OBS. 12.—­The article an or a, because it implies unity, is applicable to nouns of the singular number only; yet a collective noun, being singular in form, is sometimes preceded by this article even when it conveys the idea of plurality and takes a plural verb:  as, “There are a very great number [of adverbs] ending in ly.”—­Buchanan’s Syntax, p. 63.  “A plurality of them are sometimes felt at the same instant.”—­Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 114.  In support of this construction, it would be easy to adduce a great multitude of examples from the most reputable writers; but still, as it seems not very consistent, to take any word plurally after restricting it to the singular, we ought rather to avoid this if we can, and prefer words that literally agree in number:  as, “Of adverbs there are very many ending in ly”—­“More than one of them are sometimes felt at the same instant.”  The word plurality, like other collective nouns, is literally singular:  as, “To produce the latter, a plurality of objects is necessary.”—­Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 224.

OBS. 13.—­Respecting the form of the indefinite article, present practice differs a little from that of our ancient writers. An was formerly used before all words beginning with h, and before several other words which are now pronounced in such a manner as to require a:  thus, we read in the Bible, “An help,”—­“an house,”—­“an hundred,”—­“an one,”—­“an ewer,”—­“an usurer;” whereas we now say, “A help,”—­“a house,”—­“a hundred,”—­“a one,”—­“a ewer,”—­“a usurer.”

OBS. 14.—­Before the word humble, with its compounds and derivatives, some use an, and others, a; according to their practice, in this instance, of sounding or suppressing the aspiration.  Webster and Jameson sound the h, and consequently prefer a; as, “But a humbling image is not always necessary to produce that effect.”—­Kames, El. of Crit., i, 205.  “O what a blessing is a humble mind!”—­Christian Experience, p. 342.  But Sheridan, Walker, Perry, Jones, and perhaps a majority of fashionable speakers, leave the h silent, and would consequently say, “An humbling image,”—­“an humble mind,”—­&c.

OBS. 15.—­An observance of the principles on which the article is to be repeated or not repeated in a sentence, is of very great moment in respect to accuracy of composition.  These principles are briefly stated in the notes below, but it is proper that the learner should know the reasons of the distinctions which are there made.  By a repetition of the article before several adjectives in the same construction, a repetition of the noun is implied; but without a repetition of the article, the adjectives, in all