1. When _proper_ nouns have an article annexed to them, they are
used after the manner of _common_ nouns; as, "Bolivar is styled
_the_ Washington of South America."
2. _Common_ nouns are sometimes used to signify _individuals_, when
articles or pronouns are prefixed to them; as, "_The_ boy is
studious; _That_ girl is discreet." In such instances, they are
nearly equivalent to proper nouns.
3. _Common_ nouns are sometimes subdivided into the following
classes: _Nouns of Multitude_; as, The people, the parliament:
_Verbal or participial nouns_; as, The beginning, reading, writing;
and _Abstract nouns_, or the names of qualities abstracted from
their substances; as, knowledge, virtue, goodness. Lest the student
be led to blend the idea of abstract nouns with that of adjectives,
both of which denote qualities, a farther illustration appears to be
necessary, in order to mark the distinction between these two parts
of speech. An abstract noun denotes a quality considered _apart_
(that is, abstracted) _from_ the substance or being to which it
belongs; but an adjective denotes a quality _joined_ (adjected) _to_
the substance or being to which it belongs. Thus, _whiteness_ and
_white_ both denote the same quality; but we speak of whiteness as a
distinct object of thought, while we use the word _white_ always in
reference to the noun to which it belongs; as, _white_ paper,
_white_ mouse.
4. Some authors have proceeded to still more minute divisions and
sub-divisions of nouns; such, for example, as the following, which
appear to be more complex than useful: _Natural nouns_, or names of
things formed by nature; as, man, beast, water, air: 2. _Artificial
nouns_, or names of things formed by art; as, book, vessel, house:
3. _Personal nouns_, or those which stand for human beings; as, man,
woman, Edwin: 4. _Neuter nouns_, or those which denote things
inanimate; as, book, field, mountain, Cincinnati. The following,
however, is quite a rational division: _Material nouns_ are the
names of things formed of matter; as, stone, book: _Immaterial
nouns_ are the names of things having no substance; as, hope,
immortality.
To nouns belong gender, person, number, and case.