beginning with a consonant, because English spelling does not
coincide closely with the sound of words. Examples: "_a_ house," "_an_
orange," "_a_ European," "_an_ honor," "_a_ yelling crowd."

[Sidenote: An _with consonant sounds_.]

174. Many writers use _an_ before _h_, even when not silent, when
the word is not accented on the first syllable.

_An_ historian, such as we have been attempting to describe,
would indeed be an intellectual prodigy.--MACAULAY.

The Persians were _an_ heroic people like the Greeks.--BREWER.

He [Rip] evinced _an_ hereditary disposition to attend to
anything else but his business.--IRVING.

_An_ habitual submission of the understanding to mere events and
images.--COLERIDGE.

_An_ hereditary tenure of these offices.--THOMAS JEFFERSON.

[Sidenote: _Definition._]

175. An article is a limiting word, not descriptive, which cannot
be used alone, but always joins to a substantive word to denote a
particular thing, or a group or class of things, or any individual of
a group or class.

[Sidenote: _Kinds._]