The Article is a word prefixed to substantives, to point them out, and to
shew how far their signification extends.
In English there are but two articles, _a_, and _the_: _a_ becomes _an_
before a vowel or a silent _h_.
_A_ is used in a vague sense to point out one single thing of the kind,
in other respects indeterminate: _the_ determines what particular thing
is meant.
A substantive without any article to limit it is taken in its widest
sense: thus _man_ means all mankind; as,
“The proper study of mankind is man:”