, of this
part of speech. For example: "When the verb is _a_ passive, the agent and
object change places."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 73. Better: "When the verb is
_passive_, the agent and _the_ object change places." "Comparisons used by
the sacred poets, are generally short."--_Russell's Gram._, p. 87. Better:
"_The_ comparisons," &c. "Pronoun means _for noun_, and _is used_ to _avoid
the_ too frequent repetition of _the_ noun."--_Infant School Gram._, p. 89.
Say rather: "_The_ pronoun _is put_ for _a_ noun, and is used to _prevent_
too frequent a repetition of the noun." Or: