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sorrow_ of thine own, the brook might tell thee of it.--HAWTHORNE In the first sentence, instead of the general abstract notion of delight, which cannot be singular or plural, _a delight_ means one thing delightful, and implies others having the same quality. So _a sorrow_ means one cause of sorrow, implying that there are other things that bring sorrow. [Sidenote: _Become pure class nouns._] NOTE.--Some abstract nouns become common class nouns with the indefinite article, referring simply to persons; thus,-- If the poet of the "Rape of the Lock" be not _a wit_, who deserves to be called so?--THACKERAY. He had a little brother in London with him at this time,--as great _a beauty_, as great a dandy, as great a villain.--_Id._ _A youth_ to fortune and to fame unknown.--GRAY. [Sidenote: _Changes material to class nouns._] 191. _An_ or _a_ before a material noun indicates the change to a class noun, meaning one kind or a detached portion; as,-- They that dwell up in the steeple,... Feel a glory in so rolling On the human heart _a stone_. --POE. When God at first made man, Having _a glass_ of blessings standing by. --HERBERT. The roofs were turned into arches of massy stone, joined by _a cement_ that grew harder by time.--JOHNSON. [Sidenote: _Like the numeral adjective_ one.] 192. In some cases _an_ or _a_ has the full force of the numeral adjective _one_. It is shown in the following:-- To every room there was _an_ open and _a_ secret passage.--JOHNSON. In a short time these become a small tree, _an_ inverted pyramid resting on the apex of the other.--THOREAU. All men are at last of _a_ size.--EMERSON. At the approach of spring the red squirrels got under my house, two at _a_ time.--THOREAU. [Sidenote: _Equivalent to the word_ each _or_ every.] 193. Often, also, the indefinite article has the force of _each_ or _every_, particularly to express measure or frequency. It would be so much more pleasant to live at his ease than to work eight or ten hours _a day_.--BULWER [Sidenote: _Compare to Sec. 184._] Strong beer, such as we now buy for eighteenpence _a gallon_, was then a penny _a gallon_.--FROUDE [Sidenote: _With_ such, many, what.] 194. _An_ or _a_ is added to the adjectives _such_, _many_, and _what_, and may be considere
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