Cannot run even a simplest example of define(A, `Harry, MET.')

Dear author:

Sorry to bother you with such an easy problem, but I cannot run even the
simplest example to quote a string:
I have tried:
```
define(A, 'Harry, MET.')
```
and

```
define(A, `Harry, MET.')
```
and
```
define(A, [Harry, MET.])
```
and

```
define(A, [`Harry, MET.'])
```
In addition, the manual in http://gnu.ist.utl.pt/software/m4/manual/m4.pdf
still describes version 1.4.7, however, my m4 version is 1.4.18.
I tried to build a manual from https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/m4.git,
branch 1.4, however, I couldn't do that.
```
autoreconf -i
sh: 1: build-aux/git-version-gen: not found
configure.ac:25: error: AC_INIT should be called with package and version
arguments
/usr/share/aclocal-1.16/init.m4:29: AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE is expanded from...
configure.ac:25: the top level
autom4te: error: /usr/bin/m4 failed with exit status: 1
aclocal: error: /usr/bin/autom4te failed with exit status: 1
autoreconf: error: aclocal failed with exit status: 1
```

Thank you for your precious time!

Best,
Xinyi