PERSON is a property of the noun and pronoun which varies the verb.
The _first person_ denotes the speaker.
The _second person_ denotes the person or thing spoken to; as, "Listen,
_earth!"_
The _third person_ denotes the person or thing spoken of; as, "The
_earth_ thirsts."
Nouns have but _two_ persons, the second and third. When a man speaks,
the _pronoun I_ or _we_ is always used; therefore nouns can never be in
the _first_ person. In examples like the following, some philologists
suppose the noun to be in the _first_ person:--"This may certify, that
I, _Jonas Taylor_, do hereby give and grant," &c. But it is evident,
that the speaker or writer, in introducing his own name, speaks _of_
himself; consequently the noun is of the _third person_.
If you wish to understand the persons of nouns, a little sober thought
is requisite; and, by exercising it, all difficulties will be removed.
If I say, my _son_, have you seen the young man? you perceive that the
noun _son_ is of the _second_ person, because I address myself _to_ him;
that is, he is spoken _to;_ but the noun _man_ is of the _third_
person, because he is spoken _of_. Again, if I say, young _man_, have
you seen my son? _man_ is of the _second_ person, and _son_ is of the
_third_.
"Hast thou left thy blue course in the heavens, golden-haired _sun_ of
the sky?"
"_Father_, may the Great Spirit so brighten the chain of friendship
between us, that a child may find it, when the sun is asleep in his
wig-wam behind the western waters."
"Lo, earth receives him from the bending skies!
Sink down, ye _mountains_, and, ye _valleys_, rise!"
"Eternal _Hope_, thy glittering wings explore
Earth's loneliest bounds, and ocean's wildest shore."
In these examples, the nouns, sun, father, mountains, valleys, and hope,
are of the _second_ person, and, as you will hereafter learn, in the
nominative case independent. Course, heavens, sky, Spirit, chain,
friendship, child, sun, wig-wam, waters, earth, skies, wings, earth,
bounds, ocean, and shore, are all of the _third_ person.