[326] 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 verb agrees with its nominative case in number and person.”—­Elements of E. Gram., p. 131.  This is in no wise the syntax of Nouns, but rather that of the Verb.  Again:  “SYNTAX OF VERBS. 405.  Active Verbs govern the accusative case; as, I love him.  We saw them.  God rules the world.”—­Ib., p. 161.  This is not properly the syntax of Verbs, but rather that of Nouns or Pronouns in the accusative or objective case.  Any one who has but the least sense of order, must see the propriety of referring the rule to that sort of words to which it is applied in parsing, and not some other.  Verbs are never parsed or construed by the latter of these rules nor nouns by the former.