scarlet fever," and such. Some escape it: we do not say, "the
sciatica," nor "the locomotor ataxia." It is too common in general
propositions, as, "The payment of interest is the payment of debt."
"The virtues that are automatic are the best." "The tendency to
falsehood should be checked." "Kings are not under the control of the
law." It is impossible to note here all forms of this misuse, but a
page of almost any book will supply abundant instance. We do not
suffer so abject slavery to the definite article as the French, but
neither do we manifest their spirit of rebellion by sometimes cutting
off the oppressor's tail. One envies the Romans, who had no article,
definite or indefinite.

_The Following_. "Washington wrote the following." The following what?
Put in the noun. "The following animals are ruminants." It is not the
animals that follow, but their names.

_The Same_. "They cooked the flesh of the lion and ate the same." "An
old man lived in a cave, and the same was a cripple." In humorous
composition this may do, though it is not funny; but in serious work
use the regular pronoun.

_Then_ as an Adjective. "The then governor of the colony." Say, the
governor of the colony at that time.

_Those Kind_ for _That Kind_. "Those kind of things." Almost too
absurd for condemnation, and happily not very common out of the class
of analphabets.

_Though_ for _If_. "She wept as though her heart was broken." Many
good writers, even some devoid of the lexicographers' passion for