2.  An abstract noun is the name of some particular quality considered apart from its substance; as, Goodness, hardness, pride, frailty.

3.  A verbal or participial noun is the name of some action, or state of being; and is formed from a verb, like a participle, but employed as a noun:  as, “The triumphing of the wicked is short.”—­Job, xx, 5.

4.  A thing sui generis, (i. e., of its own peculiar kind,) is something which is distinguished, not as an individual of a species, but as a sort by itself, without plurality in either the noun or the sort of thing; as, Galvanism, music, geometry.

OBS. 1.—­Through the influence of an article, a proper name sometimes acquires the import of a common noun:  as, “He is the Cicero of his age;” that is, the great orator.  “Many a fiery Alp;” that is, high volcanic mountain.  “Such is the following application of famous names; a Solomon for a wise man, a Croesus for a rich man, a Judas for a traitor, a Demosthenes for an orator, and a Homer for a poet.”—­Campbell’s Rhet., p. 326.

   “Consideration, like an angel, came,
    And whipp’d th’ offending Adam out of him.”—­Shak.

OBS. 2.—­A common noun, with the definite article before it, sometimes becomes proper:  as, The Park; the Strand; the Gharmel; the Downs; the United States.

OBS. 3.—­The common name of a thing or quality personified, often becomes proper; our conception of the object being changed by the figure of speech:  as, “My power,” said Reason, “is to advise, not to compel.”—­Johnson.  “Fair Peace her olive branch extends.”  For such a word, the form of parsing should be like this:  “Peace is a common noun, personified proper; of the third person, singular number, feminine gender, and nominative case.”  Here the construction of the word as a proper noun, and of the feminine gender, is the result of the personification, and contrary to the literal usage.

MODIFICATIONS.

Nouns have modifications of four kinds; namely, Persons, Numbers, Genders, and Cases.

PERSONS.

Persons, in grammar, are modifications that distinguish the speaker, the hearer, and the person or thing merely spoken of.

There are three persons; the first, the second, and the third.

The first person is that which denotes the speaker or writer; as, “I Paul have written it.”

The second person is that which denotes the hearer, or the person addressed; as, “Robert, who did this?”

The third person is that which denotes the person or thing merely spoken of; as, “James loves his book.”

OBSERVATIONS.