The variety of modular lattices is not generated by its finite members
Ralph S. Freese · Transactions of the American Mathematical Society · 1979
This paper proves the result of the title. It shows that there is a five-variable lattice identity which holds in all finite modular lattices but not in all modular lattices. It is also shown that every free distributive lattice can be embedded into a free modular lattice. An example showing that modular lattice epimorphisms need not be onto is given.