It has been the notion of some grammarians, that _the verb governs
the nominative before it_. This is an old rule, which seems to have been
very much forgotten by modern authors; though doubtless it is as true, and
as worthy to be perpetuated, as that which supposes the nominative to
govern the verb: "Omne verbum personale finiti modi regit ante se expresse
vel subaudite ejusdem numeri et personae nominativum vel aliquid pro
nominativo: ut, _ego scribo, tu legis, ille auscultat_."--DESPAUTERII SYNT.
fol. xvi. This Despauter was a laborious author, who, within fifty years
after the introduction of printing, complains that he found his task heavy,
on account of the immense number of books and opinions which he had to
consult: "Necdum tamen huic operi ultimam manum aliter imposui, quam
Apelles olim picturis: siquidem aptius exire, quum in multis tum in hac
arte est difficillimum, _propter librorum legendorum immensitatem_, et
opinionum innumeram diversitatem."--_Ibid., Epist. Apologetica_, A. D.
1513. But if, for this reason, the task was heavy _then_, what is it _now_!

[327] Nutting's rule certainly implies that _articles_ may relate to
_pronouns_, though he gives no example, nor can he give any that is now
good English; but he may, if he pleases, quote some other modern
grammatists, who teach the same false doctrine: as, "RULE II. _The article
refers to its noun_ (OR PRONOUN) _to limit its signification_."--R. G.
Greene's Grammatical Text-Book, p. 18. Greene's two grammars are used
extensively in the state of Maine, but they appear to be little known
anywhere else. This author professes to inculcate "the principles
established by Lindley Murray." If veracity, on this point, is worth any
thing, it is a pity that in both books there are so many points which, like
the foregoing parenthesis, belie this profession. He followed here
Ingersoll's RULE IV, which is this: "_The article refers to a noun_ OR
PRONOUN, _expressed or understood, to limit its signification_."--
_Conversations on E. Gram._, p. 185.

[328] It is truly a matter of surprise to find under what _titles_ or
_heads_, many of the rules of syntax have been set, by some of the best
scholars that have ever written on grammar. In this respect, the Latin and
Greek grammarians are particularly censurable; but it better suits my
purpose to give an example or two from one of the ablest of the English.
Thus that elegant scholar the Rev. W. Allen: "SYNTAX OF NOUNS. 325. A