CHAPTER IV.

Of the PERIOD.

When a sentence is complete and independent, d not connected in construction with the followsentence, it is marked with a Period.

Some sentences are independent of each other, both in eir sense and construction: as, "Fear God. Honour the ng Have charity towards all men." Others are indendent only in their grammatical construction: as, “The preme Being changes not, either in his desire to proDie our happiness, or in the plan of his administraation. One light always shines upon us from above. ne clear and direct path is always pointed out to man.' A period may sometimes be admitted between two sences, though they are joined by a disjunctive or copulae conjunction. For the quality of the point does not alys depend on the connective particle, but on the sense d structure of sentences: as, "Recreations, though they

be of an innocent kind, require steady government, to ep them within a due and limited province. But such are of an irregular and vicious nature, are not to be gov ned, but to be banished from every well-regulated mind." "He who lifts himself up to the observation and notice the world, is, of all men, the least likely to avoid censure. or he draws upon himself a thousand eyes, that will narwly inspect him in every part.'

The period should be used after every abbreviated word :~ ," M. S. P. S. N. B. A. D. O. S. N. S." &c.

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CHAPTER V.

fthe Dash, Notes of Interrogation and Exclamation, c.

THE DASH.

THE DASH, though often used improperly by hasty and coherent writers, may be introduced with propriety, here the sentence breaks off abruptly; where a significant ause is required; or where there is an unexpected turn the sentiment: as, "If thou art he, so much respected ace-but, oh! how fallen! how degraded !" "If acting

loudly called upon, to cultivate and exter ests of religion and virtue." "Here lies the great

-False mar

Nothing but sordid dust lies here." Besides the points which mark the pa there are others, which denote a diffe voice, in correspondence to the sense. The Interrogation point,

The Exclamation point,
The Parenthesis,

INTERROGATION.

A note of interrogation is used at th gative sentence; that is, when a qu "Who wid accompany me?" "Shall we

Questions which a person asks himse ought to be terminated by points of "Who adorned the heavens with such "At whose command do the planets pe revolutions?"

A point of interrogation is improp which are not questions, but only exp tion, or of some other emotion.

"How many instances have we of cha in the fair sex!"

"With what prudence does the son in the choice of our companions!"

A note of interrogation should not be where it is only said a question has bee the words are not used as a question. ed me, why I wept." To give this se gative form it should be expressed thu said to me, Why dost thou weep?" "

EXCLAMATION.

The note of Exclamation is applie sudden emotion, surprise, joy, grief, & cations or addresses: as, "My friend! me!" "Bless the Lord, O my soul! ar benefits!"

"Oh! had we both our humble stat And safe in peace and proverty re Hear me, O Lord! for thy loving

rminated by a note of exclamation: as, “How much ty in the pursuits of men!" "Who can sufficiently exs the goodness of our Creator!" "What is more amithan virtue !"

he interrogation and exclamation points are indeterite as to their quantity or time, and may be equivalent at respect to a semicolon, a colon, or a period, as the e may require. They mark an elevation of the voice. he utility of the points of interrogation and exclamaappears from the following examples, in which the ning is signified and discriminated solely by the points. "What condescension !"

"What condescension?"

"How great was the sacrifice!"
"How great was the sacrifice?"

PARENTHESIS.

Parenthesis is a clause containing some necessary innation, or useful remark, introduced into the body of a ence obliquely, and which may be omitted without inng the grammatical construction : as,

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

"And was the ransom paid? It was; and paid (What can exalt his bounty more?) for thee."

To gain a posthumous reputation, is to save four or letters (for what is a name besides?) from oblivion.” now ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as as he liveth ?"

the incidental clause is short, or perfectly coincides the rest of the sentence, it is not proper to use the enthetical characters. The following instances are efore improper uses of the parenthesis. "Speak you o saw) his wonders in the deep." "Every planet (as Creator has made nothing in vain) is most probably inited." "He found them asleep again; (for their eyes e heavy;) neither knew they what to answer him." The parenthesis marks a moderate depression of the ce, and may be accompanied with every point which the se would require, if the parenthetical characters were

they wish to please, (and why should th they disdain dishonourable means." "It by an analogy, (Oh how inadequate !) whi from paganism." See the Octavo Gramm

There are other characters, which are use of in composition, and which may be place, viz.

An Apostrophe, marked thus' is used shorten a word: as, 'is for it is; tho' fo even; judg'd for judged. Its chief use is tive case of nouns: as, "A man's proj ornament."

A

A Caret, marked thus is placed wher pens to be left out in writing, and whic the line. This mark is also called a circu ed over a particular vowel, to denote a Euphrâtes."

A Hyphen, marked thus is emplo compounded words; as, "Lap-dog, teaself-love, to-morrow, mother-in-law."

It is also used when a word is divide part is written or printed at the end o latter part at the beginning of anoth is placed at the end of the first line, r of the second.

The Acute Accent marked thus': Grave thus as, "Favour."

In English, the Accentual marks a spelling books and dictionaries, to mark require a particular stress of the voice

The stress is laid on long and short nately. In order to distinguish the some writers of dictionaries have plac former, and the acute on the latter, in nor, mineral, lively, lived, rival, ríver."

The proper mark to distinguish a lo as, "Rosy:" and a short one this: last mark is called a breve.

A Diæresis, thus marked ", consists

ter, into less parts or portions.

ragraph ¶ denotes the beginning of a new subject, entence not connected with the foregoing. This er is chiefly used in the Old, and in the New Testa

1otation "". Two inverted commas are generally at the beginning of a phrase or a passage, which is or transcribed from the speaker or author in his ords; and two commas in their direct position, are at the conclusion: as,

"The proper study of mankind is man."

chets or Brackets [] serve to enclose a word or senwhich is to be explained in a note, or the explanation or a word or a sentence, which is intended to supply eficiency, or to rectify some mistake.

ndex or Handpoints out a remarkable passage, ething that requires particular attention.

ace

}

is used in poetry at the end of a triplet or

nes, which have the same rhyme.

es are also used to connect a number of words with mmon term, and are introduced to prevent a repetiwriting or printing.

Asterisk, or little star *, directs the reader to some the margin or at the bottom of the page. Two or Asterisks generally denote the omission of some leta word, or of some bold or indelicate expression, or efect in the manuscript.

Ellipsis.

is also used, when some letters in a word, e words in a verse, are omitted: as, "The k—g,” ne king."

Obelisk, which is marked thus †, and Parallels thus ||, er with the letters of the Alphabet, and figures, are s references to the margin, or bottom of the page.

PARAGRAPHS.

ay not be improper to insert, in this place, a few genrections respecting the division of a composition into aphs.

erent subjects, unless they are very short, or very