The Grammar of English Grammars/Part IV/Chapter I

by Goold Brown

CHAPTER I—PUNCTUATION.

Punctuation is the art of dividing literary composition, by points, or stops, for the purpose of showing more clearly the sense and relation of the words; and of noting the different pauses and inflections required in reading.

The following are the principal points, or marks; namely, the Comma [,], the Semicolon [;], the Colon [:], the Period [.], the Dash [-], the Eroteme, or Note of Interrogation [?], the Ecphoneme, or Note of Exclamation [!], and the Curves, or Marks of Parenthesis, [()].

The Comma denotes the shortest pause; the Semicolon, a pause double that of the comma; the Colon, a pause double that of the semicolon; and the Period, or Full Stop, a pause double that of the colon. The pauses required by the other four, vary according to the structure of the sentence, and their place in it. They may be equal to any of the foregoing.

OBSERVATIONS. {{Smaller block|

1. The pauses that are made in the natural flow of speech, have, in reality, no definite and invariable proportions. Children are often told to pause at a comma while they might count one; at a semicolon, one, two; at a colon, one, two, three; at a period, one, two, three, four. This may be of some use, as teaching them to observe the necessary stops, that they may catch the sense; but the standard itself is variable, and so are the times which good sense gives to the points. As a final stop, the period is immeasurable; and so may be the pause after a question or an exclamation.
2. The first four points take their names from the parts of discourse, or of a sentence, which are distinguished by them. The Period, or circuit, is a complete round of words, often consisting of several clauses or members, and always bringing out full sense at the close. The Colon, or member, is the greatest division or limb of a period, and is the chief constructive part of a compound sentence. The Semicolon, half member, or half limb, is the greatest division of a colon, and is properly a smaller constructive part of a compound sentence. The Comma, or segment, is a small part of a clause cut off, and is properly the least constructive part of a compound sentence. A simple sentence is sometimes a whole period, sometimes a chief member, sometimes a half member, sometimes a segment, and sometimes perhaps even less. Hence it may require the period, the colon, the semicolon, the comma, or even no point, according to the manner in which it is used. A sentence whose relatives and adjuncts are all taken in a restrictive sense, may be considerably complex, and yet require no division by points; as,

   "Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

   On you who wrong me not for him who wrong'd."—Milton.

3. The system of punctuation now used in English, is, in its main features, common to very many languages. It is used in Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and perhaps most of the tongues in which books are now written or printed. The Germans, however, make less frequent use of the comma than we; and the Spaniards usually mark a question or an exclamation doubly, inverting the point at the beginning of the sentence. In Greek, the difference is greater: the colon, expressed by the upper dot alone, is the only point between the comma and the period; the ecphoneme, or note of exclamation, is hardly recognized, though some printers of the classics have occasionally introduced it; and the eroteme, or note of interrogation, retains in that language its pristine form, which is that of our semicolon. In Hebrew, a full stop is denoted by a heavy colon, or something like it; and this is the only pointing adopted, when the vowel points and the accents are not used.
4. Though the points in use, and the principles on which they ought to be applied, are in general well fixed, and common to almost all sorts of books; yet, through the negligence of editors, the imperfections of copy, the carelessness of printers, or some other means, it happens, that different editions and different versions of the same work are often found pointed very variously. This circumstance, provided the sense is still preserved, is commonly thought to be of little moment. But all writers will do well to remember, that they owe it to their readers, to show them at once how they mean to be read; and since the punctuation of the early printers was unquestionably very defective, the republishers of ancient books should not be over scrupulous about an exact imitation of it; they may, with proper caution, correct obvious faults.
5. The precise origin of the points, it is not easy to trace in the depth of antiquity. It appears probable, from ancient manuscripts and inscriptions, that the period is the oldest of them; and it is said by some, that the first system of punctuation consisted in the different positions of this dot alone. But after the adoption of the small letters, which improvement is referred to the ninth century, both the comma and the colon came into use, and also the Greek note of interrogation. In old books, however, the comma is often found, not in its present form, but in that of a straight stroke, drawn up and down obliquely between the words. Though the colon is of Greek origin, the practice of writing it with two dots we owe to the Latin authors, or perhaps to the early printers of Latin books. The semicolon was first used in Italy, and was not adopted in England till about the year 1600. Our marks for questions and exclamations were also derived from the same source, probably at a date somewhat earlier. The curves of the par enthesis have likewise been in use for several centuries. But the clash is a more recent invention: Lowth, Ash, and Ward,—Buchanan, Bicknell, and Burn,—though they name all the rest, make no mention of this mark; but it appears by their books, that they all occasionally used it.
6. Of the colon it may be observed, that it is now much less frequently used than it was formerly; its place being usurped, sometimes by the semicolon, and sometimes by the period. For this ill reason, some late grammarians have discarded it altogether. Thus Felton: "The colon is now so seldom used by good writers, that rules for its use are unnecessary."—Concise Manual of English Gram., p. 140. So Nutting: "It will be noticed, that the colon is omitted in this system; because it is omitted by the majority of the writers of the present age; three points, with the dash, being considered sufficient to mark the different lengths of the pauses."—Practical Grammar, p. 120. These critics, whenever they have occasion to copy such authors as Milton and Pope, do not scruple to mutilate their punctuation by putting semicolons or periods for all the colons they find. But who cannot perceive, that without the colon, the semicolon becomes an absurdity? It can no longer be a semicolon, unless the half can remain when the whole is taken away! The colon, being the older point of the two, and once very fashionable, is doubtless on record in more instances than the semicolon; and, if now, after both have been in common use for some hundreds of years, it be found out that only one is needed, perhaps it would be more reasonable to prefer the former. Should public opinion ever be found to coincide with the suggestions of the two authors last quoted, there will be reason to regret that Caxton, the old English typographer of the fifteenth century, who for a while successfully withstood, in his own country, the introduction of the semicolon, had not the power to prevent it forever. In short, to leave no literary extravagance unbroached, the latter point also has not lacked a modern impugner. "One of the greatest improvements in punctuation," says Justin Brenan, "is the rejection of the eternal semicolons of our ancestors. In latter times, the semicolon has been gradually disappearing, not only from the newspapers, but from books."—Brenan's "Composition and Punctuation familiarly Explained", p. 100; London, 1830. The colon and the semicolon are both useful, and, not unfrequently, necessary; and all correct writers will, I doubt not, continue to use both.
7. Since Dr. Blair published his emphatic caution against too frequent a use of parentheses, there has been, if not an abatement of the kind of error which he intended to censure, at least a diminution in the use of the curves, the sign of a parenthesis. These, too, some inconsiderate grammarians now pronounce to be out of vogue. "The parenthesis is now generally exploded as a deformity."—Churchill's Gram., p. 362. "The Parenthesis, () has become nearly obsolete, except in mere references, and the like; its place, by modern writers, being usually supplied by the use of the comma, and the dash."—Nutting's Practical Gram., p. 126; Frazee's Improved Grammar, p. 187. More use may have been made of the curves than was necessary, and more of the parenthesis itself than was agreeable to good taste; but, the sign being well adapted to the construction, and the construction being sometimes sprightly and elegant, there are no good reasons for wishing to discard either of them; nor is it true, that the former "has become nearly obsolete."
8. The name parenthesis is, which literally means a putting-in-between, is usually applied both to the curves, and to the incidental clause which they enclose. This twofold application of the term involves some inconvenience, if not impropriety. According to Dr. Johnson, the enclosed "sentence" alone is the parenthesis; but Worcester, agreeably to common usage, defines the word as meaning also "the mark thus ()." But, as this sign consists of two distinct parts, two corresponding curves, it seems more natural to use a plural name: hence L. Murray, when he would designate the sign only, adopted a plural expression; as, "the parenthetical characters,"—"the parenthetical marks." So, in another case, which is similar: "the hooks in which words are included," are commonly called crotchets or brackets; though Bucke, in his Classical Grammar, I know not why, calls the two "[ ] a Crotchet;" (p. 23;) and Webster, in his octavo Dictionary, defines a "Bracket, in printing," as Johnson does a "Crotchet" by a plural noun: "hooks; thus, [ ]." Again, in his grammars, Dr. Webster rather confusedly says: "The parenthesis () and hooks [] include a remark or clause, not essential to the sentence in construction."—Philosophical Gram., p. 219; Improved Gram., p. 154. But, in his Dictionary, he forgets both the hooks and the parenthesis that are here spoken of; and, with still worse confusion or inaccuracy, says: "The parenthesis is usually included in hooks or curved lines, thus, ()." Here he either improperly calls these regular little curves "hooks," or erroneously suggests that both the hooks and the curves are usual and appropriate signs of "the parenthesis." In Garner's quarto Dictionary, the French word Crochet, as used by printers, is translated, "A brace, a crotchet, a parenthesis;" and the English word Crotchet is defined, "The mark of a parenthesis, in printing, thus [ ]." But Webster defines Crotchet, "In printing, a hook including words, a sentence or a passage distinguished from the rest, thus []." This again is both ambiguous and otherwise inaccurate. It conveys no clear idea of what a crotchet is. One hook includes nothing. Therefore Johnson said: "Hooks in which words are included [thus]." But if each of the hooks is a crotchet, as Webster suggests, and almost every body supposes, then both lexicographers are wrong in not making the whole expression plural: thus, "Crotchets, in printing, are angular hooks usually including some explanatory words." But is this all that Webster meant? I cannot tell. He may be understood as saying also, that a Crotchet is "a sentence or a passage distinguished from the rest, thus [];" and doubtless it would be much better to call a hint thus marked, a crotchet, than to call it a parenthesis, as some have done. In Parker and Fox's Grammar, and also in Parker's Aids to English Composition, the term Brackets only is applied to these angular hooks; and, contrary to all usage of other authors, so far as I know, the name of Crotchets is there given to the Curves. And then, as if this application of the word were general, and its propriety indisputable, the pupil is simply told: "The curved lines between which a parenthesis is enclosed are called Crotchets."—Gram., Part III, p. 30; Aids, p. 40. "Called Crotchets" by whom? That not even Mr. Parker himself knows them by that name, the following most inaccurate passage is a proof: "The note of admiration and interrogation, as also the parenthesis, the bracket, and the reference marks, [are noted in the margin] in the same manner as the apostrophe."—Aids, p. 314. In some late grammars, (for example, Hazen's and Day's,) the parenthetic curves are called "the Parentheses" From this the student must understand that it always takes two parentheses to make one parenthesis! If then it is objectionable, to call the two marks "a parenthesis," it is much more so, to call each of them by that name, or both "the parentheses." And since Murray's phrases are both entirely too long for common use, what better name can be given them than this very simple one, the Curves?
9. The words eroteme and ecphoneme, which, like aposteme and philosopheme, are orderly derivatives from Greek roots^[1], I have ventured to suggest as fitter names for the two marks to which they are applied as above, than are any of the long catalogue which other grammarians, each choosing for himself have presented. These marks have not unfrequently been called "the interrogation and the exclamation;" which names are not very suitable, because they have other uses in grammar. According to Dr. Blair, as well as L. Murray and others, interrogation and exclamation are "passionate figures" of rhetoric, and oftentimes also plain "unfigured" expressions. The former however are frequently and more fitly called by their Greek names erotesis and ecphonesis, terms to which those above have a happy correspondence. By Dr. Webster and some others, all interjections are called "exclamations;" and, as each of these is usually followed by the mark of emotion, it cannot but be inconvenient to call both by the same name.
10. For things so common as the marks of asking and exclaiming, it is desirable to have simple and appropriate names, or at least some settled mode of denomination; but, it is remarkable, that Lindley Murray, in mentioning these characters six times, uses six different modes of expression, and all of them complex: (1.) "Notes of Interrogation and Exclamation." (2.) "The point of Interrogation,?"—"The point of Exclamation,!" (3.) "The Interrogatory Point."—"The Exclamatory Point." (4.) "A note of interrogation,"—"The note of exclamation." (5.) "The interrogation and exclamation points." (6.) "The points of Interrogation and Exclamation."—Murray, Flint, Ingersoll, Alden, Pond. With much better taste, some writers denote them uniformly thus: (7.) "The Note of Interrogation,"—"The Note of Exclamation."—Churchill, Hiley. In addition to these names, all of which are too long, there may be cited many others, though none that are unobjectionable: (8.) "The Interrogative sign,"—"The Exclamatory sign."—Peirce, Hazen. (9.) "The Mark of Interrogation,"—"The Mark of Exclamation."—Ward, Felton, Hendrick. (10.) "The Interrogative point,"—"The Exclamation point."—T. Smith, Alger. (11.) "The interrogation point,"—"The exclamation point."—Webster, St. Quentin, S. Putnam. (12.) "A Note of Interrogation,"—"A Note of Admiration."—Coar, Nutting. (13.) "The Interrogative point,"—"The Note of Admiration, or of vocation."—Bucke. (14.) "Interrogation (?),"—"Admiration (!) or Exclamation."—Lennie, Bullions. (15.) "A Point of Interrogation,"—"A Point of Admiration or Exclamation."—Buchanan. (16.) "The Interrogation Point (?),"—"The Admiration Point (!)."—Perley. (17.) "An interrogation (?),"—"An exclamation (!)."—Cutler. (18.) "The interrogator?"—"The exclaimor!"—Day's Gram., p. 112. [The putting of "exclaimor" for exclaimer, like this author's changing of quoters to "quotors," as a name for the guillemets, is probably a mere sample of ignorance.] (19.) "Question point,"—"Exclamation point."—Sanborn, p. 272.

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SECTION I.—THE COMMA.

The Comma is used to separate those parts of a sentence, which are so nearly connected in sense, as to be only one degree removed from that close connexion which admits no point.

RULE I.—SIMPLE SENTENCES.

A simple sentence does not, in general, admit the comma; as, "The weakest reasoners are the most positive."—W. Allen's Gram., p. 202. "Theology has not hesitated to make or support a doctrine by the position of a comma."—Tract on Tone, p. 4.

   "Then pain compels the impatient soul to seize
    On promis'd hopes of instantaneous ease."—Crabbe.

EXCEPTION.—LONG SIMPLE SENTENCES.

When the nominative in a long simple sentence is accompanied by inseparable adjuncts, or when several words together are used in stead of a nominative, a comma should be placed immediately before the verb; as, "Confession of sin without amendment, obtains no pardon."—Dillwyn's Reflections, p. 6. "To be totally indifferent to praise or censure, is a real defect in character."—Murray's Gram., p. 268.

   "O that the tenor of my just complaint,^[2]
    Were sculpt with steel in rocks of adamant!"—Sandys.

RULE II.—SIMPLE MEMBERS.

The simple members of a compound sentence, whether successive or involved, elliptical or complete, are generally divided by the comma; as,

1. "Here stand we both, and aim we at the best."—Shak.
2. "I, that did never weep, now melt in woe."—Id.
3. "Tide life, tide death, I come without delay."—Id.
4. "I am their mother, who shall bar me from them?"—Id.
5. "How wretched, were I mortal, were my state!"—Pope.
6. "Go; while thou mayst, avoid the dreadful fate."—Id.
7. "Grief aids disease, remember'd folly stings,
   And his last sighs reproach the faith of kings."—Johnson.

EXCEPTION I.—RESTRICTIVE RELATIVES.

When a relative immediately follows its antecedent, and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be introduced before it; as, "For the things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal."—2 Cor., iv, 18. "A letter is a character that expresses a sound without any meaning."—St. Quentin's General Gram., p.3.

EXCEPTION II.—SHORT TERMS CLOSELY CONNECTED.

When the simple members are short, and closely connected by a conjunction or a conjunctive adverb, the comma is generally omitted; as, "Honest poverty is better than wealthy fraud."—Dillwyn's Ref., p. 11. "Let him tell me whether the number of the stars be even or odd."—Taylor: Joh. Dict., w. Even. "It is impossible that our knowledge of words should outstrip our knowledge of things."—CAMPBELL: Murray's Gram., p 359.

EXCEPTION III.—ELLIPTICAL MEMBERS UNITED.

When two simple members are immediately united, through ellipsis of the relative, the antecedent, or the conjunction that, the comma is not inserted; as, "Make an experiment on the first man you meet."—Berkley's Alciphron, p. 125. "Our philosophers do infinitely despise and pity whoever shall propose or accept any other motive to virtue."—Ib., p. 126. "It is certain we imagine before we reflect."—Ib., p. 359.

   "The same good sense that makes a man excel,
    Still makes him doubt he ne'er has written well."—Young.

RULE III.—MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

When more than two words or terms are connected in the same construction, or in a joint dependence on some other term, by conjunctions expressed or understood, the comma should be inserted after every one of them but the last; and, if they are nominatives before a verb, the comma should follow the last also:^[3] as,

1. "Who, to the enraptur'd heart, and ear, and eye,
   Teach beauty, virtue, truth, and love, and melody."—Beattie.
2. "Ah! what avails * * * * * * * * *
   All that art, fortune, enterprise, can bring,
   If envy, scorn, remorse, or pride, the bosom wring?"—Id..
3. "Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible;
   Thou, stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless."—Shak.
4. "She plans, provides, expatiates, triumphs there."—Young.
5. ——————————————"So eagerly the Fiend
   O'er bog, or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
   With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
   And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies."—Milton.

RULE IV.—ONLY TWO WORDS.

When only two words or terms are connected by a conjunction, they should not be separated by the comma; as, "It is a stupid and barbarous way to extend dominion by arms; for true power is to be got by arts and industry"—Spectator, No. 2.

"Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul."—Goldsmith.

EXCEPTION I.—TWO WORDS WITH ADJUNCTS.

When the two words connected have several adjuncts, or when one of them has an adjunct that relates not to both, the comma is inserted; as, "I shall spare no pains to make their instruction agreeable, and their diversion useful."—Spectator, No. 10. "Who is applied to persons, or things personified."—Bullions.

   "With listless eyes the dotard views the store,
    He views, and wonders that they please no more."—Johnson.

EXCEPTION II.—TWO TERMS CONTRASTED.

When two connected words or phrases are contrasted, or emphatically distinguished, the comma is inserted; as, "The vain are easily obliged, and easily disobliged."—Kames.

"Liberal, not lavish, is kind Nature's hand."—Beattie.

"'Tis certain he could write, and cipher too."—Goldsmith.

EXCEPTION III.—ALTERNATIVE OF WORDS.

When there is merely an alternative of names, or an explanatory change of terms, the comma is usually inserted; as, "We saw a large opening, or inlet."—W. Allen. "Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles?"—Cor., ix, 5.

EXCEPTION IV.—CONJUNCTION UNDERSTOOD.

When the conjunction is understood, the comma is inserted; and, if two separated words or terms refer alike to a third term, the second requires a second comma: as, "Reason, virtue, answer one great aim."—L. Murray, Gram., p. 269.

"To him the church, the realm, their pow'rs consign."—Johnson.

    "She thought the isle that gave her birth.
    The sweetest, wildest land on earth."—Hogg.

RULE V.—WORDS IN PAIRS.

When successive words are joined in pairs by conjunctions, they should be separated in pairs by the comma; as, "Interest and ambition, honour and shame, friendship and enmity, gratitude and revenge, are the prime movers in public transactions."—W. Allen. "But, whether ingenious or dull, learned or ignorant, clownish or polite, every innocent man, without exception, has as good a right to liberty as to life."—Beattie's Moral Science, p. 313.

   "Then say how hope and fear, desire and hate,
    O'erspread with snares the crowded maze of fate."—Dr. Johnson.

RULE VI.—WORDS PUT ABSOLUTE.

Nouns or pronouns put absolute, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma; as, "The prince, his father being dead, succeeded."—"This done, we parted."—"Zaccheus, make haste and come down."—"His proctorship in Sicily, what did it produce?"—Cicero.

   "Wing'd with his fears, on foot he strove to fly,
    His steeds too distant, and the foe too nigh"
        —Pope, Iliad, xi, 440.

RULE VII.—WORDS IN APPOSITION.

Words in apposition, (especially if they have adjuncts,) are generally set off by the comma; as, "He that now calls upon thee, is Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe."—Johnson. "Lowth, Dr. Robert, bishop of London, born in 1710, died in 1787."—Biog. Dict. "Home, Henry, lord Kames."—Ib.

   "What next I bring shall please thee, be assur'd,
    Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self,
    Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire."—Milton, P. L., viii, 450.

"And he, their prince, shall rank among my peers."—Byron.

EXCEPTION I.—COMPLEX NAMES.

When several words, in their common order, are used as one compound name, the comma is not inserted; as, "Dr. Samuel Johnson,"—"Publius Gavius Cosanus."

EXCEPTION II.—CLOSE APPOSITION.

When a common and a proper name are closely united, the comma is not inserted; as, "The brook Kidron,"—"The river Don,"—"The empress Catharine,"—"Paul the Apostle."

EXCEPTION III.—PRONOUN WITHOUT PAUSE.

When a pronoun is added to an other word merely for emphasis and distinction, the comma is not inserted; as, "Ye men of Athens,"—"I myself,"—"Thou flaming minister,"—"You princes."

EXCEPTION IV.—NAMES ACQUIRED.

When a name acquired by some action or relation, is put in apposition with a preceding noun or pronoun, the comma is not inserted; as, "I made the ground my bed;"—"To make him king;"—"Whom they revered as God;"—"With modesty thy guide."—Pope.

RULE VIII.—ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives, when something depends on them, or when they have the import of a dependent clause, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma; as,

1. ——————————————"Among the roots
   Of hazel, pendent o'er the plaintive stream,
   They frame the first foundation of their domes."—Thomson.
2. ——————————————"Up springs the lark,
   Shrill-voic'd and loud, the messenger of morn."—Id.

EXCEPTION.—ADJECTIVES RESTRICTIVE.

When an adjective immediately follows its noun, and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be used before it; as,

    ——————————————"And on the coast averse
    From entrance or cherubic watch."—Milton, P. L., B. ix, l. 68.

RULE IX.—FINITE VERBS.

Where a finite verb is understood, a comma is generally required; as, "From law arises security; from security, curiosity; from curiosity, knowledge."—Murray.

   "Else all my prose and verse were much the same;
    This, prose on stilts; that, poetry fallen lame."—Pope.

EXCEPTION.—VERY SLIGHT PAUSE.

As the semicolon must separate the clauses when the comma is inserted by this rule, if the pause for the omitted verb be very slight, it may be left unmarked, and the comma be used for the clauses; as, "When the profligate speaks of piety, the miser of generosity, the coward of valour, and the corrupt of integrity, they are only the more despised by those who know them."—Comstock's Elocution, p. 132.

RULE X.—INFINITIVES.

The infinitive mood, when it follows a verb from which it must be separated, or when it depends on something remote or understood, is generally, with its adjuncts, set off by the comma; as, "One of the greatest secrets in composition is, to kno w when to be simple."—Jamieson's Rhet., p. 151. "To confess the truth, I was much in fault."—Murray's Gram., p. 271.

   "The Governor of all—has interposed,
    Not seldom, his avenging arm, to smite
    The injurious trampler upon nature's law."—Cowper.

RULE XI.—PARTICIPLES.

Participles, when something depends on them, when they have the import of a dependent clause, or when they relate to something understood, should, with their adjuncts, he set off by the comma; as,

1. "Law is a rule of civil conduct, prescribed by the supreme power in a state, commanding what is right, and prohibiting what is wrong."—Blackstone: Beattie's Moral Science, p. 346.
2. "Young Edwin, lighted by the evening star,
   Lingering and list'ning wander'd down the vale."—Beattie.
3. "United, we stand; divided, we fall."—Motto.
4. "Properly speaking, there is no such thing as chance."

EXCEPTION.—PARTICIPLES RESTRICTIVE.

When a participle immediately follows its noun, and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be used before it; as,

   "A man renown'd for repartee,
    Will seldom scruple to make free
    With friendship's finest feeling."—Cowper.

RULE XII.—ADVERBS.

Adverbs, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they have not a close dependence on some particular word in the context, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma; as, "We must not, however, confound this gentleness with the artificial courtesy of the world."—"Besides, the mind must be employed."—Gilpin. "Most unquestionably, no fraud was equal to all this."—Lyttelton. "But, unfortunately for us, the tide was ebbing already."

   "When buttress and buttress, alternately,
    Seem framed of ebon and ivory."—Scott's Lay, p. 33.

RULE XIII.—CONJUNCTIONS.

Conjunctions, when they are separated from the principal clauses that depend on them, or when they introduce examples, are generally set off by the comma; as, "But, by a timely call upon Religion, the force of Habit was eluded."—Johnson.

   "They know the neck that joins the shore and sea,
    Or, ah! how chang'd that fearless laugh would be."—Crabbe.

RULE XIV.—PREPOSITIONS.

Prepositions and their objects, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they do not closely follow the words on which they depend, are generally set off by the comma; as, "Fashion is, for the most part, nothing but the ostentation of riches."—"By reading, we add the experience of others to our own."

   "In vain the sage, with retrospective eye,
    Would from th' apparent What conclude the Why."—Pope.

RULE XV.—INTERJECTIONS.

Interjections that require a pause, though more commonly emphatic and followed by the ecphoneme, are sometimes set off by the comma; as, "For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north."—Jeremiah, i, 15. "O, 'twas about something you would not understand."—Columbian Orator, p. 221. "Ha, ha! you were finely taken in, then!"—Aikin. "Ha, ha, ha! A facetious gentleman, truly!"—Id.

   "Oh, when shall Britain, conscious of her claim,
    Stand emulous of Greek and Roman fame?"—Pope.

RULE XVI.—WORDS REPEATED.

A word emphatically repeated, is generally set off by the comma; as, "Happy, happy, happy pair!"—Dryden. "Ay, ay, there is some comfort in that."—Shak. "Ah! no, no, no."—Dryden.

   "The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
    The moss-covered bucket, which hung in the well!"—Woodworth.

RULE XVII.—DEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

A quotation, observation, or description, when it is introduced in close dependence on a verb, (as, say, reply, cry, or the like,) is generally separated from the rest of the sentence by the comma; as, "'The book of nature,' said he, 'is before thee.'"—Hawkesworth. "I say unto all, Watch."—Mark. "'The boy has become a man,' means, 'he has grown to be a man.' 'Such conduct becomes a man,' means, 'such conduct befits him.'"—Hart's Gram., p. 116.

   "While man exclaims, 'See all things for my use!'
    'See man for mine!' replies a pamper'd goose."—Pope.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE COMMA.

UNDER RULE I.—OF SIMPLE SENTENCES.

"Short, simple sentences should not be separated by a comma."—Felton's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 135; 3d Ed., Stereotyped, p. 137.

[Formule.—Not proper, because a needless comma is put after short, the sentence being simple. But, according to Rule 1st for the Comma, "A simple sentence does not, in general, admit the comma." Therefore, this comma should be omitted; thus, "Short simple sentences should not be separated by a comma." Or, much better: "A short simple sentence should rarely be divided by the comma." For such sentences, combined to form a period, should generally be separated; and even a single one may have some phrase that must be set off.]

"A regular and virtuous education, is an inestimable blessing."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 174. "Such equivocal expressions, mark an intention to deceive."—Ib., p. 256. "They are, This and that, with their plurals these and those."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 26; Practical Lessons, p. 3. "A nominative case and a verb, sometimes make a complete sentence; as, He sleeps."—Felton's Gram., p. 78. "Tense, expresses the action connected with certain relations of time; mood, represents it as farther modified by circumstances of contingency, conditionally, &c."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 37. "The word Noun, means name."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 14. "The present, or active participle, I explained then."—Ib., p. 97. "Are some verbs used, both transitively and intransitively?"—Cooper's Pt. and Pract. Gram., p. 54. "Blank verse, is verse without rhyme."—Hallock's Gram., p. 242. "A distributive adjective, denotes each one of a number considered separately."—Ib., p. 51.

   "And may at last my weary age,
    Find out the peaceful hermitage."
        —Murray's Gr., 12mo, p. 205; 8vo, 255.

UNDER THE EXCEPTION CONCERNING SIMPLE SENTENCES.

"A noun without an Article to limit it is taken in its widest sense."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 8; Practical Lessons, p. 10.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here set before the verb is taken. But, according to the Exception to Rule 1st for the Comma, "When the nominative in a long simple sentence is accompanied by inseparable adjuncts, or when several words together are used in stead of a nominative, a comma should be placed immediately before the verb." Therefore, a comma should be here inserted; thus, "A noun without an article to limit it, is taken in its widest sense."—Lennie's Gram., p. 6.]

"To maintain a steady course amid all the adversities of life marks a great mind."—Day's District School Gram., p. 84. "To love our Maker supremely and our neighbor as ourselves comprehends the whole moral law."—Ibid. "To be afraid to do wrong is true courage."—Ib., p. 85. "A great fortune in the hands of a fool is a great misfortune."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 89. "That he should make such a remark is indeed strange."—Farnum, Practical Gram., p. 30. "To walk in the fields and groves is delightful."—Id., ib. "That he committed the fault is most certain."—Id., ib. "Names common to all things of the same sort or class are called Common nouns; as, man, woman, day."—Bullions, Pract. Les., p. 12. "That it is our duty to be pious admits not of any doubt."—Id., E. Gram., p. 118. "To endure misfortune with resignation is the characteristic of a great mind,"—Id., ib., p. 81. "The assisting of a friend in such circumstances was certainly a duty."—Id., ib., 81. "That a life of virtue is the safest is certain."—Hallock's Gram., p. 169. "A collective noun denoting the idea of unity should be represented by a pronoun of the singular number."—Ib., p. 167.

UNDER RULE II.—OF SIMPLE MEMBERS.

"When the sun had arisen the enemy retreated."—Day's District School Gram., p. 85.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma here separates the two simple members which compose the sentence. But, according to Rule 2d, "The simple members of a compound sentence, whether successive or involved, elliptical or complete, are generally divided by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be inserted after arisen; thus, "When the sun had arisen, the enemy retreated."]

"If he become rich he may be less industrious."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 118. "The more I study grammar the better I like it."—Id., ib., p. 127. "There is much truth in the old adage that fire is a better servant than master."—Id., ib., p. 128. "The verb do, when used as an auxiliary gives force or emphasis to the expression."—Day's Gram., p. 39. "Whatsoever it is incumbent upon a man to do it is surely expedient to do well."—J. Q. Adams's Rhetoric, Vol. i, p. 46. "The soul which our philosophy divides into various capacities, is still one essence."—Channing, on Self-Culture, p. 15. "Put the following words in the plural and give the rule for forming it."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 19. "We will do it if you wish."—Id., ib., p. 29. "He who does well will be rewarded."—Id., ib., 29. "That which is always true is expressed in the present tense."—Id., ib., p. 119. "An observation which is always true must be expressed in the present tense."—Id., Prin. of E. Gram., p. 123. "That part of orthography which treats of combining letters to form syllables and words is called spelling."—Day's Gram., p. 8. "A noun can never be of the first person except it is in apposition with a pronoun of that person."—Ib., p. 14. "When two or more singular nouns or pronouns refer to the same object they require a singular verb and pronoun."—Ib., p. 80. "James has gone but he will return in a few days."—Ib., 89. "A pronoun should have the same person, number, and gender as the noun for which it stands."—Ib., 89 and 80. "Though he is out of danger he is still afraid."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 80. "She is his inferior in sense but his equal in prudence."—Ib., p. 81. "The man who has no sense of religion is little to be trusted."—Ib., 81. "He who does the most good has the most pleasure."—Ib., 81. "They were not in the most prosperous circumstances when we last saw them."—Ib., 81. "If the day continue pleasant I shall return."—Felton's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 22; Ster. Ed., 24. "The days that are past are gone for ever."—Ib., pp. 89 and 92. "As many as are friendly to the cause will sustain it."—Ib., 89 and 92. "Such as desire aid will receive it."—Ib., 89 and 92. "Who gave you that book which you prize so much?"—Bullions, Pract. Lessons, p. 32. "He who made it now preserves and governs it."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 83.

   "Shall he alone, whom rational we call,
    Be pleased with nothing if not blessed with all?"
        —Felton's Gram., p. 126.

UNDER THE EXCEPTIONS CONCERNING SIMPLE MEMBERS.

"Newcastle is the town, in which Akenside was born."—Bucke's Classical Gram., p. 54.

[Formule.—Not proper, because a needless comma here separates the restrictive relative which from its antecedent town. But, according to Exception 1st to Rule 2d, "When a relative immediately follows its antecedent, and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be introduced before it." Therefore, this comma Should be omitted; thus, "Newcastle is the town in which Akenside was born."]

"The remorse, which issues in reformation, is true repentance."—Campbell's Philos. of Rhet., p. 255. "Men, who are intemperate, are destructive members of community."—Alexander's Gram., p. 93. "An active-transitive verb expresses an action, which extends to an object."—Felton's Gram., pp. 16 and 22. "They, to whom much is given, will have much to answer for."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 188. "The prospect, which we have, is charming."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 143. "He is the person, who informed me of the matter."—Ib., p. 134; Cooper's Murray, 120. "These are the trees, that produce no fruit."—Ib., 134; and 120. "This is the book, which treats of the subject."—Ib., 134; and 120. "The proposal was such, as pleased me."—Cooper, Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 134. "Those, that sow in tears, shall reap in joy."—Id., ib., pp. 118 and 124; and Cooper's Murray, p. 141. "The pen, with which I write, makes too large a mark."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 71. "Modesty makes large amends for the pain, it gives the persons, who labour under it, by the prejudice, it affords every worthy person in their favour."—Ib., p. 80. "Irony is a figure, whereby we plainly intend something very different from what our words express."—Bucke's Gram., p. 108. "Catachresis is a figure, whereby an improper word is used instead of a proper one."—Ib., p. 109. "The man, whom you met at the party, is a Frenchman."—Frost's Practical Gram., p. 155.

UNDER RULE III.—OF MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

"John, James and Thomas are here:
that is, John and James, &c."—Cooper's Plain and Practical Grammar, p. 153.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here used after James, or after Thomas, or again after John, in the latter clause; the three nouns being supposed to be in the same construction, and all of them nominatives to the verb are. But, according to Rule 3d for the Comma, "When more than two words or terms are connected in the same construction, or in a joint dependence on some other term, by conjunctions expressed or understood, the comma should be inserted after every one of them but the last; and, if they are nominatives before a verb, the comma should follow the last also." Therefore, the comma should be inserted after each; thus, "John, James, and Thomas, are here: that is, John, and James, and Thomas, are here."]^[4]

"Adverbs modify verbs adjectives and other adverbs."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 97. "To Nouns belong Person, Gender, Number and Case."—Id., Practical Lessons, p. 12. "Wheat, corn, rye, and oats are extensively cultivated."—Id., ib., p. 13. "In many, the definitions, rules and leading facts are prolix, inaccurate and confused."—Finch's Report on Gram., p. 3. "Most people consider it mysterious, difficult and useless."—Ib., p. 3. "His father and mother, and uncle reside at Rome."—Farnum's Gram., p. 11. "The relative pronouns are who, which and that."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 29. "That is sometimes a demonstrative, sometimes a relative and sometimes a conjunction."—Id., ib., p. 33. "Our reputation, virtue, and happiness greatly depend on the choice of our companions."—Day's Gram., p. 92. "The spirit of true religion is social, kind and cheerful."—Felton's Gram., p. 81. "Do, be, have and will are sometimes principal verbs."—Ib., p. 26. "John and Thomas and Peter reside at Oxford."—Webster, Philos. Gram., p. 142; Improved Gram., p. 96. "The most innocent pleasures are the most rational, the most delightful and the most durable."—Id., ib., pp. 215 and 151. "Love, joy, peace and blessedness are reserved for the good."—Id., ib., 215 and 151. "The husband, wife and children, suffered extremely."—Murray's Gram., 4th Am. Ed., 8vo, p. 269. "The husband, wife, and children suffer extremely."—Sanborn's Analytical Gram., p. 268. "He, you, and I have our parts assigned us."—Ibid.

   "He moaned, lamented, tugged and tried,
    Repented, promised, wept and sighed."—Felton's Gr., p. 108.

UNDER RULE IV.—OF ONLY TWO WORDS.

"Disappointments derange, and overcome, vulgar minds."—Murray's Exercises, p. 15.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the two verbs here connected by and, are needlessly separated from each other, and from their object following. But, according to Rule 4th, "When only two words or terms are connected by a conjunction, they should not be separated by the comma." Therefore, these two commas should be omitted; thus, "Disappointments derange and overcome vulgar minds."]

"The hive of a city, or kingdom, is in the best condition, when there is the least noise or buzz in it."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 171. "When a direct address is made, the noun, or pronoun, is in the nominative case independent."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 88. "The verbs love and teach, make loved, and taught, in the imperfect and participle."—Ib., p. 97. "Neither poverty, nor riches were injurious to him."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 133. "Thou, or I am in fault."—Wright's Gram., p. 136. "A verb is a word that expresses action, or being."—Day's District School Gram., pp. 11 and 61. "The Objective Case denotes the object of a verb, or a preposition."—Ib., pp. 17 and 19. "Verbs of the second conjugation may be either transitive, or intransitive."—Ib., p. 41. "Verbs of the fourth conjugation may be either transitive, or intransitive."—Ib., 41. "If a verb does not form its past indicative by adding d, or ed to the indicative present, it is said to be irregular."—Ib., 41. "The young lady is studying rhetoric, and logic."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 143. "He writes, and speaks the language very correctly."—Ib., p. 148. "Man's happiness, or misery, is, in a great measure, put into his own hands."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 183. "This accident, or characteristic of nouns, is called their Gender."—Bullions, E. Gram., 1843, p. 195.

   "Grant that the powerful still the weak controul;
    Be Man the Wit, and Tyrant of the whole."
        —POPE: Brit. Poets, vi, 375.

UNDER EXCEPTION I.—TWO WORDS WITH ADJUNCTS.

"Franklin is justly considered the ornament of the new world and the pride of modern philosophy."—Day's District School Gram., p. 88.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the words ornament and pride, each of which has adjuncts, are here connected by and without a comma before it. But, according to Exception 1st to Rule 4th, "When the two words connected have several adjuncts, or when one of them has an adjunct that relates not to both, the comma is inserted." Therefore, a comma should be set before and; thus, "Franklin is justly considered the ornament of the New World, and the pride of modern philosophy."]

"Levity and attachment to worldly pleasures, destroy the sense of gratitude to him."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 183. "In the following Exercise, point out the adjectives and the substantives which they qualify."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 100. "When a noun or pronoun is used to explain or give emphasis to a preceding noun or pronoun."—Day's Gram., p. 87. "Superior talents and briliancy of intellect do not always constitute a great man."—Ib., p. 92. "A word that makes sense after an article or the phrase speak of, is a noun."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 12. "All feet used in poetry, are reducible to eight kinds; four of two syllables and four of three."—Hiley's Gram., p. 123. "He would not do it himself nor let me do it."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 113.^[5] "The old writers give examples of the subjunctive mode and give other modes to explain what is meant by the words in the subjunctive."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 352.

UNDER EXCEPTION II.—TWO TERMS CONTRASTED.

"We often commend as well as censure imprudently."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 214. "It is as truly a violation of the right of property, to take little as to take much; to purloin a book, or a penknife, as to steal money; to steal fruit as to steal a horse; to defraud the revenue as to rob my neighbour; to overcharge the public as to overcharge my brother; to cheat the postoffice as to cheat my friend."—Wayland's Moral Science, 1st Edition, p. 254. "The classification of verbs has been and still is a vexed question."—Bullions, E. Grammar, Revised Edition, p. 200. "Names applied only to individuals of a sort or class and not common to all, are called Proper Nouns."—Id., Practical Lessons, p. 12. "A hero would desire to be loved as well as to be reverenced."—Day's Gram., p. 108. "Death or some worse misfortune now divides them."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 133. "Alexander replied, 'The world will not permit two suns nor two sovereigns.'"—Goldsmith's Greece, Vol. ii, p. 113.

   "From nature's chain, whatever link you strike,
    Tenth or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike."
        —Felton's Gram., p. 131.

UNDER EXCEPTION III.—ALTERNATIVE OF WORDS.

"Metre or Measure is the number of poetical feet which a verse contains."—Hiley's Gram., p. 123. "The Cæsura or division, is the pause which takes place in a verse, and which divides it into two parts."—Ib., 123. "It is six feet or one fathom deep."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 113. "A BRACE is used in poetry at the end of a triplet or three lines which rhyme together."—Felton's Gram., p. 142. "There are four principal kinds of English verse or poetical feet."—Ib., p. 143. "The period or full stop denotes the end of a complete sentence."—Sanborn's Analytical Gram., p. 271. "The scholar is to receive as many jetons or counters as there are words in the sentence."—St. Quentin's Gram., p. 16. "That [thing] or the thing which purifies, fortifies also the heart."—Peirce's Gram., p. 74. "That thing or the thing which would induce a laxity in public or private morals, or indifference to guilt and wretchedness, should be regarded as the deadly Sirocco."—Ib., 74. "What is elliptically what thing or that thing which."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 99. "Demonstrate means show or point out precisely."—Ib., p. 139. "The man or that man, who endures to the end, shall be saved."—Hiley's Gram., p. 73.

UNDER EXCEPTION IV.—A SECOND COMMA.

"Reason, passion answer one great end."—Bullions's E. Gram., p. 152; Hiley's, p. 112. "Reason, virtue answer one great aim."—Cooper's Pl. and Pract. Gram., p. 194; Butler's, 204. "Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above."—Felton's Gram., p. 90. "Every plant, and every tree produces others after its kind."—Day's Gram., p. 91. "James, and not John was paid for his services."—Ib., 91. "The single dagger, or obelisk [Dagger] is the second."—Ib., p. 113. "It was I, not he that did it."—St. Quentin's Gram., p. 152. "Each aunt, (and) each cousin hath her speculation."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 139. "'I shall see you when you come,' is equivalent to 'I shall see you then, or at that time when you come.'"—Butler's Pract. Gram., p. 121.

   "Let wealth, let honour wait the wedded dame,
    August her deed, and sacred be her fame."—Pope, p. 334.

UNDER RULE V.—OF WORDS IN PAIRS.

"My hopes and fears, joys and sorrows centre in you."—B. GREENLEAF:
Sanborn's Gram., p. 268.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma here separates the second pair of nominatives from the verb. But, according to Rule 5th, "When successive words are joined in pairs by conjunctions, they should be separated in pairs by the comma." Therefore, an other comma should be inserted after sorrows; thus, "My hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, centre in you."]

"This mood implies possibility, or liberty, will, or obligation."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 113. "Substance is divided into Body, and Spirit into Extended and Thinking."—Brightland's Gram., p. 253. "These consonants, [d and t,] like p, and b, f, and v, k, and hard g, and s, and z, are letters of the same organ."—Walkers Dict., p. 41: Principles, No. 358. "Neither fig nor twist pigtail nor cavendish have passed my lips since, nor ever shall they again."—Boston Cultivator, Vol. vii, p. 36. "The words whoever, or whosoever, whichever, or whichsoever, and whatever, or whatsoever are called compound relative pronouns."—Day's Gram., p. 23. "Adjectives signifying profit or disprofit, likeness or unlikeness govern the dative."—Bullions, Lat. Gram., 12th Ed., 215.

UNDER RULE VI.—OF WORDS ABSOLUTE.

"Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 135.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here set after staff, which, with the noun rod, is put absolute by pleonasm. But, according to Rule 6th, "Nouns or pronouns put absolute, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be here inserted; thus, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."—Psalm xxiii, 4.]

"Depart ye wicked."—Wright's Gram., p. 70. "He saith to his mother, Woman behold thy son."—Gurney's Portable Evidences, p. 44. "Thou God seest me."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 9; Practical Lessons, p. 13. "Thou, God seest me."—Id., E. Gram., Revised Ed., p. 195. "John write me a letter. Henry go home."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 356. "John; write a letter. Henry; go home."—Ib., p. 317. "Now, G. Brown; let us reason together."—Ib., p. 326. "Smith: You say on page 11, the objective case denotes the object."—Ib., p. 344. "Gentlemen: will you always speak as you mean?"—Ib., p. 352. "John: I sold my books to William for his brothers."—Ib., p. 47. "Walter and Seth: I will take my things, and leave yours."—Ib., p. 69. "Henry: Julia and Jane left their umbrella, and took yours."—Ib., p. 73. "John; harness the horses and go to the mine for some coal. William; run to the store for a few pounds of tea."—Ib., p. 160. "The king being dead the parliament was dissolved."—Chandler's Gram., p. 119.

   "Cease fond nature, cease thy strife,
    And let me languish into life."—Bullions's E. Gram., p. 173.

    "Forbear great man, in arms renown'd, forbear."—Ib., p. 174.

    "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind,
    Each prayer accepted and each wish resign'd."—Hiley's Gr., p. 123.

UNDER RULE VII.—WORDS IN APPOSITION.

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice," &c.—Hallock's Gram., p. 200.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here set after the pronoun We, with which the word people, which has adjuncts, is in apposition. But, according to Rule 7th, "Words in apposition, (especially if they have adjuncts,) are generally set off by the comma." Therefore, an other comma should be here inserted; thus, "We, the people of the United States," &c.]

"The Lord, the covenant God of his people requires it."—Anti-Slavery Magazine, Vol. i, p. 73. "He as a patriot deserves praise."—Hallock's Gram., p. 124. "Thomson the watchmaker and jeweller from London, was of the party."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 128. "Every body knows that the person here spoken of by the name of the conqueror, is William duke of Normandy."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 33. "The words myself, thyself, himself, herself, and their plurals ourselves, yourselves, and themselves are called Compound Personal Pronouns."—Day's Gram., p. 22.

   "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey,
    This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,
    Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
    Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind?"—U. Poems, p. 68.

UNDER EXCEPTIONS CONCERNING APPOSITION.

"Smith and Williams' store; Nicholas, the emperor's army."—Day's Gram., p. 17. "He was named William, the conqueror."—Ib., p. 80. "John, the Baptist, was beheaded."—Ib., p. 87. "Alexander, the coppersmith, did me great harm."—Hart's Gram., p. 126. "A nominative in immediate apposition; as, 'The boy, Henry, speaks.'"—Smart's Accidence, p. 29. "A noun objective can be in apposition with some other; as, 'I teach the boy, Henry.'"—Ib., p. 30.

UNDER RULE VIII.—OF ADJECTIVES.

"But he found me, not singing at my work ruddy with health vivid with cheerfulness; but pale and dejected, sitting on the ground, and chewing opium."

[Formule.—Not proper, because the phrases, "ruddy with health," and "vivid with cheerfulness," which begin with adjectives, are not here commaed. But, according to Rule 8th, "Adjectives, when something depends on them, or when they have the import of a dependent clause, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, two other commas should be here inserted; thus, "But he found me, not singing at my work, ruddy with health, vivid with cheerfulness; but pale," &c.—Dr. Johnson.]

"I looked up, and beheld an inclosure beautiful as the gardens of paradise, but of a small extent."—See Key. "A is an article, indefinite and belongs to ‘book.’"—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 10. "The first expresses the rapid movement of a troop of horse over the plain eager for the combat."—Id., Lat. Gram., p. 296. "He [, the Indian chieftain, King Philip,] was a patriot, attached to his native soil; a prince true to his subjects and indignant of their wrongs; a soldier daring in battle firm in adversity patient of fatigue, of hunger, of every variety of bodily suffering and ready to perish in the cause he had espoused."—See Key.

   "For thee, who mindful of th' unhonour'd dead
    Dost in these lines their artless tale relate."
        —Union Poems, p. 68.

    "Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest:
     Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood."
        —Day's Gram., p. 117.

    "Idle after dinner in his chair
     Sat a farmer ruddy, fat, and fair."
        —Hiley's Gram., p. 125.

UNDER THE EXCEPTION CONCERNING ADJECTIVES.

"When an attribute becomes a title, or is emphatically applied to a name, it follows it; as Charles, the Great; Henry, the First; Lewis, the Gross."—Webster's Philos. Gram., p. 153; Improved Gram., p. 107. "Feed me with food, convenient for me."—Cooper's Practical Gram., p. 118. "The words and phrases, necessary to exemplify every principle progressively laid down, will be found strictly and exclusively adapted to the illustration of the principles to which they are referred."—Ingersoll's Gram., Pref., p. x. "The Infinitive Mode is that form of the verb which expresses action or being, unlimited by person, or number."—Day's Gram., p. 35. "A man, diligent in his business, prospers."—Frost's Practical Gram., p. 113.

   "O wretched state! oh bosom, black as death!"
        —Hallock's Gram., p. 118.

    "O, wretched state! O, bosom, black as death!"
        —Singer's Shak., Vol. ii, p. 494.

UNDER RULE IX.—OF FINITE VERBS.

"The Singular denotes one; the Plural more than one."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 12; Pract. Lessons, p. 16; Lennie's Gram., p. 7.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here set after Plural, where the verb denotes is understood. But, according to Rule 9th, "Where a finite verb is understood, a comma is generally required." Therefore, a comma should be inserted at the place mentioned; thus, "The Singular denotes one; the Plural, more than one."]

"The comma represents the shortest pause; the semicolon a pause longer than the comma; the colon longer than the semicolon; and the period longer than the colon."—Hiley's Gram., p. 111. "The comma represents the shortest pause; the semicolon a pause double that of the comma; the colon, double that of the semicolon; and the period, double that of the colon."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 151; Pract. Lessons, p. 127. "Who is applied only to persons; which to animals and things; what to things only; and that to persons, animals, and things."—Day's Gram., p. 23. "A or an is used before the singular number only; the before either singular or plural."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 10. "Homer was the greater genius; Virgil the better artist."—Day's Gram., p. 96. "Homer was the greater genius, Virgil the better artist."—Pope's preface: British Poets, Vol. vi, p. viii. "Words are formed of syllables; syllables of letters."—St. Quentin's General Gram., p. 2. "The Conjugation of an active verb is styled the active voice; and that of a passive verb the passive voice."—Frost's El. of E. Gram., p. 19. "The conjugation of an active verb is styled the active voice, and that of a passive verb the passive voice."—Smith's New. Gram., p. 171. "The possessive is sometimes called the genitive case; and the objective the accusative."—L. Murray's Gram., 12mo, p. 44. "Benevolence is allied to few vices; selfishness to fewer virtues."—Kames, Art of Thinking, p. 40. "Orthography treats of Letters, Etymology of Words, Syntax of Sentences, and Prosody of Versification."—Hart's English Gram., p. 21.

   "Earth praises conquerors for shedding blood;
    Heaven those that love their foes, and do them good."—See Key.

UNDER RULE X.—OF INFINITIVES.

"His business is to observe the agreement or disagreement of words."—Bullions, E. Grammar, Revised Edition, p. 189.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma here divides to observe from the preceding verb. But, according to Rule 10th, "The infinitive mood, when it follows a verb from which it must be separated, or when it depends on something remote or understood, is generally, with its adjuncts, set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be inserted after is; thus, "His business is, to observe the agreement or disagreement of words."]

"It is a mark of distinction to be made a member of this society."— Farnum's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 25; 2d Ed., p. 23. "To distinguish the conjugations let the pupil observe the following rules."—Day's D. S. Gram., p. 40. "He was now sent for to preach before the Parliament."— Life of Dr. J. Owen, p. 18. "It is incumbent on the young to love and honour their parents."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 83. "It is the business of every man to prepare for death."—Id., ib., 83. "It argued the sincerest candor to make such an acknowledgement."—Id., ib., p. 115. "The proper way is to complete the construction of the first member, and leave that of the second understood."—Ib., ib., p. 125. "Enemy is a name. It is a term of distinction given to a certain person to show the character in which he is represented."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 23. "The object of this is to preserve the soft sound of c and g."—Hart's Gram., p. 29. "The design of grammar is to facilitate the reading, writing, and speaking of a language."—Barrett's Gram., 10th Ed., Pref., p. iii. "Four kinds of type are used in the following pages to indicate the portions that are considered more or less elementary."—Hart's Gram., p. 3.

UNDER RULE XI.—OF PARTICIPLES.

"The chancellor being attached to the king secured his crown."—Wright's Gram., p. 114.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the phrase, "being attached to the king," is not commaed. But, according to Rule 11th, "Participles, when something depends on them, when they have the import of a dependent clause, or when they relate to something understood, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, two commas should be here inserted; thus, "The chancellor, being attached to the king, secured his crown."—Murray's Gram., p. 66.]

"The officer having received his orders, proceeded to execute them."— Day's Gram., p. 108. "Thus used it is in the present tense."—Bullions, E. Gram., Revised Ed., p. 33. "The Imperfect tense has three distinct forms corresponding to those of the present tense."—Id., ib., p. 40. "Every possessive case is governed by some noun denoting the thing possessed."—Id., ib., p. 87. "The word that used as a conjunction is preceded by a comma."—Id., ib., p. 154. "His narrative being composed upon such good authority, deserves credit."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. 97. "The hen being in her nest, was killed and eaten there by the eagle."—Murray's Key, 8vo. p. 252. "Pronouns being used instead of nouns are subject to the same modifications."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 92. "When placed at the beginning of words they are consonants."—Hallock's Gram., p. 14. "Man starting from his couch, shall sleep no more."—Ib., p. 222. "His and her followed by a noun are possessive pronouns: not followed by a noun they are personal pronouns."—Bullions, Practical Lessons, p. 33.

   "He with viny crown advancing,
    First to the lively pipe his hand addressed."—Id., E. Gram., p. 83.

UNDER THE EXCEPTION CONCERNING PARTICIPLES.

"But when they convey the idea of many, acting individually, or separately, they are of the plural number."—Day's Gram., p. 15. "Two or more singular antecedents, connected by and require verbs and pronouns of the plural number."—Ib., pp. 80 and 91. "Words ending in y, preceded by a consonant, change y into i when a termination is added."—Butlers Gram., p. 11. "A noun, used without an article to limit it, is generally taken in its widest sense."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 30. "Two nouns, meaning the same person or thing, frequently come together."—Bucke's Gram., p. 89. "Each one must give an account to God for the use, or the abuse of the talents, committed to him."—Coopers Pl. and Pract. Gram., p. 133. "Two vowels, united in one sound, form a diphthong."—Frost's El. of Gram., p. 6. "Three vowels, united in one sound, form a triphthong."—Ib. "Any word, joined to an adverb, is a secondary adverb."—Barrett's Revised Gram., p. 68. "The person, spoken to, is put in the Second person. The person, spoken of, in the Third person."—Cutler's Gram., p. 14. "A man, devoted to his business, prospers."—Frost's Pr. Gram., p. 113.

UNDER RULE XII.—OF ADVERBS.

"So in indirect questions; as, 'Tell me when he will come.'"—Butler's Gram., p. 121.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the adverb So is not set off by the comma. But according to Rule 12th, "Adverbs, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they have not a close dependence on some particular word in the context, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be inserted after So; thus, "So, in indirect questions; as," &c.]

"Now when the verb tells what one person or thing does to another, the verb is transitive."—Bullions, Pract. Les., p 37. "Agreeably to your request I send this letter."—Id., E. Gram., p. 141. "There seems therefore, to be no good reason for giving them a different classification."—Id., E. Gram., p. 199. "Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls."—Alger's Bible: Matt., xiii, 45. "Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea."—Ib, ib., verse 47. "Cease however, is used as a transitive verb by our best writers."—Webster's Philos. Gram., p. 171. "Time admits of three natural divisions, namely: Present, Past, and Future."—Day's Gram., p. 37. "There are three kinds of comparison, namely: regular, irregular, and adverbial."—Ib., p. 31. "There are five Personal Pronouns namely: I, thou, he, she, and it."—Ib., p. 22. "Nouns have three cases, viz. the Nominative, Possessive, and Objective."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 16; P. Lessons, p. 19. "Hence in studying Grammar, we have to study words."—Frazee's Gram., p. 18. "Participles like Verbs relate to Nouns and Pronouns."—Miller's Ready Grammarian, p. 23. "The time of the participle like that of the infinitive is estimated from the time of the leading verb."—Bullions, Lat. Gram., p. 97.

   "The dumb shall sing the lame his crutch forego,
    And leap exulting like the bounding roe."—Hiley's Gram., p. 123.

UNDER RULE XIII.—OF CONJUNCTIONS.

"But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them."—FRIENDS' BIBLE, and SMITH'S: Matt., xiii, 29.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is inserted after lest. But, according to Rule 13th, "Conjunctions, when they are separated from the principal clauses that depend on them, or when they introduce examples, are generally set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be put after the word lest; thus, "But he said, Nay; lest, while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them."—Scott's Bible, Alger's, Bruce's.]

"Their intentions were good; but wanting prudence, they missed the mark at which they aimed."—Murray's Key, 8vo, Vol. ii, p. 221. "The verb be often separates the name from its attribute; as war is expensive."— Webster's Philos. Gram., p. 153. "Either and or denote an alternative; as 'I will take either road at your pleasure.'"—Ib., p. 63; Imp. Gram., 45. "Either is also a substitute for a name; as ‘Either of the roads is good.’"—Webster, both Grams., 63 and 45. "But alas! I fear the consequence."—Day's Gram., p. 74. "Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?"—Scott's Bible, and Smith's. "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"—Smiths Bible. "The infinitive sometimes performs the office of a nominative case, as 'To enjoy is to obey.'—Pope."—Cutler's Gram., p. 62. "The plural is commonly formed by adding s to the singular, as book, books."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 12. "As 'I were to blame, if I did it.'"—Smart's Accidence, p. 16.

   "Or if it be thy will and pleasure
    Direct my plough to find a treasure."—Hiley's Gram., p. 124.

    "Or if it be thy will and pleasure,
    Direct my plough to find a treasure."—Hart's Gram., p. 185.

UNDER RULE XIV.—OF PREPOSITIONS.

"Pronouns agree with the nouns for which they stand in gender, number, and person."—Butler's Practical Gram., pp. 141 and 148; Bullions's Analyt. and Pract. Gram., p. 150.

[Formule.— Not proper, because the preposition in has not the comma before it, as the text requires. But, according to Rule 14th, "Prepositions and their objects, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they do not closely follow the words on which they depend, are generally set off by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be here inserted; thus, "Pronouns agree with the nouns for which they stand, in gender, number, and person." Or the words may be transposed, and the comma set before with; thus, "Pronouns agree in gender, number, and person, with the nouns for which they stand."]

"In the first two examples the antecedent is person, or something equivalent; in the last it is thing."—Butler, ib., p. 53. "In what character he was admitted is unknown."—Ib., p. 55. "To what place he was going is not known."—Ib., p. 55. "In the preceding examples John, Cæsar, and James are the subjects."—Ib., p. 59. "Yes is generally used to denote assent in the answer to a question."—Ib., p. 120. "That in its origin is the passive participle of the Anglo-Saxon verb thean, to take"—Ib., p. 127. "But in all these sentences as and so are adverbs."—Ib., p. 127. "After an interjection or exclamatory sentence is placed the mark of exclamation."—Blair's Gram., p. 116. "Intransitive verbs from their nature can have no distinction of voice."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 30. "To the inflection of verbs belong Voices, Moods, Tenses, Numbers, and Persons."—Id., ib., p. 33; Pract. Lessons, p. 41. "As and so in the antecedent member of a comparison are properly adverbs."—Id., E. Gram., p. 113. "In the following Exercise point out the words in apposition."—Id., P. Lessons, p. 103. "In the following Exercise point out the noun or pronoun denoting the possessor."— Id., ib., p. 105. "Its is not found in the Bible except by misprint."—Hallock's Gram., p. 68. "No one's interest is concerned except mine."—Ib., p. 70. "In most of the modern languages there are four concords."—St. Quentin's Gen. Gram., p. 143. "In illustration of these remarks let us suppose a case."—Hart's Gram., p. 104. "On the right management of the emphasis depends the life of pronunciation."— Ib., p. 172; Murray's, 8vo, p. 242.

UNDER RULE XV.—OF INTERJECTIONS.

"Behold he is in the desert."—Scott's Bible: Matt., xxiv, 26.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the interjection Behold, which has usually a comma after it in Scripture, has here no point. But, according to Rule 15th, "Interjections that require a pause, though more commonly emphatic and followed by the ecphoneme, are sometimes set off by the comma." In this instance, a comma should be used; thus, "Behold, he is in the desert."—Common Bible.]

"And Lot said unto them, Oh not so my Lord."—Scott's Bible: Gen., xix, 18. "Oh let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."—SCOTT: Gen., xix, 20. "Behold! I come quickly.—Bible."—Day's Gram., p. 74. "Lo! I am with you always."—Day's Gram., pp. 10 and 73. "And lo! I am with you always."—Ib., pp. 78 and 110. "And lo, I am with you alway."—Scott's Bible, and Bruce's: Matt., xxviii, 20. "Ha! ha! ha! how laughable that is."—Bullions, Pract. Les., p. 83. "Interjections of Laughter,—Ha! he! hi! ho!"—Wright's Gram., p. 121.

UNDER RULE XVI.—OF WORDS REPEATED.

"Lend lend your wings! I mount! I fly!"—Example varied.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the repeated word lend has here no comma. But, according to Rule 16th, "A word emphatically repeated, is generally set off by the comma." In this instance, a comma is required after the former lend, but not after the latter; thus,

   "Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!"—Pope's Poems, p. 317.

]

"To bed to bed to bed. There is a knocking at the gate. Come come come. What is done cannot be undone. To bed to bed to bed."—See Burgh's Speaker, p. 130. "I will roar, that the duke shall cry, Encore encore let him roar let him roar once more once more."—See ib., p. 136.

   "Vital spark of heav'nly flame,
    Quit oh quit this mortal frame."—Hiley's Gram., p. 126.

    "Vital spark of heav'nly flame,
    Quit, oh quit, this mortal frame!"—Bullions, E. Gr., p. 172.

    "O the pleasing pleasing Anguish,
    When we love, and when we languish."—Ward's Gram., p. 161.

    "Praise to God immortal praise
    For the love that crowns our days!"—Hiley's Gram., p. 124.

UNDER RULE XVII.—OF DEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

"Thus, of an infant, we say ‘It is a lovely creature.’"—Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., p. 12.

[Formule.—Not proper, because no comma is here inserted between say and the citation which follows. But, according to Rule 17th, "A quotation, observation, or description, when it is introduced in close dependence on a verb, (as, say, reply, cry, or the like.) is generally separated from the rest of the sentence by the comma." Therefore, a comma should be put after say; as, "Thus, of an infant, we say, ‘It is a lovely creature.’"]

"No being can state a falsehood in saying I am; for no one can utter it, if it is not true."—Cardell's Gram., 18mo, p. 118. "I know they will cry out against this and say 'should he pay, means if he should pay.'"—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 352. "For instance, when we say ‘the house is building,’ the advocates of the new theory ask, 'building what?' We might ask in turn, when you say 'the field ploughs well,' ploughs what? 'Wheat sells well,' sells what? If usage allows us to say 'wheat sells at a dollar' in a sense that is not active, why may it not also allow us to say 'wheat is selling at a dollar' in a sense that is not active?"—Hart's English Gram., p. 76. "Man is accountable, equals mankind are accountable."—S. Barrett's Revised Gram., p. 37. "Thus, when we say 'He may be reading,' may is the real verb; the other parts are verbs by name only."—Smart's English Accidence, p. 8. "Thus we say an apple, an hour, that two vowel sounds may not come together."—Ib., p. 27. "It would be as improper to say an unit, as to say an youth; to say an one, as to say an wonder."—Ib., p. 27. "When we say 'He died for the truth,' for is a preposition."—Ib., p. 28. "We do not say 'I might go yesterday,' but 'I might have gone yesterday.'"—Ib., p. 11. "By student, we understand one who has by matriculation acquired the rights of academical citizenship; but, by bursché, we understand one who has already spent a certain time at the university."—Howitt's Student-Life in Germany, p. 27.

SECTION II.—THE SEMICOLON.

The Semicolon is used to separate those parts of a compound sentence, which are neither so closely connected as those which are distinguished by the comma, nor so little dependent as those which require the colon.

RULE I.—COMPLEX MEMBERS.

When two or more complex members, or such clauses as require the comma in themselves, are constructed into a period, they are generally separated by the semicolon: as, "In the regions inhabited by angelic natures, unmingled felicity forever blooms; joy flows there with a perpetual and abundant stream, nor needs any mound to check its course."—Carter. "When the voice rises, the gesture naturally ascends; and when the voice makes the falling inflection, or lowers its pitch, the gesture follows it by a corresponding descent; and, in the level and monotonous pronunciation of the voice, the gesture seems to observe a similar limitation, by moving rather in the horizontal direction, without much varying its elevation."—Comstock's Elocution, p. 107.

   "The wide, the unbounded prospect lies before me;
    But shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it."—Addison.

RULE II.—SIMPLE MEMBERS.

When two or more simple members, or such clauses as complete their sense without subdivision, are constructed into a period; if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, they are usually separated by the semicolon: as, "Straws swim upon the surface; but pearls lie at the bottom."—Murray's Gram., p. 276. "Every thing grows old; every thing passes away; every thing disappears."—Hiley's Gram., p. 115. "Alexander asked them the distance of the Persian capital; what forces the king of Persia could bring into the field; what the Persian government was; what was the character of the king; how he treated his enemies; what were the most direct ways into Persia."—Whelpley's Lectures, p. 175.

   "A longer care man's helpless kind demands;
    That longer care contracts more lasting bands."—Pope.

RULE III.—OF APPOSITION, &C.

Words in apposition, in disjunct pairs, or in any other construction, if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, and less than that of the colon, may be separated by the semicolon: as, "Pronouns have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective."—Murray's Gram., p. 51. "Judge, judgement; lodge, lodgement; acknowledge, acknowledgement."—Butler's Gram., p. 11. "Do not the eyes discover humility, pride; cruelty, compassion; reflection, dissipation; kindness, resentment?"—Sheridan's Elocution, p. 159. "This rule forbids parents to lie to children, and children to parents; instructors to pupils, and pupils to instructors; the old to the young, and the young to the old; attorneys to jurors, and jurors to attorneys; buyers to sellers, and sellers to buyers."—Wayland's Moral Science, p. 304.

   "Make, made; have, had; pay, paid; say, said; leave, left;
    Dream, dreamt; mean, meant; reave and bereave have reft."
        —Ward's Gr., p. 66.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE SEMICOLON.

UNDER RULE I.—OF COMPLEX MEMBERS.

"The buds spread into leaves, and the blossoms swell to fruit, but they know not how they grow, nor who causes them to spring up from the bosom of the earth."—Day's E. Gr., p. 72.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the two chief members which compose this period, are separated only by the comma after "fruit." But, according to Rule 1st for the Semicolon, "When two or more complex members, or such clauses as require the comma in themselves, are constructed into a period, they are generally separated by the semicolon." Therefore, the pause after "fruit" should be marked by a semicolon.]

"But he used his eloquence chiefly against Philip, king of Macedon, and, in several orations, he stirred up the Athenians to make war against him."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 84. "For the sake of euphony, the n is dropped before a consonant, and because most words begin with a consonant, this of course is its more common form.'"—Ib., p. 192. "But if I say 'Will a man be able to carry this burden?' it is manifest the idea is entirely changed, the reference is not to number, but to the species, and the answer might be 'No; but a horse will.'"—Ib., p. 193. "In direct discourse, a noun used by a speaker or writer to designate himself, is said to be of the first person—used to designate the person addressed, it is said to be of the second person, and when used to designate a person or thing spoken of, it is said to be of the third person."—Ib., p. 195. "Vice stings us, even in our pleasures, but virtue consoles us, even in our pains."—Day's Gram., p. 84. "Vice is infamous though in a prince, and virtue honorable though in a peasant."—Ib., p. 72. "Every word that is the name of a person or thing, is a Noun, because 'A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing.'"—Bullions, Pract. Les., p. 83.

   "This is the sword, with which he did the deed,
    And that the shield by which he was defended."—Bucke's Gram., p. 56.

UNDER RULE II.—OF SIMPLE MEMBERS.

"A deathlike paleness was diffused over his countenancee [sic—KTH], a chilling terror convulsed his frame; his voice burst out at intervals into broken accents."—Principles of Eloquence, p. 73.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the first pause in this sentence is not marked by a suitable point. But, according to Rule 2d for the Semicolon, "When two or more simple members, or such clauses as complete their sense without subdivision, are constructed into a period; if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, they are usually separated by the semicolon." Therefore, the comma after "countenance" should be changed to a semicolon.]

"The Lacedemonians never traded—they knew no luxury—they lived in houses built of rough materials—they lived at public tables—fed on black broth, and despised every thing effeminate or luxurious."—Whelpley's Lectures, p. 167. "Government is the agent. Society is the principal."—Wayland's Moral Science, 1st Ed., p. 377. "The essentials of speech were anciently supposed to be sufficiently designated by the Noun and the Verb, to which was subsequently added, the Conjunction"—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 191. "The first faint gleamings of thought in its mind are but the reflections from the parents' own intellect,—the first manifestations of temperament are from the contagious parental fountain,—the first aspirations of soul are but the warmings and promptings of the parental spirit."—Jocelyn's Prize Essay, p. 4. "Older and oldest refer to maturity of age, elder and eldest to priority of right by birth. Farther and farthest denote place or distance: Further and furthest, quantity or addition."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 148. "Let the divisions be natural, such as obviously suggest themselves to the mind, and as may aid your main design, and be easily remembered."—Goldsbury's Manual of Gram., p. 91.

   "Gently make haste, of labour not afraid:
    A hundred times consider what you've said."—Dryden's Art of Poetry.

UNDER RULE III.—OF APPOSITION, &c.

1. "Adjectives are divided into two classes: Adjectives denoting quality, and Adjectives denoting number."—Frost's Practical Gram., p. 31.
   [Formule.—Not proper, because the colon after the word "classes," is not the most suitable sign of the pause required. But according to Rule 3d for the Semicolon, "Words in apposition, in disjunct pairs, or in any other construction if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, and less than that of the colon, maybe separated by the semicolon." In this case, the semicolon should have been preferred to the colon.]
2. "There are two classes of adjectives—qualifying adjectives, and limiting adjectives."—Butler's Practical Gram., p. 33.
3. "There are three Genders, the Masculine, the Feminine, and the Neuter."— Frost's Pract. Gram., p. 51; Hiley's Gram., p. 12; Alger's, 16; S. Putnam's, 14: Murray's, 8vo, 37; and others.
4. "There are three genders: the masculine, the feminine, and the neuter."—Murray's Gram., 12mo. p. 39; Jaudon's, 25.
5. "There are three genders: The Masculine, the Feminine, and the Neuter."—Hendrick's Gram., p. 15.
6. "The Singular denotes one, and the Plural more than one."—Hart's Gram., p. 40.
7. "There are three Cases viz., the Nominative, the Possessive, and the Objective"—Hendrick's Gram., p. 7.
8. "Nouns have three cases, the nominative, the possessive, and the objective."— Kirkham's Gram., p. 41.
9. "In English, nouns have three cases—the nominative, the possessive, and the objective."—R. C. Smith's New Gram., p. 47.
10. "Grammar is divided into four parts, namely, orthography, etymology, syntax, prosody."—Ib., p. 41.
11. "It is divided into four parts, viz. orthography, etymology, syntax, and prosody."—L. Murray's Grammars all; T. Smith's Gram., p. 5.
12. "It is divided into four parts: viz. Orthography—Etymology—Syntax—Prosody."—Bucke's Gram., p. 3.
13. "It is divided into four parts, namely, Orthography. Etymology, Syntax and Prosody."—Day's Gram., p. 5.
14. "It is divided into four parts: viz. Orthography, Etymology, Syntax and Prosody."—Hendrick's Gram., p. 11.
15. "Grammar is divided into four parts: viz. Orthography, Etymology. Syntax and Prosody."—Chandler's Gram., p, 13.
16. "It is divided into four parts: Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody."—Cooper's Pl. and Pract. Gram., p. 1; Frost's Pract. Gram., 19.
17. "English grammar has been usually divided into four parts, viz: Orthography, Etymology, Syntax and Prosody."—Nutting's Gram., p. 13.
18. "Temperance leads to happiness, intemperance to misery."—Hiley's Gram., p. 137 Hart's, 180.
19. "A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy his crimes."—Hiley's Gram., p. 137
20. "A friend exaggerates a man's virtues: an enemy his crimes."—Murray's Gram., 8vo., p. 325
21. "Many writers use a plural noun after the second of two numeral adjectives, thus, 'The first and second pages are torn.'"—Bullions, E. Gram., 5th Ed., p. 145
22. "Of these, the Latin has six, the Greek, five, the German, four, the Saxon, six, the French, three, &c."—Id., ib., p. 196.

   "In (ing) it ends, when doing is express'd,
    In d, t, n, when suffering's confess'd."
        —Brightland's Gram., p. 93.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"In old books i is often used for j, v for u, vv for w, and ii or ij for y."—Hart's E. Gram., p. 22. "The forming of letters into words and syllables is also called Spelling."—Ib., p. 21. "Labials are formed chiefly by the lips, dentals by the teeth, palatals by the palate, gutturals by the throat, nasals by the nose, and linguals by the tongue."—Ib., p. 25. "The labials are p, b, f, v; the dentals t, d, s, z; the palatals g soft and j; the gutturals k, q, and c and g hard; the nasals m and n; and the linguals l and r."—Ib., p. 25. "Thus, 'the man having finished his letter, will carry it to the post office.'"—Ib., p. 75. "Thus, in the sentence 'he had a dagger concealed under his cloak,' concealed is passive, signifying being concealed; but in the former combination, it goes to make up a form, the force of which is active."—Ib., p. 75. "Thus, in Latin, 'he had concealed the dagger' would be ‘pugionem abdiderat;’ but 'he had the dagger concealed' would be ‘pugionem abditum habebat.’"— Ib., p. 75. "Here, for instance, means 'in this place,' now, 'at this time,' &c."—Ib., p. 90. "Here when both declares the time of the action, and so is an adverb, and also connects the two verbs, and so is a conjunction."—Ib., p. 91. "These words were all no doubt originally other parts of speech, viz.: verbs, nouns, and adjectives."—Ib., p. 92. "The principal parts of a sentence are the subject, the attribute, and the object, in other words the nominative, the verb, and the objective."— Ib., p. 104. "Thus, the adjective is connected with the noun, the adverb with the verb or adjective, pronouns with their antecedents, &c."—Ib., p. 104. "Between refers to two, among to more than two."—Ib., p. 120. "At is used after a verb of rest, to after a verb of motion."—Ib., p. 120. "Verbs are of three kinds, Active, Passive, and Neuter."—Lennie's Gram., p. 19; Bullions, Prin., 2d Ed., p. 29 "Verbs are divided into two classes: Transitive and Intransitive."—Hendrick's Gram., p. 28 "The Parts of Speech in the English language are nine, viz. The Article, Noun, Adjective, Pronoun, Verb, Adverb, Preposition. Interjection and Conjunction."—Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., p. 7 "Of these the Noun, Pronoun, and Verb are declined, the rest are indeclinable."—Id., ib., p. 7; Practical Lessons, p. 9. "The first expression is called the 'Active form.' The second the 'Passive form.'"—Welds Gram., 2d Ed., p. 83; Abridged, p. 66.

   "O 'tis a godlike privilege to save,
    And he that scorns it is himself a slave."—Cowper, Vol. i., p. 123

SECTION III.—THE COLON.

The Colon is used to separate those parts of a compound sentence, which are neither so closely connected as those which are distinguished by the semicolon, nor so little dependent as those which require the period.

RULE I.—ADDITIONAL REMARKS.

When the preceding clause is complete in itself, but is followed by some additional remark or illustration, especially if no conjunction is used, the colon is generally and properly inserted: as, "Avoid evil doers: in such society, an honest man may become ashamed of himself."—"See that moth fluttering incessantly round the candle: man of pleasure, behold thy image!"—Art of Thinking, p. 94. "Some things we can, and others we cannot do: we can walk, but we cannot fly."—Beanie's Moral Science, p. 112.

   "Remember Heav'n has an avenging rod:
    To smite the poor, is treason against God."—Cowper.

RULE II.—GREATER PAUSES.

When the semicolon has been introduced, or when it must be used in a subsequent member, and a still greater pause is required within the period, the colon should be employed: as, "Princes have courtiers, and merchants have partners; the voluptuous have companions, and the wicked have accomplices: none but the virtuous can have friends."—"Unless the truth of our religion be granted, a Christian must be the greatest monster in nature: he must at the same time be eminently wise, and notoriously foolish; a wise man in his practice, and a fool in his belief: his reasoning powers must be deranged by a constant delirium, while his conduct never swerves from the path of propriety."—Principles of Eloquence, p. 80.

   "A decent competence we fully taste;
    It strikes our sense, and gives a constant feast:
    More we perceive by dint of thought alone;
    The rich must labour to possess their own."—Young.

RULE III.—INDEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

A quotation introduced without a close dependence on a verb or a conjunction, is generally preceded by the colon; as, "In his last moments, he uttered these words: 'I fall a sacrifice to sloth and luxury.'"—"At this the king hastily retorted: 'No put-offs, my lord; answer me presently.'"—Churchill's Gram., p. 367. "The father addressed himself to them to this effect: 'O my sons, behold the power of unity!'"— Rippingham's Art of Speaking, p. 85.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE COLON.

UNDER RULE I.—ADDITIONAL REMARKS.

"Of is a preposition, it expresses the relation between fear and Lord."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 133.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the additional remark in this sentence is not sufficiently separated from the main clause, by the comma after the word preposition. But, according to Rule 1st for the Colon, "When the preceding clause is complete in itself, but is followed by some additional remark or illustration, especially if no conjunction is used, the colon is generally and properly inserted." Therefore, the colon should here be substituted for the comma.]

"Wealth and poverty are both temptations to man; that tends to excite pride, this discontentment."—Id., ib., p. 93; see also Lennie's Gram., p. 81; Murray's, 56; Ingersoll's 61; Alger's, 25; Merchant's, 44; Hart's, 137; et al. "Religion raises men above themselves, irreligion sinks them beneath the brutes; this binds them down to a poor pitiable speck of perishable earth, that opens for them a prospect in the skies."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 98; Lennie's Gram., p. 81. "Love not idleness, it destroys many."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 71. "Children, obey your parents; honour thy father and mother, is the first commandment with promise."—Bullions, Pract. Lessons, p. 88. "Thou art my hiding place, and my shield, I hope in thy promises."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 56. "The sun shall not smite me by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will preserve from evil. He will save my soul.—Bible."—Ib., p. 57. "Here Greece is assigned the highest place in the class of objects among which she is numbered—the nations of antiquity—she is one of them."—Lennie's Gram., p. 79.

   "From short (as usual) and disturb'd repose
    I wake; how happy they who wake no more!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 216.

UNDER RULE II.—GREATER PAUSES.

"A taste of a thing, implies actual enjoyment of it; but a taste for it, implies only capacity for enjoyment; as, 'When we have had a true taste of the pleasures of virtue, we can have no relish for those of vice.'"—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 147.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the pause after enjoyment is marked only by a semicolon. But, according to Rule 2d for the Colon, "When the semicolon has been introduced, or when it must be used in a subsequent member, and a still greater pause is required within the period, the colon should be employed." Therefore, the second semicolon here should be changed to a colon.]

"The Indicative mood simply declares a thing; as, He loves; He is loved; Or, it asks a question; as, Lovest thou me?"—Id., ib., p. 35; Pract. Lessons, p. 43; Lennie's Gr., p. 20. "The Indicative Mood simply indicates or declares a thing: as, 'He loves, he is loved:' or it asks a question: as, 'Does he love?' 'Is he loved?'"—L. Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 63; 12mo, p. 63. "The Imperfect (or Past) tense represents an action or event indefinitely as past; as, Cæsar came, and saw, and conquered; or it represents the action definitely as unfinished and continuing at a certain time, now entirely past; as, My father was coming home when I met him."—Bullions, P. L., p. 45; E. Gr., 39. "Some nouns have no plural; as, gold, silver, wisdom, health; others have no singular; as, ashes, shears, tongs; others are alike in both numbers; as, sheep, deer, means, news"—Day's School Gram., p. 15. "The same verb may be transitive in one sense, and intransitive in another; thus, in the sentence, 'He believes my story,' believes is transitive; but in this phrase, 'He believes in God,' it is intransitive."—Butler's Gram., p. 61. "Let the divisions be distinct; one part should not include another, but each should have its proper place, and be of importance in that place, and all the parts well fitted together and united, should present a whole."—Goldsbury's C. S. Gram., p. 91. "In the use of the transitive verb there are always three things implied,—the actor, the act, and the object acted upon. In the use of the intransitive there are only two—the subject or thing spoken of, and the state, or action attributed to it."—Bullions, E. Gram.

   "Why labours reason? instinct were as well;
    Instinct far better; what can choose, can err."
        —Brit. Poets, Vol. viii.

UNDER RULE III.—INDEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

"The sentence may run thus; 'He is related to the same person, and is governed by him.'"—Hart's Gram.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the semicolon is here inserted, in an unusual manner, before a quotation not closely dependent. But, according to Rule 3d for the Colon, "A quotation introduced without a close dependence on a verb or a conjunction, is generally preceded by the colon." Therefore, the colon should be here preferred.]

"Always remember this ancient proverb, 'Know thyself.'"—Hallock's Gram. "Consider this sentence. The boy runs swiftly."—Frazee's Gram., Stereotype Ed. 1st Ed. "The comparative is used thus; 'Greece was more polished than any other nation of antiquity.' The same idea is expressed by the superlative when the word other is left out. Thus, 'Greece was the most polished nation of antiquity'"—Bullions, E. Gram. see Lennie's Gram. "Burke, in his speech on the Carnatic war, makes the following allusion to the well known fable of Cadmus's sowing dragon's teeth;—'Every day you are fatigued and disgusted with this cant, the Carnatic is a country that will soon recover, and become instantly as prosperous as ever. They think they are talking to innocents, who believe that by the sowing of dragon's teeth, men may come up ready grown and ready made.'"—Hiley's Gram., see also Hart's.

   "For sects he car'd not, 'they are not of us,
    Nor need we, brethren, their concerns discuss.'"—Crabbe.

    "Habit with him was all the test of truth,
    'It must be right: I've done it from my youth.'
    Questions he answered in as brief a way,
    'It must be wrong—it was of yesterday.'"—Id., Borough.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"This would seem to say, 'I doubt nothing save one thing, namely, that he will fulfil his promise;' whereas, that is the very thing not doubted."—Bullions, E. Gram.. "The common use of language requires that a distinction be made between morals and manners, the former depend upon internal dispositions, the latter on outward and visible accomplishments."—Beattie's Moral Science. "Though I detest war in each particular fibre of my heart yet I honor the Heroes among our fathers who fought with bloody hand: Peacemakers in a savage way they were faithful to their light; the most inspired can be no more, and we, with greater light, do, it may be, far less."—Parker's Idea of a Church. "The Article the, like a, must have a substantive joined with it, whereas that, like one, may have it understood; thus, speaking of books, I may select one, and say, 'give me that;' but not, 'give me the;' 'give me one;' but not 'give me a.'"—Bullions's E. Gram.. "The Present tense has three distinct forms—the simple; as, I read; the emphatic; as, I do read; and the progressive; as, I am reading'."—Ib.. "The tenses in English are usually reckoned six. The Present, the Imperfect, the Perfect, the Pluperfect, the Future, and the Future Perfect."—Ib.. "There are three participles, the Present or Active, the Perfect or Passive, and the Compound Perfect; as, loving, loved, having loved."—L. Murray's Gram., 2d Edition; Alger's; Fisk's; Bacon's. "The Participles are three, the Present, the Perfect, and the Compound Perfect; as, loving, loved, having loved."—Hart's Gram.. "Will is conjugated regularly, when it is a principal verb, as, present, I will, past, I willed, &c."—Frazee's Gram., Ster. Ed.; Old Ed. "And both sounds of x are compound, one is that of gz, and the other, that of ks"—Ib., Ster. Ed. "The man is happy: he is benevolent: he is useful."—Cooper's Murray; Pl. and Pract. Gr. "The Pronoun stands instead of the noun; as, The man is happy; he is benevolent; he is useful.'"—L. Murray's Gram., 2d Ed. "A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to avoid the too frequent repetition of the same word: as, 'The man is happy,' ‘he is benevolent,’ ‘he is useful.’"—Ib.. "A pronoun is a word, used in the room of a noun, or as a substitute for one or more words, as: the man is happy; he is benevolent; he is useful."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., his Abridg. of Mur. "A common noun is the name of a sort, kind, or class of beings, or things, as: animal; tree; insect; fish; fowl"—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram. "Nouns have three persons: the first; the second; and the third."—Ib.

   "(Eve) so saying, her rash hand in evil hour
    Forth reaching to the fruit; she pluck'd, she ate
    Earth felt the wound: and nature from her seat,
    Sighing through all her works, gave signs of wo,
    That all was lost."—Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram.

SECTION IV.—THE PERIOD.

The Period, or Full Stop, is used to mark an entire and independent sentence, whether simple or compound.

RULE I.—DISTINCT SENTENCES.

When a sentence, whether long or short, is complete in respect to sense, and independent in respect to construction, it should be marked with the period: as, "Every deviation from truth is criminal. Abhor a falsehood. Let your words be ingenuous. Sincerity possesses the most powerful charm."—"The force of a true individual is felt through every clause and part of a right book; the commas and dashes are alive with it."—R. W. Emerson.

   "By frequent trying, TROY was won.
    All things, by trying, may be done."—Lloyd, p. 184.

RULE II.—ALLIED SENTENCES.

The period is often employed between two sentences which have a general connexion, expressed by a personal pronoun, a conjunction, or a conjunctive adverb: as, "The selfish man languishes in his narrow circle of pleasures. They are confined to what affects his own interests. He is obliged to repeat the same gratifications, till they become insipid. But the man of virtuous sensibility moves in a wider sphere of felicity."—Blair.

   "And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
    Therefore our everlasting farewell take."—Shak., J. C.

RULE III.—ABBREVIATIONS.

The period is generally used after abbreviations, and very often to the exclusion of other points; but, as in this case it is not a constant sign of pause, other points may properly follow it, if the words written in full would demand them: as, A. D. for Anno Domini;—Pro tem. for pro tempore;—Ult. for ultimo;—i.e. for id est, that is;—Add., Spect, No. 285; i.e., Addison, in the Spectator, Number 285th.

   "Consult the statute; 'quart.' I think, it is,
    'Edwardi sext.,' or 'prim. et quint. Eliz.'"—Pope, p. 399.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. It seems to be commonly supposed, whether correctly or not, that short sentences which are in themselves distinct, and which in their stated use must be separated by the period, may sometimes be rehearsed as examples, in so close succession as not to require this point: as, "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."—SCOTT, ALGER, AND OTHERS: Matt., xix, 17, 18, 19. "The following sentences exemplify the possessive pronouns: ‘My lesson is finished; Thy books are defaced; He loves his studies; She performs her duty; We own our faults; Your situation is distressing; I admire their virtues.’"—L. Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 55. What mode of pointing is best adapted to examples like these, is made a very difficult question by the great diversity of practice in such cases. The semicolon, with guillemets, or the semicolon and a dash, with the quotation marks, may sometimes be sufficient; but I see no good reason why the period should not in general be preferred to the comma, the semicolon, or the colon, where full and distinct sentences are thus recited. The foregoing passage of Scripture I have examined in five different languages, ten different translations, and seventeen different editions which happened to be at hand. In these it is found pointed in twelve different ways. In Leusden's, Griesbach's, and Aitton's Greek, it has nine colons; in Leusden's Latin from Montanus, eight; in the common French version, six; in the old Dutch, five; in our Bibles, usually one, but not always. In some books, these commandments are mostly or wholly divided by periods; in others, by colons; in others, by semicolons; in others, as above, by commas. The first four are negative, or prohibitory; the other two, positive, or mandatory. Hence some make a greater pause after the fourth, than elsewhere between any two. This greater pause is variously marked by the semicolon, the colon, or the period; and the others, at the same time, as variously, by the comma, the semicolon, or the colon. Dr. Campbell, in his Four Gospels, renders and points the latter part of this passage thus: "Jesus answered, 'Thou shalt not commit murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not give false testimony. Honour thy father and mother; and love thy neighbour as thyself." But the corresponding passage in Luke, xviii 20, he exhibits thus: "Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not give false testimony; honour thy father and thy mother." This is here given as present advice, referring to the commandments, but not actually quoting them; and, in this view of the matter, se micolons, not followed by capitals may be right. See the common reading under Rule XIV for Capitals, on page 166.
2. Letters written for numbers, after the manner of the Romans, though read as words, are never words in themselves; nor are they, except perhaps in one or two instances, abbreviations of words. C, a hundred, comes probably from Centum; and M, a thousand, is the first letter of Mille; but the others, I, V, X, L, D, and the various combinations of them all, are direct numerical signs, as are the Arabic figures. Hence it is not really necessary that the period should be set after them, except at the end of a sentence, or where it is suitable as a sign of pause. It is, however, and always has been, a prevalent custom, to mark numbers of this kind with a period, as if they were abbreviations; as, "While pope Sixtus V. who succeeded Gregory XIII. fulminated the thunder of the church against the king of Navarre."—Smollet's Eng., iii, 82. The period is here inserted where the reading requires only the comma; and, in my opinion, the latter point should have been preferred. Sometimes, of late, we find other points set after this period; as, "Otho II., surnamed the Bloody, was son and successor of Otho I.; he died in 983."—Univ. Biog. Dict. This may be an improvement on the former practice, but double points are not generally used, even where they are proper; and, if the period is not indispensable, a simple change of the point would perhaps sooner gain the sanction of general usage.
3. Some writers, judging the period to be wrong or needless in such cases, omit it, and insert only such points as the reading requires; as, "For want of doing this, Judge Blackstone has, in Book IV, Chap. 17, committed some most ludicrous errors."—Cobbett's Gram., Let. XIX, ¶ 251. To insert points needlessly, is as bad a fault as to omit them when they are requisite. In Wm. Day's "Punctuation Reduced to a System," (London, 1847,) we have the following obscure and questionable rule: "Besides denoting a grammatical pause, the full point is used to mark contractions, and is requisite after every abbreviated word, as well as after numeral letters."—Page 102. This seems to suggest that both a pause and a contraction may be denoted by the same point. But what are properly called "contractions," are marked not by the period, but by the apostrophe, which is no sign of pause; and the confounding of these with words "abbreviated," makes this rule utterly absurd. As for the period "after numeral letters," if they really needed it at all, they would need it severally, as do the abbreviations; but there are none of them, which do not uniformly dispense with it, when not final to the number; and they may as well dispense with it, in like manner, whenever they are not final to the sentence.
4. Of these letters, Day gives this account: "M. denotes mille, 1,000; D., dimidium mille, half a thousand, or 500; C. centum, 100; L. represents the lower half of C., and expresses 50; X. resembles V. V., the one upright, the other inverted, and signifies 10; V. stands for 5, because its sister letter U is the fifth vowel; and I. signifies 1, probably because it is the plainest and simplest letter in the alphabet."—Day's Punctuation, p. 103. There is some fancy in this. Dr. Adam says, "The letters employed for this purpose [i.e., to express numbers.] were C. I. L. V. X."—Latin and Eng. Gram., p. 288. And again: "A thousand is marked thus CI[C-reverserd], which in later times was contracted into M. Five hundred is marked thus, I[C-reversed], or by contraction, D."—Ib. Day inserts periods thus: "IV. means 4; IX., 9; XL., 40; XC., 90; CD., 400; CM., 900."—Page 703. And again: "4to., quarto, the fourth of a sheet of paper; 8vo., octavo, the eighth part of a sheet of paper; 12mo., duodecimo, the twelfth of a sheet of paper; N. L., 8°., 9'., 10., North latitude, eight degrees, nine minutes, ten seconds."—Page 104. But IV may mean 4, without the period; 4to or 8vo has no more need of it than 4th or 8th; and N. L. 8° 9' 10 is an expression little to be mended by commas, and not at all by additional periods.
5. To allow the period of abbreviation to supersede all other points wherever it occurs, as authors generally have done, is sometimes plainly objectionable; but, on the other hand, to suppose double points to be always necessary wherever abbreviations or Roman numbers have pauses less than final, would sometimes seem more nice than wise, as in the case of Biblical and other references. A concordance or a reference Bible pointed on this principle, would differ greatly from any now extant. In such references, numbers are very frequently pointed with the period, with scarcely any regard to the pauses required in the reading; as, "DIADEM, Job 29. 14. Isa. 28. 5. and 62. 3. Ezek. 21. 26."—Brown's Concordance. "Where no vision is, the people perish, Prov. xxix. 18. Acts iv. 12. Rom. x. 14."—Brown's Catechism, p. 104. "What I urge from 1. Pet. 3. 21. in my Apology."—Barclay's Works, iii, 498. "I. Kings—II. Kings."—Alger's Bible, p. iv. "Compare iii. 45. with 1. Cor. iv. 13."—Scott's Bible, Pref. to Lam. Jer. "Hen. v. A. 4. Sc. 5."—Butler's Gram., p. 41. "See Rule iii. Rem. 10."—Ib., p. 162. Some set a colon between the number of the chapter and that of the verse; which mark serves well for distinction, where both numbers are in Arabic figures: as, "'He that formed the eye, shall he not see?'—Ps. 94: 9."—Wells's Gram., p. 126. "He had only a lease-hold title to his service. Lev. 25: 39, Exod. 21: 2."—True Amer., i. 29. Others adopt the following method which seems preferable to any of the foregoing: "Isa. Iv, 3; Ezek. xviii, 20; Mic. vi, 7."—Gurney's Essays, p. 133. Churchill, who is uncommonly nice about his punctuation, writes as follows: "Luke. vi, 41, 42. See also Chap. xv, 8; and Phil., iii. 12."—New Gram., p. 353.
6. Arabic figures used as ordinals, or used for the numeral adverbs, first, or firstly, secondly, thirdly, &c., are very commonly pointed with the period, even where the pause required after them is less than a full stop; as, "We shall consider these words, 1. as expressing resolution; and 2. as expressing futurity."—Butler's Gram., p. 106. But the period thus followed by a small letter, has not an agreeable appearance, and some would here prefer the comma, which is, undoubtedly, better suited to the pause, A fitter practice, however, would be, to change the expression thus: "We shall consider these words, 1st, as expressing resolution; and, 2dly, as expressing futurity."
7. Names vulgarly shortened, then written as they are spoken, are not commonly marked with a period; as, Ben for Benjamin. "O RARE BEN JOHNSON!"—Biog. Dict.

   "From whence the inference is plain,
    Your friend MAT PRIOR wrote with pain."
        —LLOYD: B. P., Vol. viii, p. 188.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE PERIOD.

UNDER RULE I.—DISTINCT SENTENCES.

"The third person is the position of the name spoken of; as, Paul and Silas were imprisoned, the earth thirsts, the sun shines."—Frazee's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 21; Ster. Ed., p. 23.

[Formule.—Not proper, because three totally distinct sentences are here thrown together as examples, with no other distinction than what is made by two commas. But, according to Rule 1st for the Period, "When a sentence, whether long or short, is complete in respect to sense, and independent in respect to construction, it should be marked with the period." Therefore, these commas should be periods; and, of course, the first letter of each example must be a capital.]

"Two and three and four make nine; if he were here, he would assist his father and mother, for he is a dutiful son; they live together, and are happy, because they enjoy each other's society; they went to Roxbury, and tarried all night, and came back the next day."—Goldsbury's Parsing Lessons in his Manual of E. Gram., p. 64.

"We often resolve, but seldom perform; she is wiser than her sister; though he is often advised, yet he does not reform; reproof either softens or hardens its object; he is as old as his classmates, but not so learned; neither prosperity, nor adversity, has improved him; let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall; he can acquire no virtue, unless he make some sacrifices."—Ibid.

   "Down from his neck, with blazing gems array'd,
    Thy image, lovely Anna! hung portray'd,
    Th' unconscious figure, smiling all serene,
    Suspended in a golden chain was seen,"—S. Barrett's E. Gr., p. 92.

UNDER RULE II.—ALLIED SENTENCES.

"This life is a mere prelude to another, which has no limits, it is a little portion of duration. As death leaves us, so the day of judgment will find us."—Merchant's School Gram., p. 76.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the pause after limits, which is sufficient for the period, is marked only by the comma. But, according to Rule 2d, "The period is often employed between two sentences which have a general connexion, expressed by a personal pronoun, a conjunction, or a conjunctive adverb." It would improve the passage, to omit the first comma, change the second to a period, and write the pronoun it with a capital. Judgment also might be bettered with an e, and another is properly two words.]

"He went from Boston to New York; he went from Boston; he went to New York; in walking across the floor, he stumbled over a chair."—Goldsbury's Manual of E. Gram., p. 62.

"I saw him on the spot, going along the road, looking towards the house; during the heat of the day, he sat on the ground, under the shade of a tree."—Id., ib.

"George came home, I saw him yesterday, here; the word him, can extend only to the individual George"—S. Barrett's E. Gram., 10th Ed., p. 45.

"Commas are often used now, where parentheses were formerly; I cannot, however, esteem this an improvement."—See the Key.

   "Thou, like a sleeping, faithless sentinel
    Didst let them pass unnoticed, unimproved,
    And know, for that thou slumb'rest on the guard,
    Thou shalt be made to answer at the bar
    For every fugitive."
        —Hallock's Gram., p. 222; Enfield's Sp., p. 380.

UNDER RULE III.—OF ABBREVIATIONS.

"The term pronoun (Lat pronomen) strictly means a word used for, or instead of a noun."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 198.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the syllable here put for the word Latin, is not marked with a period. But, according to Rule 3d, "The period is generally used after abbreviations, and very often to the exclusion of other points; but, as in this case it is not a constant sign of pause, other points may properly follow it, if the words written in full would demand them." In this instance, a period should mark the abbreviation, and a comma be set after of. By analogy, in stead is also more properly two words than one.]

"The period is also used after abbreviations; as, A. D. P. S. G. W. Johnson."—Butler's Pract. Gram., p. 211. "On this principle of classification, the later Greek grammarians divided words into eight classes or parts of speech, viz: the Article, Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Participle, Adverb, Preposition, and Conjunction."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 191.

"‘Metre is not confined to verse: there is a tune in all good prose; and Shakspeare's was a sweet one.’—Epea Pter, II, 61. Mr. H. Tooke's idea was probably just, agreeing with Aristotle's, but not accurately expressed."—Churchill's New Gram., p. 385.

"Mr. J. H. Tooke was educated at Eton and at Cambridge, in which latter college he took the degree of A. M; being intended for the established church of England, he entered into holy orders when young, and obtained the living of Brentford, near London, which he held ten or twelve years."—Div. of Purley, 1st Amer. Edition, Vol. i, p. 60.

   "I, nor your plan, nor book condemn,
    But why your name, and why A. M!"—Lloyd.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, &c. Isaiah. lviii. 7."—Butler's Gram., p. 67. "'He that hath eeris of herynge, here he. Wiclif. Matt xi."—Butler's Gram., p. 76. "See General Rules for Spelling, iii., v., and vii."—Butler's Gram., p. 81. "'False witnesses did rise up.' Ps. xxxv. ii."—Butlers Gram., p. 105.

"An explicative sentence is used for explaining. An interrogative sentence for enquiring. An imperative sentence for commanding."—S. Barrett's Prin. of Language, p. 87. "In October, corn is gathered in the field by men, who go from hill to hill with baskets, into which they put the ears; Susan labors with her needle for a livelihood; notwithstanding his poverty, he is a man of integrity."—Goldsbury's Parsing, Manual of E. Gram., p. 62.

"A word of one syllable, is called a monosyllable. A word of two syllables; a dissyllable. A word of three syllables; a trissyllable. A word of four or more syllables; a polysyllable."—Frazee's Improved Gram., 1st Ed., p. 15. "A word of one syllable, is called a monosyllable. A word of two syllables, a dissyllable. A word of three syllables, a trissyllable. A word of four or more syllables, a polysyllable."—Frazee's Improved Gram., Ster. Ed., p. 17.

"If I say, ‘if it did not rain, I would take a walk;’ I convey the idea that it does rain, at the time of speaking, If it rained, or did it rain, in the present time, implies, it does not rain; If it did not rain, or did it not rain, in present time, implies that it does rain; thus in this peculiarity, an affirmative sentence always implies a negation, and a negative sentence an affirmation."—Frazee's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 61; Ster. Ed., 62. "If I were loved, and, were I loved, imply, I am not loved; if I were not loved, and, were I not loved, imply, I am loved; a negative sentence implies an affirmation; and an affirmative sentence implies a negation, in these forms of the subjunctive."—Ib., Old Ed., p. 73; Ster. Ed., 72.

"What is Rule III.?"—Hart's Gram., p. 114. "How is Rule III. violated?"—Ib., p. 115. "How do you parse 'letter' in the sentence, 'James writes a letter'? Ans.—'Letter is a noun com., of the MASC. gend., in the 3d p., sing. num., and objective case, and is governed by the verb 'writes,' according to Rule III., which says. 'A transitive verb,' &c."—Ib., p. 114.^[6]

   "Creation sleeps. 'T is as the general pulse
    Of life stood still, and nature made a pause;
    An awful pause! prophetic of her end,
    And let her prophecy be soon fulfilled;
    Fate drop the curtain; I can lose no more."—Hallock's Gram., p. 216.

SECTION V.—THE DASH.

The Dash is mostly used to denote an unexpected or emphatic pause, of variable length; but sometimes it is a sign of faltering, or of the irregular stops of one who hesitates in speaking: as, "Then, after many pauses, and inarticulate sounds, he said: 'He was very sorry for it, was extremely concerned it should happen so—but—a—it was necessary—a—' Here lord E——— stopped him short, and bluntly demanded, if his post were destined for an other."—See Churchill's Gram., p. 170.

RULE I.—ABRUPT PAUSES.

A sudden interruption, break, or transition, should be marked with the dash; as, 1. "'I must inquire into the affair; and if'—'And if!' interrupted the farmer." 2. "Whom I—But first 't is fit the billows to restrain."—Dryd. Virg. 3. "HERE LIES THE GREAT—False marble! where? Nothing but sordid dust lies here."—Young.

RULE II.—EMPHATIC PAUSES.

To mark a considerable pause, greater than the structure or the sentence or the points inserted would seem to require, the dash may be employed; as,

1. "I pause for a reply.—None?—Then none have I offended.—I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus."—Shakspeare: Enfields Speaker, p. 182.
2. "Tarry a little. There is something else.—
   This bond—doth give thee here—no jot of blood."
   —ID.: Burgh's Sp., p. 167.
3. " It thunders;—but it thunders to preserve."—Young.
4. "Behold the picture!—Is it like?—Like whom?"—Cowper.

RULE III.—FAULTY DASHES.

Dashes needlessly inserted, or substituted for other stops more definite, are in general to be treated as errors in punctuation; as, "Here Greece stands by itself as opposed to the other nations of antiquity—She was none of the other nations—She was more polished than they."—Lennie's Gram., p. 78. "Here Greece stands by herself, as opposed to the other nations of antiquity. She was none of the other nations: She was more polished than they."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 114. If this colon is sufficient, the capital after it is needless: a period would, perhaps, be better.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. The dash does not appear to be always a rhetorical stop, or always intended to lengthen the pause signified by an other mark before it. As one instance of a different design, we may notice, that it is now very often employed between a text and a reference;—i.e., between a quotation and the name of the author of the book quoted;—in which case, as Wm. Day suggests, "it serves as a connecting mark for the two."—Day's Punctuation, p. 131. But this usage, being comparatively recent, is, perhaps, not so general or so necessary, that a neglect of it may properly be censured as false punctuation.
2. An other peculiar use of the dash, is its application to side-titles, to set them off from other words in the same line, as is seen often in this Grammar as well as in other works. Day says of this, "When the substance of a paragraph is given as a side-head, a dash is necessary to connect it with its relative matter."—Ibid. Wilson also approves of this usage, as well as of the others here named; saying, "The dash should be inserted between a title and the subject-matter, and also between the subject-matter, and the authority from which it is taken, when they occur in the same paragraph."—Wilson's Punctuation, Ed. of 1850, p. 139.
3. The dash is often used to signify the omission of something; and, when set between the two extremes of a series of numbers, it may represent all the intermediate ones; as, "Page 10-15;" i. e., "Page 10, 11, 12, &c. to 15."—"Matt, vi, 9-14."

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE DASH.

UNDER RULE I.—ABRUPT PAUSES.

"And there is something in your very strange story, that resembles … Does Mr. Bevil know your history particularly?"—See Key.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the abrupt pause after resembles is here marked by three periods. But, according to Rule 1st for the Dash. "A sudden interruption, break, or transition, should be marked with the dash." Therefore, the dash should be preferred to these points.]

"Sir, Mr. Myrtle, Gentlemen! You are friends; I am but a servant. But."—See Key.

"Another man now would have given plump into this foolish story; but I? No, no, your humble servant for that."—See Key.

"Do not plunge thyself too far in anger lest thou hasten thy trial; which if Lord have mercy on thee for a hen!"—See Key.

   "But ere they came, O, let me say no more!
    Gather the sequel by that went before."—See Key.

UNDER RULE II.—EMPHATIC PAUSES.

"M, Malvolio; M, why, that begins my name."

[Formule.—Not proper, because the pauses after M and Malvolio seem not to be sufficiently indicated here. But, according to Rule 2d for the Dash, "To mark a considerable pause, greater than the structure of the sentence or the points inserted would seem to require, the dash may be employed." Therefore, a dash may be set after the commas and the semicolon, in this sentence.]

"Thus, by the creative influence of the Eternal Spirit, were the heavens and the earth finished in the space of six days, so admirably finished, an unformed chaos changed into a system of perfect order and beauty, that the adorable Architect himself pronounced it very good, and all the sons of God shouted for joy."—See Key.

"If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop remained in my country, I NEVER would lay down my arms; NEVER, NEVER, NEVER."—Columbian Orator, p. 265.

   "Madam, yourself are not exempt in this,
    Nor your son Dorset, Buckingham, nor you."—See Key.

UNDER RULE III.—FAULTY DASHES.

"—You shall go home directly, Le Fevre, said my uncle Toby, to my house,—a nd we'll send for a doctor to see what's the matter,—and we'll have an apothecary,—and the corporal shall be your nurse;—and I'll be your servant, Le Fevre."—STERNE: Enfield's Speaker, p. 306.

[Formule.—Not proper, because all the dashes here quoted, except perhaps the last, are useless, or obviously substituted for more definite marks. But, according to Rule 3d, "Dashes needlessly inserted, or substituted for other stops more definite, are in general to be treated as errors in punctuation." Therefore, the first of these should be simply expunged; the second, third, and fourth, with their commas, should be changed to semicolons; and the last, with its semicolon, may well be made a colon.]

"He continued—Inferior artists may be at a stand, because they want materials."—HARRIS: Enfield's Speaker, p. 191. "Thus, then, continued he—The end in other arts is ever distant and removed."—Id., ib.

"The nouns must be coupled with and, and when a pronoun is used it must be plural, as in the example—When the nouns are disjoined the pronoun must be singular."—Lennie's Gram., 5th Ed., p. 57.

"Opinion is a noun or substantive common,—of the singular number,—neuter gender,—nominative case,—and third person."—Wright's Philos. Gram., p. 228.

   "The mountain—thy pall and thy prison—may keep thee;
    I shall see thee no more; but till death I will weep thee."
        —Felton's Gram., p. 146.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR

"If to accommodate man and beast, heaven and earth; if this be beyond me, 'tis not possible.—What consequence then follows? or can there be any other than this—if I seek an interest of my own, detached from that of others; I seek an interest which is chimerical, and can never have existence."—HARRIS: Enfield's Speaker, p. 139.

"Again—I must have food and clothing—Without a proper genial warmth, I instantly perish—Am I not related, in this view, to the very earth itself? To the distant sun, from whose beams I derive vigour?"—Id., ib., p. 140.

"Nature instantly ebb'd again—the film returned to its place—the pulse flutter'd—stopp'd—went on—throbb'd—stopp'd again—mov'd—stopp'd—shall I go on?—No."—STERNE: ib., p. 307.

"Write ten nouns of the masculine gender. Ten of the feminine. Ten of the neuter. Ten indefinite in gender."—Pardon Davis's Gram., p. 9.

"The Infinitive Mode has two tenses—the Indicative, six—the Potential, two—the Subjunctive, six, and the Imperative, one."—Frazee's Gram., Ster. Ed., p. 39; 1st Ed., 37. "Now notice the following sentences. John runs,—boys run—thou runnest."—Ib., Ster. Ed., p. 50; 1st Ed., p. 48.

"The Pronoun sometimes stands for a name—sometimes for an adjective—a sentence—a part of a sentence—and, sometimes for a whole series of propositions."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., 1st Ed., 12mo, p. 321.

   "The self-applauding bird, the peacock, see—
    Mark what a sumptuous pharisee is he!"—Cowper, i, 49.

SECTION VI.—THE EROTEME.

The Eroteme, or Note of Interrogation, is used to designate a question.

RULE I.—QUESTIONS DIRECT.

Questions expressed directly as such, if finished, should always be followed by the note of interrogation; as, "Was it possible that virtue so exalted should be erected upon injustice? that the proudest and the most ambitious of mankind should be the great master and accomplished pattern of humility? that a doctrine so pure as the Gospel should be the work of an uncommissioned pretender? that so perfect a system of morals should be established on blasphemy?"—Jerningham's Essay, p. 81.

   "In life, can love be bought with gold?
    Are friendship's pleasures to be sold?"—Johnson.

RULE II.—QUESTIONS UNITED.

When two or more questions are united in one compound sentence, the comma, semicolon, or dash, is sometimes used to separate them, and the eroteme occurs after the last only; as,

1. "When—under what administration—under what exigencies of war or peace—did the Senate ever before deal with such a measure in such a manner? Never, sir, never."—D. Webster, in Congress, 1846.
2. "Canst thou, and honour'd with a Christian name,
   Buy what is woman-born, and feel no shame;
   Trade in the blood of innocence, and plead
   Expedience as a warrant for the deed?"—Cowper.
3. "Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land?
   All fear, none aid you, and few understand."—Pope.

RULE III.—QUESTIONS INDIRECT.

When a question is mentioned, but not put directly as a question, it loses both the quality and the sign of interrogation; as, "The Cyprians asked me why I wept."—Murray.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. The value of the eroteme as a sign of pause, is stated very differently by different grammarians; while many of the vast multitude, by a strange oversight, say nothing about it. It is unquestionably variable, like that of the dash, or of the ecphoneme. W. H. Wells says, "The comma requires a momentary pause; the semicolon, a pause somewhat longer than the comma; the colon, a pause somewhat longer than the semicolon; and the period, a full stop. The note of interrogation, or the note of exclamation, may take the place of EITHER of these, and accordingly requires a pause of the same length as the point for which it is substituted."—Wells's School Gram., p. 175. This appears to be accurate in idea, though perhaps hardly so in language. Lindley Murray has stated it thus: "The interrogation and exclamation points are intermediate as to their quantity or time, and may be equivalent in that respect to a semicolon, a colon, or a period, as the sense may require."—Octavo Gram., p. 280. But Sanborn, in regard to his "Question Point," awkwardly says: "This pause is generally some longer than that of a period."—Analytical Gram., p. 271. Buchanan, as long ago as 1767, taught as follows: "The Pause after the two Points of Interrogation and Admiration ought to be equal to that of the Period, or a Colon at least."—English Syntax, p. 160. And J. S. Hart avers, that, "A question is reckoned as equal to a complete sentence, and the mark of interrogation as equal to a period."—Hart's English Gram., p. 166. He says also, that, "the first word after a note of interrogation should begin with a capital."—Ib., p. 162. In some instances, however, he, like others, has not adhered to these exceptionable principles, as may be seen by the false grammar cited below.
2. Sometimes a series of questions may be severally complete in sense, so that each may require the interrogative sign, though some or all of them may be so united in construction, as not to admit either a long intermediate pause or an initial capital; as, "Is there no honor in generosity? nor in preferring the lessons of conscience to the impulses of passion? nor in maintaining the supremacy of moral principle, and in paying reverence to Christian truth?"—Gannett. "True honour is manifested in a steady, uniform train of actions, attended by justice, and directed by prudence. Is this the conduct of the duellist? will justice support him in robbing the community of an able and useful member? and in depriving the poor of a benefactor? will it support him in preparing affliction for the widow's heart? in filling the orphan's eyes with tears?"—Jerningham's Essay, p. 113. But, in this latter example, perhaps, commas might be substituted for the second and fourth erotemes; and the word will might, in both instances, begin with a capital.
3. When a question is mentioned in its due form, it commonly retains the sign of interrogation, though not actually asked by the writer; and, except perhaps when it consists of some little interrogative word or phrase, requires the initial capital: as, "To know when this point ought to be used, do not say:[,] 'Is a question asked?' but, 'Does the sentence ask a question?'"—Churchill's Gram., p. 368. "They put their huge inarticulate question, 'What do you mean to do with us?' in a manner audible to every reflective soul in the kingdom."—Carlyle's Past and Present, p. 16. "An adverb may be generally known, by its answering to the question, How? how much? when? or where? as, in the phrase, 'He reads correctly,' the answer to the question, How does he read? is correctly."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 28. This passage, which, without ever arriving at great accuracy, has been altered by Murray and others in ways innumerable, is everywhere exhibited with five interrogation points. But, as to capitals and commas, as well as the construction of words, it would seem no easy matter to determine what impression of it is nearest right. In Flint's Murray it stands thus: "An adverb may generally be known by its answering the question, How? How much? When? or Where? As in the phrase, 'He reads correctly. The answer to the question, 'How does he read?' is, ‘correctly.’" Such questions, when the pause is slight, do not, however, in all cases, require capitals: as,

   "Rosal. Which of the visors was it, that you wore?

   Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand you this?"

   Shakspeare, Love's Labour Lost, Act V, Sc. 2.

4. A question is sometimes put in the form of a mere declaration; its interrogative character depending solely on the eroteme, and the tone, or inflection of voice, adopted in the utterance: as, "I suppose, Sir, you are his apothecary?"—SWIFT: Burgh's Speaker, p. 85. "I hope, you have, upon no account, promoted sternutation by hellebore?"—Id., ib. "This priest has no pride in him?"—SINGER'S SHAK., Henry VIII, ii, 2.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE EROTEME.

UNDER RULE I.—QUESTIONS DIRECT.

"When will his ear delight in the sound of arms."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., 12mo, p. 59.

[Formule.—Not proper, because here is a finished question with a period set after it. But, according to Rule 1st for the Eroteme, "Questions expressed directly as such, if finished, should always be followed by the note of interrogation." Therefore, the eroteme, or note of interrogation, should here be substituted for the period.]

"When shall I, like Oscar, travel in the light of my steel."—Ib., p. 59. "Will Henry call on me while he shall be journeying South."—Peirce, ib., p. 133.

"An Interrogative Pronoun is one that is used in asking a question; as, ‘who is he, and what does he want?’"—Day's School Gram., p. 21. "Who is generally used when we would inquire for some unknown person or persons; as, who is that man."—Ib., p. 24. "Our fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live forever?"—Ib., p. 109.

"It is true, that some of our best writers have used than whom; but it is also true, that they have used other phrases which we have rejected as ungrammatical: then why not reject this too.—The sentences in the Exercises [with than who] are correct as they stand."—Lennie's Gram., 5th Ed., 1819, p. 79.

"When the perfect participle of an active-intransitive verb is annexed to the neuter verb to be? What does the combination form?"—Hallock's Gram., p. 88. "Those adverbs which answer to the question where, whither or whence, are called adverbs of place."—Ib., p. 116.

"Canst thou, by searching, find out God; Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection; It is high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know?"—Blair's Rhet. p. 132.

   "Where, where, for shelter shall the guilty fly,
    When consternation turns the good man pale."—Ib., p. 222.

UNDER RULE II.—QUESTIONS UNITED.

"Who knows what resources are in store? and what the power of God may do for thee?"

[Formule.—Not proper, because an eroteme is set after store, where a comma would be sufficient. But, according to Rule 2d for the Eroteme, "When two or more questions are united in one compound sentence, the comma, semicolon, or dash, is sometimes used to separate them, and the eroteme occurs after the last only." Therefore, the comma should here be preferred, as the author probably wrote the text. See Key.]

"The Lord is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 353; 12mo, 277; Hiley's, 139; Hart's, 181. "Hath the Lord said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Lennie's Gram., p. 113; Bullions's, 176.

   "Who calls the council, states the certain day?
    Who forms the phalanx, and who points the way."
        —Brit. Poets, vi, 376.

UNDER RULE III.—QUESTIONS INDIRECT.

"To be, or not to be?—that is the question."—Enfield's Sp., p. 367; Kirkham's Eloc., 123.^[7]

[Formule.—Not proper, because the note of interrogation is here set after an expression which has neither the form nor the nature of a direct question. But, according to Rule 3d for the Eroteme, "When a question is mentioned, but not put directly as a question, it loses both the quality and the sign of interrogation." Therefore, the semicolon, which seems adapted to the pause, should here be preferred.]

"If it be asked, why a pause should any more be necessary to emphasis than to an accent? or why an emphasis alone, will not sufficiently distinguish the members of sentences from each other, without pauses, as accent does words? the answer is obvious; that we are pre-acquainted with the sound of words, and cannot mistake them when distinctly pronounced, however rapidly; but we are not pre-acquainted with the meaning of sentences, which must be pointed out to us by the reader or speaker."—Sheridan's Rhet. Gram., p. lvi.

   "Cry, By your Priesthood tell me what you are?"
          —POPE: British Poets, London, 1800, Vol. vi, p. 411.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"Who else can he be. Where else can he go."—S. Barrett's Gram., 1845, p.71. "In familiar language here, there and where are used for hither, thither and whither."—N. Butler's Gram., p. 183. "Take, for instance, this sentence, 'Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.'"—Hart's Gram., p. 106. "Take, for instance, the sentence before quoted. ‘Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.’"—Ib., p. 110. "Under the same head are considered such sentences as these, ‘he that heareth, let him hear,’ ‘Gad, a troop shall overcome him,’ &c."—Ib., p. 108.

"TENSES are certain modifications of the verb which point out the distinctions of time."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 38; Pract. Les., p. 44. "Calm was the day and the scene delightful."—Id. E. Gr., p. 80. "The capital letters used by the Romans to denote numbers, were C. I. L. V. X. which are therefore called Numeral Letters. I, denotes one; V, five: X, ten; L, fifty; and C, a hundred."—Id., Lat. Gram., p. 56. "'I shall have written;' viz, at or before some future time or event."—Id., ib., p. 89. "In Latin words the liquids are l and r only. In Greek words l, r, m, n."—Id., ib., p. 277. "Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries."—Id., ib., p. 300. "Of the Roman literature previous to A. U. 514 scarcely a vestige remains."—Id., ib., p. 312.

    "And that, which He delights in must be happy.
     But when!—or where!—This world was made for Cæsar."
        —Burgh's Sp., p. 122.

    "And that which he delights in must be happy.
     But when, or where? This world was made for Cæsar."
        —Enfield's Sp., p. 321.

    "Look next on greatness. Say, where greatness lies?
     Where but among the heroes and the wise."
        —Burgh's Sp., p. 91.

    "Look next on greatness! say where greatness lies.
     Where, but among the heroes and the wise?"
        —Essay on Man, p. 51.

    "Look next on Greatness; say where Greatness lies:
    Where, but among the Heroes and the Wise?"
        —Brit. Poets, vi, 380.

SECTION VII—THE ECPHONEME.

The Ecphoneme, or Note of Exclamation, is used to denote a pause with some strong emotion of admiration, joy, grief, or other feeling; and, as a sign of great wonder, it is sometimes, though not very elegantly, repeated: as, "Grammatical consistency!!! What a gem!"—Peirce's Gram., p. 352.

RULE I.—INTERJECTIONS, &c.

Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation; as, "Hold! hold! Is the devil in you? Oh! I am bruised all over."—MOLIERE: Burgh's Speaker, p. 250.

   "And O! till earth, and seas, and heav'n decay,
    Ne'er may that fair creation fade away!"—Dr. Lowth.

RULE II.—INVOCATIONS.

After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point; as, "Whereupon, O king Agrippa! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision."—Acts, xxvi, 19.

   "Be witness thou, immortal Lord of all!
    Whose thunder shakes the dark aërial hall."—Pope.

RULE III.—EXCLAMATORY QUESTIONS.

Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation; as, "How madly have I talked!"—Young.

   "An Author! 'Tis a venerable name!
    How few deserve it, and what numbers claim!"
        —Id., Br. Po., viii, 401.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE ECPHONEME.

UNDER RULE I.—OF INTERJECTIONS, &c.

1. "O that he were wise."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 111.
   [Formule. Not proper, because this strong wish, introduced by "O," is merely marked with a period. But, according to Rule 1st for the Ecphoneme, "Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, the pause after this sentence, should be marked with the latter sign; and, if the "O" be read with a pause, the same sign may be there also.]
2. "O that his heart was tender."—Exercises, ib., p. 111.
3. "Oh, what a sight is here!"—Lennie's Gram., p. 48.
4. "Oh! what a sight is here."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 71; (Obs. 2;) Pract. Les., p. 83.
5. "O virtue! How amiable thou art."—Id.,, p. 71; Pract. Les., p. 82.
6. "O virtue! how amiable thou art."—Day's Gram., p. 109.
7. "O, virtue! how amiable thou art."—S. Putnam's Gram., p. 53.
8. "Oh! virtue, how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 191; O. B. Peirce's, 375.
9. "O virtue! how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 126.
10. "Oh! that I had been more diligent."—Hart's Gram., p. 167; see Hiley's, 117.
11. "O! the humiliation to which vice reduces us."—Farnum's Gram., p. 12; Murray's Ex., p. 5.
12. "O! that he were more prudent."—Farnum's Gram., p. 81.
13. "Ah! me."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 79.
14. "Ah me!"—Ib., p. 122.
15. "Lately alas I knew a gentle boy," &c.—The Dial, Vol. i, p. 71.
16. "Wo is me Alhama."—Wells's School Gram., 1st Ed., p. 190.
17. "Wo is me, Alhama."—Ibid., "113th Thousand," p. 206.

UNDER RULE II.—OF INVOCATIONS.

"Weep on the rocks of roaring winds, O maid of Inistore."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 131; Cooper's Plain and Practical Gram., p. 158. [Formule.—Not proper, because the emphatic address in this sentence, is marked with a period after it. But, according to Rule 2d for the Ecphoneme, "After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]

"Cease a little while, O wind; stream, be thou silent a while; let my voice be heard around. Let my wanderer hear me. Salgar, it is Colma who calls. Here is the tree, and the rock. Salgar, my love, I am here. Why delayest thou thy coming? Lo, the calm moon comes forth. The flood is bright in the vale."—See Key.

   "Ah, stay not, stay not, guardless and alone;
    Hector, my lov'd, my dearest, bravest son."—See Key.

UNDER RULE III.—EXCLAMATORY QUESTIONS.

"How much better is wisdom than gold."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 153; Hiley, p. 113.

[Formule.—Not proper, because this exclamatory sentence is pointed with a period at the end. But, according to Rule 3d for the Ecphoneme, "Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]

"O virtue! how amiable art thou."—Flint's Murray, p. 51. "At that hour, O how vain was all sublunary happiness."—Day's Gram., p. 74. "Alas! how few and transitory are the joys which this world affords to man."—Ib., p. 12. "Oh! how vain and transitory are all things here below."—Ib., p. 110.

   "And oh! what change of state, what change of rank,
    In that assembly everywhere was seen."—Day's Gram., p. 12.

    "And O! what change of state! what change of rank!
    In that assembly every where was seen!"—Pollok, B. ix, l. 781.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"O shame! where is thy blush."—S. Barren's Principles of Language, p. 86. "O shame, where is thy blush; John, give me my hat."—Ib., p. 98. "What! is Moscow in flames."—Ib., p. 86. "Ah! what happiness awaits the virtuous."—Ib., 86.

"Ah, welladay,—do what we can for him, said Trim, maintaining his point,—the poor soul will die."—STERNE: Enfield's Speaker, p. 306. "A well o'day! do what we can for him, said Trim, maintaining his point: the poor soul will die"—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 340.

"Will John return to-morrow."—S. Barrett's Gram., Tenth Ed., p. 55. "Will not John return to-morrow."—Ib., 55. "John! return to-morrow; Soldiers! stand firm."—Ib., 55. "If mea which means my is an adjective in Latin, why may not my be so called in English, and if my is an adjective, why not Barrett's"—Ib., p. 50.

"Oh? Absalom, my son."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 375. "Oh! STAR-EYED SCIENCE!! whither hast thou fled?"—Ib., p. 366. "Why do you tolerate your own inconsistency, by calling it the present tense!"—Ib., p. 360. "Thus the declarative mode may be used in asking a question; as, what man is frail."—Ib., p. 358. "What connexion has motive wish, or supposition, with the term subjunctive!"—Ib., p. 348. "A grand reason, truly! for calling it a golden key."—Ib., p. 347. "What ‘suffering’! the man who can say this, must be ‘enduring.’"—Ib., p. 345. "What is Brown's Rule! in relation to this matter?"—Ib., p. 334.

"Alas! how short is life." "Thomas, study your book."—Day's District School Gram., p. 109. "As, ‘alas!’ how short is life; Thomas, study your book.'"—Ib., p. 82. "Who can tell us who they are."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 178. "Lord have mercy on my son; for he is a lunatic, etc."—Felton's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 138; Ster. Ed., 140. "O, ye wild groves, O, where is now your bloom!"—Ib., p. 88; Ster. Ed., 91.

    "O who of man the story will unfold!"
        —Farnum's Gr., 2d Ed., p. 104.

    "Methought I heard Horatio say to-morrow.
     Go to I will not hear of it—to-morrow."
        —Hallock's Gr., 1st Ed., p. 221.

    "How his eyes languish? how his thoughts adore
    That painted coat which Joseph never wore?"
        —Love of Fame, p. 66.

SECTION VIII.—THE CURVES.

The Curves, or Marks of Parenthesis, are used to distinguish a clause or hint that is hastily thrown in between the parts of a sentence to which it does not properly belong; as, "Their enemies (and enemies they will always have) would have a handle for exposing their measures."—Walpole.

   "To others do (the law is not severe)
    What to thyself thou wishest to be done."—Beattie.

OBS.—The incidental clause should be uttered in a lower tone, and faster than the principal sentence. It always requires a pause as great as that of a comma, or greater.

RULE I.—THE PARENTHESIS.

A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be inclosed within curves, as a parenthesis; as, "For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing."—Rom., vii, 18.

   "Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,)
    Virtue alone is happiness below."—Pope.

RULE II.—INCLUDED POINTS.

The curves do not supersede other stops; and, as the parenthesis terminates with a pause equal to that which precedes it, the same point should be included, except when the sentences differ in form: as,

1. "Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged."—2 Cor., vi, 13.
2. "Man's thirst of happiness declares it is:
   (For nature never gravitates to nought:)
   That thirst unquench'd, declares it is not here."—Young.
3. "Night visions may befriend: (as sung above:)
   Our waking dreams are fatal. How I dreamt
   Of things impossible! (could sleep do more?)
   Of joys perpetual in perpetual change!"—Young.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE CURVES.

UNDER RULE I.—OF THE PARENTHESIS.

"Another is composed of the indefinite article an, which, etymologically means one and other, and denotes one other."—Hallock's Gram., p. 63.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the parenthetic expression, "which etymologically means one," is not sufficiently separated from the rest of the passage. But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, "A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis." Therefore, the curves should be here inserted; and also, by Rule 2d, a comma at the word one.]

"Each mood has its peculiar Tense, Tenses (or Times)."—Bucke's Gram., p. 58.

[Formule.—Not proper, because the expression, "or Times," which has not the nature of a parenthesis, is here marked with curves. But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, "A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis." Therefore, these marks should be omitted; and a comma should be set after the word "Tenses," by Rule 3d.]

"In some very ancient languages, as the Hebrew, which have been employed chiefly for expressing plain sentiments in the plainest manner, without aiming at any elaborate length or harmony of periods, this pronoun [the relative] occurs not so often."—L. Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 127.

"Before I shall say those Things, (O conscript Fathers) about the Public Affairs, which are to be spoken at this Time; I shall lay before you, in few Words, the Motives of the Journey, and the Return."—Brightland's Gram., p. 149.

   "Of well-chose Words some take not care enough.
    And think they should be (like the Subject) rough."
        —Ib., p. 173.

    "Then having shewed his wounds, he'd sit (him) down."
        —Bullions, E. Gram., p. 32.

UNDER RULE II.—OF INCLUDED POINTS.

"Then Jael smote the Nail into his Temples, and fastened it to the Ground: (for he was fast asleep and weary) so he died. OLD TEST."—Ward's Gram., p. 17.

[Formule.—Not proper, because this parenthesis is not marked as terminating with a pause equal to that which precedes it. But, according to Rule 2d above, "The curves do not supersede other stops; and, as the parenthesis terminates with a pause equal to that which precedes it, the same point should be included, except when the sentences differ in form." Therefore, a colon should be inserted within the curve after weary.]

"Every thing in the Iliad has manners (as Aristotle expresses it) that is, every thing is acted or spoken."—Pope, Pref. to Homer, p. vi.

"Those nouns, that end in f. or fe (except some few I shall mention presently), form plurals by changing those letters into ves: as, thief, thieves; wife, wives."—Bucke's Gram., p. 35.

"As, requires as; (expressing equality) Mine is as good as yours. As,—so; (expressing equality) As the stars, so shall thy seed be. So,—as; (with a negative expressing inequality) He is not so wise as his brother. So.—that; (expressing consequence) I am so weak that I cannot walk."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 113; Pract. Les., p. 112.

   "A captious question, sir (and yours is one,)
    Deserves an answer similar, or none."—Cowper, ii. 228.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"Whatever words the verb TO BE serves to unite referring to the same thing, must be of the same case; §61, as, Alexander is a student."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 75. "When the objective is a relative or interrogative, it comes before the verb that governs it. §40, R. 9. (Murray's 6th rule is unnecessary.)"—Id., ib., p. 90. "It is generally improper (except in poetry,) to omit the antecedent to a relative; and always to omit a relative when of the nominative case."—Id., ib., p. 130. "In every sentence there must be a verb and a nominative (or subject) expressed or understood."—Id., ib., p. 87; Pract. Lessons, p. 91. "Nouns and pronouns, and especially words denoting time, are often governed by prepositions understood; or are used to restrict verbs or adjectives without a governing word, §50. Rem. 6 and Rule; as, He gave (to) me a full account of the whole affair."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 80. "When should is used instead of ought, to express present duty, §20, 4, it may be followed by the present; as, 'You should study that you may become learned.'"—Id., ib., p. 123. "The indicative present is frequently used after the words, when, till, before, as soon as, after, to express the relative time of a future action; (§24, I, 4,) as, 'When he comes, he will be welcome.'"—Id., ib., p. 124. "The relative is parsed by stating its gender, number, case, and antecedent, (the gender and number being always the same as those of the antecedent) thus, 'The boy who.' ‘Who’ is a relative pronoun, masculine, singular, the nominative, and refers to ‘boy’ as its antecedent."—Bullions, Pract. Les., p. 31.

   "Now, now, I seize, I clasp thy charms,
    And now you burst; ah! cruel from my arms."

Here is an unnecessary change from the second person singular to the second plural. It would have been better thus,

   "Now, now I seize, I clasp your charms,
    And now you burst; ah! cruel from my arms."
        —J. Burn's Gram., p. 193.

Section IX.—The Other Marks.

There are also several other marks, which are occasionally used for various purposes, as follow:

1. [’] The Apostrophe usually denotes either the possessive case of a noun, or the elision of one or more letters of a word: as, “The girl’s regard to her parents’ advice;”—’gan, lov’d, e’en, thro’; for began, loved, even, through. It is sometimes used in pluralizing a mere letter or sign; as, Two a’s—three 6’s.^[8]
2. [-] The Hyphen connects the parts of many compound words, especially such as have two accents; as, ever-living. It is also frequently inserted where a word is divided into syllables; as, con-tem-plate. Placed at the end of a line, it shows that one or more syllables of a word are carried forward to the next line.
3. [¨] The Diæresis, or Dialysis, placed over either of two contiguous vowels, shows that they are not a diphthong; as, Danäe, aërial.
4. [´] The Acute Accent marks the syllable which requires the principal stress in pronunciation; as, e'qual, equal'ity. It is sometimes used in opposition to the grave accent, to distinguish a close or short vowel; as, "Fáncy:" (Murray:) or to denote the rising inflection of the voice; as, "Is it hé?"
5. [`] The Grave Accent is used in opposition to the acute, to distinguish an open or long vowel; as, "Fàvour:" (Murray:) or to denote the falling inflection of the voice; as, "Yès; it is hè" It is sometimes placed over a vowel to show that it is not to be suppressed in pronunciation; as,

   "Let me, though in humble speech,
   Thy refinèd maxims teach."—Amer. Review, May, 1848.

6. [^] The Circumflex generally denotes either the broad sound of a or an unusual sound given to some other vowel; as in âll, hêir, machîne. Some use it to mark a peculiar wave of the voice, and when occasion requires, reverse it; as, "If you said sŏ, then I said sô."
7. ˘ The Breve, or Stenotone, is used to denote either the close, short, shut sound of a vowel, or a syllable of short quantity; as, lĭve, to have life,—răv'en, to devour,^[9]—călămŭs, a reed.
8. [¯] The Macron, or Macrotone,^[10] is used to denote either the open, long, primal sound of a vowel, or a syllable of long quantity; as, līve, having life,—rā'ven, a bird,—ē'quīne, of a horse.
9. [——] or [* * * *] or [....] The Ellipsis, or Suppression, denotes the omission of some letters or words: as, K—g, for King; c****d, for coward; d....d, for damned.
10. [^] The Caret, used only in writing, shows where to insert words or letters that have been accidentally omitted.
11. [{}] The Brace serves to unite a triplet; or, more frequently, to connect several terms with something to which they are all related.
12. [§] The Section marks the smaller divisions of a book or chapter; and, with the help of numbers, serves to abridge references.
13. [¶] The Paragraph (chiefly used in the Bible) denotes the commencement of a new subject. The parts of discourse which are called paragraphs, are, in general, sufficiently distinguished by beginning a new line, and carrying the first word a little forwards or backwards. The paragraphs of books being in some instances numbered, this character may occasionally be used, in lieu of the word paragraph, to shorten references.
14. [“”] The Guillemets, or Quotation Points, distinguish words that are exhibited as those of an other author or speaker. A quotation within a quotation, is usually marked with single points; which, when both are employed, are placed within the others: as, “And again he saith, ‘Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.’”—Rom., xv, 10.
15. [[]] The Crotchets, or Brackets, generally inclose some correction or explanation, but sometimes the sign or subject to be explained; as, "He [Mr. Maurice] was of a different opinion."—Allen's Gram., p. 213.
16. _☞ The Index, or Hand, points out something remarkable, or what the reader should particularly observe.
17. [*] The Asterisk, or Star, [†] the Obelisk, or Dagger, [‡] the Diesis, or Double Dagger, and [||] the Parallels, refer to marginal notes. The Section also [§], and the Paragraph [¶], are often used for marks of reference, the former being usually applied to the fourth, and the latter to the sixth note on a page; for, by the usage of printers, these signs are commonly introduced in the following order: 1, *; 2, [†]; 3, [‡]; 4, §; 5, ||; 6, ¶; 7, **; 8, [†][†]; &c. Where many references are to be made, the small letters of the alphabet, or the numerical figures, in their order, may be conveniently used for the same purpose.
18. Asterism The Asterism, or Three Stars, a sign not very often used, is placed before a long or general note, to mark it as a note, without giving it a particular reference.
19. [,] The Cedilla is a mark borrowed from the French, by whom it is placed under the letter c, to give it the sound of s, before a or o; as in the words, "façade," "Alençon." In Worcester's Dictionary, it is attached to three other letters, to denote their soft sounds: viz., "[Ģ] as J; [Ş] as Z; [¸x] as gz."

_☞[Oral exercises in punctuation should not be confined to the correction of errors. An application of its principles to points rightly inserted, is as easy a process as that of ordinary syntactical parsing, and perhaps as useful. For this purpose, the teacher may select a portion of this grammar, or of any well-pointed book, to which the foregoing rules and explanations may be applied by the pupil, as reasons for the points that occur.]

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"The principal stops are the following:

The Comma (,) the semicolon (;) the colon (:) the period, or fall stop (.) the note of interrogation (?) the note of exclamation (!) the parenthesis () and the dash (—) [.]"—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 151; Pract. Les., p. 127. "The modern punctuation in Latin is the same as in English. The marks employed, are the Comma (,); Semicolon (;); Colon (:); Period (.); Interrogation (?); Exclamation (!)."—Bullions, Lat. Gram., p. 3.

"Plato reproving a young man for playing at some childish game; you chide me, says the youth, for a trifling fault. Custom, replied the philosopher, is no trifle. And, adds Montagnie, he was in the right; for our vices begin in infancy."—Home's Art of Thinking, (N. Y. 1818,) p. 54.

"A merchant at sea asked the skipper what death his father died? 'My father,' says the skipper, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather, were all drowned. 'Well,' replies the merchant, and are not you afraid of being drowned too?'"—Ib., p. 135.

"The use of inverted comma's derives from France, where one Guillemet was the author of them; [and] as an acknowledgement for the improvement his countrymen call them after his name GUILLEMETS."—History of Printing, (London, 1770,) p. 266.

"This, however, is seldom [sic—KTH] if ever done unless the word following the possessive begins with s; thus we do not say, 'the prince' feather,' but, 'the prince's feather.'"—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 17. "And this phrase must mean the feather of the prince but princesfeather written as one word is the name of a plant: a species of amaranth."—See Key.

"Böëthius soon had the satisfaction of obtaining the highest honour his country could bestow."—Ingersoll's Gram. 12mo., p. 279. "Boethius soon had," &c.—Murray's Gram., 8vo, Vol. ii., p. 83.

"When an example, a quotation, or a speech is introduced, it is separated from the rest of the sentence either by a semicolon or a colon; as, ‘The scriptures give us an amiable representation of the Deity, in these words; God is love.’"—Hiley's Gram., p. 116. "Either the colon or semicolon may be used when an example, a quotation, or a speech is introduced; as, ‘Always remember this ancient maxim; Know thyself.’ ‘The scriptures give us an amiable representation of the Deity, in these words: God is love.’"—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 155.

"The first word of a quotation, introduced after a colon [, must begin with a capital]; as, always remember this ancient maxim: ‘Know thyself.’"— Bullions, E. Gram., p. 159; Lennie's Gram., p. 106. [Lennie has "Always" with a capital.] "The first word of a quotation, introduced after a colon, or when it is in a direct form: as, 'Always remember this ancient maxim: Know thyself.' 'Our great lawgiver says, Take up thy cross daily, and follow me.'"—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 284. "8. The first word of a quotation, introduced after a colon, or when it is in a direct form. EXAMPLES.—'Always remember this ancient maxim, 'Know thyself.' 'Our great Lawgiver says, Take up thy cross daily, and follow me.'"—Weld's Gram., Abridged., p. 17

"Tell me in whose house do you live."—N. Butler's Gram., p. 55. "He, that acts wisely, deserves praise."—Ib., p. 50 "He, who steals my purse, steals trash."—Ib., p. 51. "The antecedent is sometimes omitted, as, 'Who steals my purse, steals trash;' that is, he who, or person who."—Ib., p. 51. "Thus, 'Whoever steals my purse steals trash;' 'Whoever does no good does harm.'"—Ib., p. 53 "Thus, 'Whoever sins will suffer.' This means that any one without exception who sins will suffer."—Ib., p. 53.

"Letters form syllables, syllables words, words sentences, and sentences, combined and connected form discourse."—Cooper's Plain and Practical Gram., p. 1. "A letter which forms a perfect sound, when uttered by itself, is called a vowel, as: a, e, i."—Ib., p. 1. "A proper noun is the name of an individual, as: John; Boston: Hudson; America."—Ib., p. 17.

"Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 96. "In the place of an ellipsis of the verb a comma must be inserted."—Ib., p. 121. "A common noun unlimited by an article is sometimes understood in its broadest acceptation: thus, ‘Fishes swim’ is understood to mean all fishes. ‘Man is mortal,’ all men."—Ib., p. 13.

"Thus those sounds formed principally by the throat are called gutturals. Those formed principally by the palate are called palatals. Those formed by the teeth, dentals—those by the lips, labials—those by the nose, nasals, &c."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 113.

"Some adjectives are compared irregularly; as, Good, better, best. Bad, worse, worst. Little, less, least."—Felton's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 63; Ster. Ed., p. 66.

"Under the fourth head of grammar, therefore, four topics will be considered, viz. PUNCTUATION, ORTHOEPY, FIGURES, and VERSIFICATION."— Hart's Gram., p. 161.

   "Direct her onward to that peaceful shore,
    Where peril, pain and death are felt no more!"
    Falconer's Poems, p. 136; Barrett's New Gram., p. 94

BAD ENGLISH BADLY POINTED.

LESSON I.—UNDER VARIOUS RULES.

"Discoveries of such a character are sometimes made in grammar also, and such, too, is often their origin and their end."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 191.

"Traverse, (to cross.) To deny what the opposite party has alleged. To traverse an indictment, &c. is to deny it."—Id., ib., p. 216.

"The Ordinal [numerals] denote the order or succession in which any number of persons or things is mentioned, as first, second, third, fourth, &c."—Hiley's Gram., p. 22.

"Nouns have three persons, FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD. The First person is the speaker, the Second is the one spoken to, the Third is the one spoken of."—Hiley's Gram., p. 44.

"Nouns have three cases, NOMINATIVE, POSSESSIVE, and OBJECTIVE. The relation indicated by the case of a noun includes three ideas, viz: those of subject, object, and ownership."—Ib., p. 45.

"In speaking of animals that are of inferior size, or whose sex is not known or not regarded, they are often considered as without sex: thus, we say of a cat 'it is treacherous,' of an infant ‘it is beautiful,’ of a deer 'it was killed.'"—Ib., p. 39.

"When this or these, that or those, refers to a preceding sentence; this, or these, refers to the latter member or term; that, or those, to the former."—Churchill's Gram., p. 136; see Lowth's Gram., p. 102.

"The rearing of them [i. e. of plants] became his first care, their fruit his first food, and marking their kinds his first knowledge."—N. Butler's Gram., p. 44.

"After the period used with abbreviations we should employ other points, if the construction demands it; thus, after Esq. in the last example, there should be, besides a period, a comma."—Ib., p. 212.

"In the plural, the verb is the same in all the persons; and hence the principle in Rem. 5, under Rule iii. [that the first or second person takes precedence,] is not applicable to verbs."—Ib., p. 158.

"Rex and Tyrannus are of very different characters. The one rules his people by laws to which they consent; the other, by his absolute will and power: that is called freedom, this, tyranny."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 190.

"A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, which can be known, or mentioned, as: George; London; America; goodness; charity."—Cooper's Plain and Pract. Gram., p. 17.

"Etymology treats of the classification of words; their various modifications and derivations."—Day's School Gram., p. 9. "To punctuate correctly implies a thorough acquaintance with the meaning of words and phrases, as well as of all their corresponding connexions"—W. Day's Punctuation, p. 31.

"All objects which belong to neither the male nor female kind are called neuter."—Weld's Gram., 2d Ed., p. 57. "All objects, which belong to neither the male nor female kind, are said to be of the neuter gender."—Weld's Gram., Abridged, p. 51.

"The Analysis of the Sounds in the English language presented in the preceding statements are sufficiently exact for the purpose in hand. Those who wish to pursue it further can consult Dr. Rush's admirable work, 'The Philosophy of the Human Voice.'"—Fowlers E. Gram., 1850, §65. "Nobody confounds the name of w or y with their sound or phonetic import."—Ib., §74.

   "Order is Heaven's first law; and this confest,
    Some are and must be, greater than the rest."—Ib., p. 96.

LESSON II.—UNDER VARIOUS RULES.

"In adjectives of one syllable, the Comparative is formed by adding -er to the positive; and the Superlative by adding -est; as, sweet, sweeter, sweetest."—Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., p. 19.

"In monosyllables the comparative is formed by adding er or r to the positive, and the superlative by adding est or st; as, tall, taller, tallest; wise, wiser, wisest."—Id., Pract. Les., p. 24.

"By this method the confusion and unnecessary labor occasioned by studying grammars in these languages, constructed on different principles is avoided, the study of one is rendered a profitable introduction to the study of another, and an opportunity is furnished to the enquiring student of comparing the languages in their grammatical structure, and seeing at once wherein they agree, and wherein they differ."—Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., Pref. to 5th Ed., p. vii.

"No larger portion should be assigned for each recitation than the class can easily master, and till this is done, a new portion should not be given out."—Id., ib., p. viii. "The acquisitions made in every new lesson should be rivetted and secured by repeated revisals."—Id., ib., p. viii.

"The personal pronouns may be parsed briefly thus; I, the first personal pronoun, masculine (or feminine), singular, the nominative. His, the third personal pronoun, masculine, singular, the possessive, &c."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 23: Pract. Les., p. 28.

"When the male and female are expressed by distinct terms; as, shepherd, shepherdess, the masculine term has also a general meaning, expressing both male and female, and is always to be used when the office, occupation, profession, &c., and not the sex of the individual, is chiefly to be expressed. The feminine term is used only when the discrimination, of sex is indispensably necessary. Thus, when it is said 'the Poets of this country are distinguished by correctness of taste,' the term 'Poet' clearly includes both male and female writers of poetry."—Id., E. Gram., p. 12; his Analyt. and Pract. Gram., 24. "Nouns and pronouns, connected by conjunctions, must be in the same cases."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 78. "Verbs, connected by conjunctions, must be in the same moods and tenses, and, when in the subjunctive present, they must be in the same form."—Ib., p. 112.

"This will habituate him to reflection—exercise his judgment on the meaning of the author, and without any great effort on his part, impress indelibly on his memory, the rules which he is required to give. After the exercises under the rule have been gone through as directed in the note page 96, they may be read over again in a corrected state the pupil making an emphasis on the correction made, or they may be presented in writing at the next recitation."—Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., 2d Ed. Revised and Cor., p. viii.

   "Man, but for that, no action could attend
    And but for this, be thoughtful to no end."
        —O. B. Peirce's Gram., Pref. p. 5.

LESSON III.—UNDER VARIOUS RULES.

"'Johnson the bookseller and stationer,' indicates that the bookseller and the stationer are epithets belonging to the same person; 'the bookseller and the stationer' would indicate that they belong to different persons."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 127.

"Past is an adjective; passed, the past tense or perfect participle of the verb, and they ought not, as is frequently done, to be confounded with each other."—Id., ib., p. 148.

"Not only the nature of the thoughts and sentiments, but the very selection and arrangement of the words, gives English poetry a character, which separates it widely from common prose."—Id., ib., p. 178.

"Men of sound, discriminating, and philosophical minds—men prepared for the work by long study, patient investigation, and extensive acquirements, have labored for ages to improve and perfect it, and nothing is hazarded in asserting, that should it be unwisely abandoned, it will be long before another equal in beauty, stability and usefulness, be produced in its stead."—Id., ib., p. 191.

"The Article The, on the other hand, is used to restrict, and is therefore termed Definite. Its proper office is to call the attention to a particular individual or class, or to any number of such, and is used with nouns in either the singular or plural number."—Id., ib., p. 193.

"Hence also the infinitive mood, a participle, a member of a sentence, or a proposition, forming together the subject of discourse, or the object of a verb or preposition, and being the name of an act or circumstance, are in construction, regarded as nouns, and are usually called 'substantive phrases;' as ‘To play is pleasant,’ ‘His being an expert dancer is no recommendation,’ 'Let your motto be Honesty is the best policy.'"—Id., ib., p. 194.

"In accordance with his definition, Murray has divided verbs into three classes, Active, Passive, and Neuter, and includes in the first class transitive verbs only, and in the last all verbs used intransitively"—Id., ib., p. 200.

"Moreover, as the name of the speaker or the person spoken to is seldom expressed, (the pronouns I and thou being used in its stead,) a noun is very seldom in the first person, not often in the second, and almost never in either, unless it be a proper noun, or a common noun personified."—Bullions, Pract. Les., p. 13.

"In using the above exercises it will save much time, which is all important, if the pupil be taught to say every thing belonging to the nouns in the fewest words possible, and to say them always in the same order as above."—Id., ib., p. 21.

"In any phrase or sentence the adjectives qualifying a noun may generally be found by prefixing the phrase 'What kind of,' to the noun in the form of a question; as, What kind of a horse? What kind of a stone? What kind of a way? The word containing the answer to the question is an adjective."—Id., ib., p. 22.

"In the following exercise let the pupil first point out the nouns, and then the adjectives; and tell how he knows them to be so."—Id., ib., p. 23.

"In the following sentences point out the improper ellipsis. Show why it is improper, and correct it."—Id., ib., p. 124.

	SINGULAR PRONOUNS	PLURAL PRONOUNS
1	I—am being smitten	We—are being smitten
2	Thou—art being smitten	Ye or you—are being smitten
3	He—is being smitten	They—are being smitten

Wright's Philos. Gram., p. 98.

Notes

1. [460] "Interrogatio, Græcè Erotema, Accentum quoque transfert; ut, Ter. Siccine ais Parmenó? Voss. Susenbr."—Prat's Latin Grammar, 8vo, Part II, p. 190.
2. [461] In regard to the admission of a comma before the verb, by the foregoing exception, neither the practice of authors nor the doctrine of punctuators is entirely uniform; but, where a considerable pause is, and must be, made in the reading, I judge it not only allowable, but necessary, to mark it in writing. In W. Day's "Punctuation Reduced to a System," a work of no inconsiderable merit, this principle is disallowed; and even when the adjunct of the nominative is a relative clause, which, by Rule 2d below and its first exception, requires a comma after it but none before it, this author excludes both, putting no comma before the principal verb. The following is an example: "But it frequently happens, that punctuation is not made a prominent exercise in schools; and the brief manner in which the subject is there dismissed has proved insufficient to impress upon the minds of youth a due sense of its importance."—Day's Punctuation, p. 32. A pupil of mine would here have put a comma after the word dismissed. So, in the following examples, after sake, and after dispenses: "The vanity that would accept power for its own sake is the pettiest of human passions."—Ib., p. 75. "The generous delight of beholding the happiness he dispenses is the highest enjoyment of man."—Ib., p, 100.
3. [462] When several nominatives are connected, some authors and printers put the comma only where the conjunction is omitted. W. Day separates them all, one from an other; but after the last, when this is singular before a plural verb, he inserts no point. Example: "Imagination is one of the principal ingredients which enter into the complex idea of genius; but judgment, memory, understanding, enthusiasm, and sensibility are also included."—Day's Punctuation, p. 52. If the points are to be put where the pauses naturally occur, here should be a comma after sensibility; and, if I mistake not, it would be more consonant with current usage to set one there. John Wilson, however, in a later work, which is for the most part a very good one, prefers the doctrine of Day, as in the following instance: "Reputation, virtue, and happiness depend greatly on the choice of companions."—Wilson's Treatise on Punctuation, p. 30.
4. [463] Some printers, and likewise some authors, suppose a series of words to require the comma, only where the conjunction is suppressed. This is certainly a great error. It gives us such punctuation as comports neither with the sense of three or more words in the same construction, nor with the pauses which they require in reading. "John, James and Thomas are here," is a sentence which plainly tells John that James and Thomas are here; and which, if read according to this pointing, cannot possibly have any other meaning. Yet this is the way in which the rules of Cooper, Felton, Frost, Webster, and perhaps others, teach us to point it, when we mean to tell somebody else that all three are here! In his pretended "Abridgment of Murray's English Grammar," (a work abounding in small thefts from Brown's Institutes,) Cooper has the following example: "John, James or Joseph intends to accompany me."—Page 120. Here, John being addressed, the punctuation is right; but, to make this noun a nominative to the verb, a comma must be put after each of the others. In Cooper's "Plain and Practical Grammar," the passage is found in this form: "John, James, or Joseph intends to accompany us."—Page 132. This pointing is doubly wrong; because it is adapted to neither sense. If the three nouns have the same construction, the principal pause will be immediately before the verb; and surely a comma is as much required by that pause, as by the second. See the Note on Rule 3d, above.
5. [464] In punctuation, the grammar here cited is unaccountably defective. This is the more strange, because many of its errors are mere perversions of what was accurately pointed by an other hand. On the page above referred to, Dr. Bullions, in copying from Lennie's syntactical exercises a dozen consecutive lines, has omitted nine needful commas, which Lennie had been careful to insert!
6. [465] Needless abbreviations, like most that occur in this example, are in bad taste, and ought to be avoided. The great faultiness of this text as a model for learners, compels me to vary the words considerably in suggesting the correction. See the Key.—G. B.
7. [466] "To be, or not to be?—that's the question."—Hallock's Gram., p. 220. "To be, or not to be, that is the question."—Singer's Shak., ii. 488. "To be, or not to be; that is the Question."—Ward's Gram., p 160. "To be, or not to be, that is the Question."—Brightland's Gram., p 209. "To be, or not to be?"—Mandeville's Course of Reading, p. 141. "To be or not to be! That is the question."—Pinneo's Gram., p. 176. "To be—or not to be—that is the question—"—Burgh's Speaker, p. 179.
8. [467] In the works of some of our older poets, the apostrophe is sometimes irregularly inserted, and perhaps needlessly, to mark a prosodial synsæresis, or synalepha, where no letter is cut off or left out; as,

      "Retire, or taste thy folly', and learn by proof,
       Hell-born, not to contend with spir'its of Heaven."
           —Milton, P. L., ii, 686.

   In the following example, it seems to denote nothing more than the open or long sound of the preceding vowel e:

      "That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
       Even till a lethe'd dulness."
           —Singer's Shakspeare, Vol. ii, p. 280.

9. [468] The breve is properly a mark of short quantity, only when it is set over an unaccented syllable or an unemphatic monosyllable, as it often is in the scanning of verses. In the examples above, it marks the close or short power of the vowels; but, under the accent, even this power may become part of a long syllable; as it does in the word rav´en, where the syllable rav, having twice the length of that which follows, must be reckoned long. In poetry, rāv-en and rā-ven are both trochees, the former syllable in each being long, and the latter short.
10. [469]
    1. The signs of long and short sounds, and especially of the former, have been singularly slow in acquiring appropriate names—or any appellatives suited to their nature, or such as could obtain the sanction of general use. The name breve, from the French brève, (which latter word came, doubtless, originally from the neuter of the Latin adjective brevis, short,) is now pretty generally applied to the one; and the Greek term macron, long, (also originally a neuter adjective,) is perhaps as common as any name for the other. But these are not quite so well adapted to each other, and to the things named, as are the substitutes added above.
    2. These signs are explained in our grammars under various names, and often very unfit ones, to say the least; and, in many instances, their use is, in some way, awkwardly stated, without any attempt to name them, or more than one, if either. The Rev. T. Smith names them "Long (¯), and Short (˘)."—Smith's Murray, p. 72. Churchill calls them "The long ¯ and the short ˘."—New Gram., p. 170. Gould calls them "a horizontal line" and "a curved line."—Gould's Adam's Gram., p. 3. Coar says, "Quantity is distinguished by the characters of - long, and ˘ short."—Eng. Gram., p. 197. But, in speaking of the signs, he calls them, "A long syllable ¯," and "A short syllable ˘."—Gram., pp. 222 and 228. S. S. Greene calls them "the long sound," and "the breve or short sound."—Gram., p. 257. W. Allen says, "The long-syllable mark, (¯) and the breve, or short-syllable mark, (˘) denote the quantity of words poetically employed."—Gram., p. 215. Some call them "the Long Accent," and "the Short Accent;" as does Guy's Gram., p. 95. This naming seems to confound accent with quantity. By some, the Macron is improperly called "a Dash;" as by Lennie, p. 137; by Bullions, p. 157; by Hiley, p. 123; by Butler, p. 215. Some call it "a small dash;" as does Well's, p. 183; so Hiley, p. 117. By some it is absurdly named "Hyphen;" as by Buchanan, p. 162; by Alden, p. 165; by Chandler, 183; by Parker and Fox, iii, 36; by Jaudon, 193. Sanborn calls it "the hyphen, or macron."—Analyt. Gr., p. 279. Many, who name it not, introduce it to their readers by a "this ¯," or "thus ˘;" as do Alger, Blair, Dr. Adam, Comly, Cooper, Ingersoll, L. Murray, Sanders, Wright, and others!