184. In England and Scotland _the_ is often used where we use _a_, in speaking of measure and price; as,--
Wheat, the price of which necessarily varied, averaged in the middle of the fourteenth century tenpence _the bushel_, barley averaging at the same time three shillings _the quarter_.--FROUDE.
185. Sometimes _the_ has a strong force, almost equivalent to a descriptive adjective in emphasizing a word,--
No doubt but ye are _the_ people, and wisdom shall die with you.--_Bible._
As for New Orleans, it seemed to me _the_ city of the world where you can eat and drink the most and suffer the least.--THACKERAY.
He was _the_ man in all Europe that could (if any could) have driven six-in-hand full gallop over Al Sirat.--DE QUINCEY.
186. _The_, since it belongs distinctively to substantives, is a sure indication that a word of verbal form is not used participially, but substantively.
In the hills of Sacramento there is gold for _the gathering_.--EMERSON.
I thought _the writing_ excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it.--FRANKLIN.
187. There is one use of _the_ which is different from all the above. It is an adverbial use, and is spoken of more fully in Sec. 283. Compare this sentence with those above:--
There was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still _the more obvious_ to the sight _the oftener_ they looked upon him.--HAWTHORNE.
Exercise.--Find sentences with five uses of the definite article.
[Sidenote: _Denotes any one of a class._]
188. The most frequent use of the indefinite article is to denote any one of a class or group of objects: consequently it belongs to singular words; as in the sentence,--
Near the churchyard gate stands _a_ poor-box, fastened to _a_ post by iron bands and secured by _a_ padlock, with _a_ sloping wooden roof to keep off the rain.--LONGFELLOW
[Sidenote: _Widens the scope of proper nouns._]
189. When the indefinite article precedes proper names, it alters them to class names. The qualities or attributes of the object are made prominent, and transferred to any one possessing them; as,--
The vulgar riot and debauchery, which scarcely disgraced _an Alcibiades_ or _a Cæsar_, have been exchanged for the higher ideals of _a Bayard_ or _a Sydney_.--PEARSON