pressed or implied; as, Examine well the counsel, that favours your desires.' The subject and verb may both be attended with adjuncts, expressing the object, cause, end, time, place, manner, and the like.

A sentence is rendered compound, not only by means of a plurality of subjects and verbs, but also of adjuncts.

If two or more adjuncts are connected with the verb in the same manner, by the same preposition, conjunction, &c. the sentence is compouud, and may be resolved into two or more simple ones. But if the adjuncts are connected with the verb in a different manner, the sentence is simple; as, They have sacrifi ced their health and fortune at the shrine of vanity, pride, and extravagance.'Elegance of taste has a connexion with many virlues of the most amiable kind. In the former example, several of the adjuncts being connected with the verb in the same manner, the sentence is compound; in the latter, all the adjuncts being connected with the verb in a different manner, the sentence is simple.

Of the Comma.

RULE I.-The members of a simple sentence must not be separated by a comma; as, Adversity borrows its sharpest sting from our impatience. ́.. Exercises in False Punctuation.-Ileness, is the great fomenter of all corruptions in the human heart. The tear of repentance, brings its own relief.-The friend of order, has made half his way, to virtue.- All finery, is a sign of littleness. To he, contents his natural desire,-To see the sun, is pleasant.-Advice, should be seasonably administered. The indulgence, of harsh dispositions, is the introduction to future misery-The best of men, often experience disappointments.

EXCEPTION 1.-An adjunct of importance not standing in its natural order; especially an adjunct of the verb, if it come before the subject. between the subject and verb, or between the verb and its object, may often be separated by a comma on both sides ;-as, ' Within the last fifteen years, that Honourable Body has lost a large proportion of its members.' That Honourable Body, within the last fifteen years, has lost, &c.' or, That Honourable Body has lost, within the last fifteen years, a large proportion, &c.'

Exercises.-The tutor by instruction and discipline lays the foundation of the pupil's future honour.-Charity like the sun brightens all its objects.-Gentleness is in truth the great avenue to mutual enjoyment.-Trials in this stage of being are the lot of man.-By industry and economy he amassed a large fortune. We have received by the late arri vals important news from Europe.

EXCEPTION 2.-The nominative case independent, when an address is made, and nouns in apposition, when attended with adjuncts, must be separated by commas; as, Do, Trim, said my uncle Toby.' Death, the King of terrors, chose a prime minister.'

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Exercises. Continue my dear child to make virtue thy principal study.-To you my worthy benefactors am I indebted under providence for all I enjoy-Hope the balm of life soothes us under every misfortune--Confucius the great Chinese philosopher was eminently good as well as wise.

EXCEPTION 3. The nominative case absolute, and the infinitive mood abso lute, with their adjuncts; an adjective or participle with words depending on it; and, generally, any imperfect phrase, which may be resolved into a sim ple sentence, must be separated by a comma; as, His father dying, he succeed ed to the estate.' To confess the truth, I was in fault.' Who, having fin ished the usual Academic course, have returned to us again, to prosecute your professional studies.'

Exercises.-Peace of mind being secured we may smile at misfortunes. To prevent fur ther altercation I submitted to the terms proposed.-Charles having been deprived of the help of tutors his studies became totally neglected.—The chancellor being attached to the king secured his crown.

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EXCEPTION 4.-Where the verb of a simple sentence is understood, a comma

may sometimes be inserted; as, From law arises security; from security, curiosity; from curiosity, knowledge.'

Exercises. From Boston he proceeded to New-York; from New-York to Philadel phia →As a companion he was severe and satirical; as a friend captious and dangerous; his domestic sphere harsh, jealous, and irascible.

RULE II.—A compound sentence must be resolved into simple ones, and separated by commas; as • The decay, the waste, and the dissolution of a plant may affect our spirits, and suggest a train of serious reflections

Exercises-Self-conceit presumption and obstinacy blast the prospect of many a youth.-Discomposed thoughts agitated passions and a ruffled temper poison every pleas are of life. We have no reason to complain of the lot of man nor of the world's mutablity-Sensuality contaminates the body depresses the understanding deadens the moral eelings of the heart and degrades man from his rank in the creation. It is labour only which gives the relish to pleasure.In that unaffected civility which springs from a gentle mind there is an incomparable charm,-Many of the evils which occasion our complaints of the world are wholly imaginary.

EXCEPTION 1.-Two words of the same kind, immediately connected by a conjunction, though they may render the sentence a compound one, must not be separated. But, if there be more than two, they must all be separated, unless connected in pairs, in which case the pairs only must be separated; as, Some men sin deliberately and presumptuously.' Deaths of parents, friends, and companions are doubtless intended for our improvement.' There is a natural difference between merit and demerit, virtue and vice, wisdom and folly.'

Exercises. We are fearfully, and wonderfully made.—Benefits should be long, and gratefully remembered.—When thy friend is calumniated openly, and boldly espouse his cause.-Human affairs are in continual motion, and fluctuation.-Time brings a gentle, and powerful opiate to all misfortunes. The man of virtue, and honour will be trusted, and esteemed.-Conscious guilt renders us mean-spirited timorous and base.—In our health life possessions connexions pleasures there are causes of decay imperceptibly working.Health and peace a moderate fortune and a few friends sum up all the undoubted articles of temporal felicity.-An upright mind will never be at a loss to discer what is ject and true lovely and honest praise-worthy and of good report. To live soberly ighteously and piously comprehends the whole of our duty.

EXCEPTION 2.-In comparative sentences, where the members are short, the comma is better omitted; as, Wisdom is better than riches.' • No preacher is

50 successful as time.'

Exercises.-How much better it is to get wisdom, than gold!-Mankind act oftener from caprice, than reason.-Expect no more from the world than it is able to afford you. The friendships of the world can subsist no longer than interest cements them--I do not like this so well, as that.

EXCEPTION 3.-Sentences, connected by what, cannot be separated; and, where the relative is understood, the comma is generally omitted; as, Eat what is set before you.' With sorrow may they mingle gratitude for the wise counsel he has given them, and for the excellent example he has set before them for imitation. Value duly the opportunities you enjoy.'

Exercises-I did not hear what, you said.-I did not receive the letter, you sent me. The music, we heard last evening, was very fine.-This is the man, we saw yesterday. EXCEPTION 4. When a simple sentence stands as the object of a preceding verb, and its verb may be changed into the infinitive mood, the comma may be omited; as, When I supposed he was at rest;' changed, when I suppose him to be at rest.'

Exercises. They believed, he was dead.~I supposed, she was the person, who brought the news.—On the morrow while they thought, he was yet alive, they repaired to his house.

Of the Semicolon.

RULE III.—When a longer pause than a comma is required, and yet the

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sense is incomplete, a semicolon may be used; as, The wise man is happy, when he gains his own approbation; the fool, when he gas the applause of

those about him.'

Exercises-Straws swim upon the surface but pearls lie at the bottom.-The path of truth is a plain and sale path that of falsehood is a perplexing maze.-Modesty is one of the chief ornaments of youth and it has ever been esteemed a presage of rising merit.

Of the Colon.

The colon is frequently used in the three following cases.

1. When a member of a sentence is complete in itself, but followed by some supplemental remark, or further illustration of the subject; as, Great works are performed, not by strength, but perseverance: yonder palace was raised by single stones; yet you see its height and spaciousness.' A brute arrives at a point of perfection, that he can never pass in a few years he has all the en dowments he is capable of; and, were he to live ten thousand more, would be the same thing he is at present.'

2. When a semicolon, or more than one have preceded, and a still greater pause is necessary, in order to mark the connecting or concluding sentiment; as, 'We perceive the shadow to have moved along the dial, but did not see it moving; and it appears, that the grass has grown, though nobody ever saw it grow so the advances we make in knowledge, as they consist of insensible steps, are only perceivable by the distance."

3. When an example, a quotation, or a speech is introduced; as The scrip tures give us an amiable representation of the Deity, in these words: God is love.' 'He was often beard to say: I have done with the world, and am wil ling to leave it.'

Note. The use of the colon appears to be declining. Many late writers avoid the use of it altogether. They regard it as a point of indefinite character, taking the place sometimes of the semicolon, and sometimes of the period; and, consequently, perplexing us with a distinction, where there is no difference. Thus, in the examples above given of the colon, in the 1st case, the period might be used without any impropriety The sentences, separated by the colon in those examples, are not more connected, nor more dependent on one another, than many other sentences, which are generally separated by the period. In the 2nd case, the still greater pause' may be denoted equally as well by adding a dash to the semicolon, thus ;—and, in the 3rd case and in all similar examples, the place of the colon may be supplied by the semicolon, either with or without the dash.

Of the Period.

RULE IV. A sentence, making in itself complete sense, requires a period after it ; as. Fear God.' Honour your parents.'

A period is not unfrequently admitted between two sentences, which are joined by a conjunction; as, He, who lifts himself up to the observation and notice of the world is, of all men, the least likely to avoid censure. For he draws upon himself a thousand eyes, that will narrowly inspect him in every part.'

The period is also used after initials, and abbreviated words; as, N. B. for Nota Bene; A. D. for Auno Domini; Col. for Colonel; Mr. for Mister; &c. for et cætera.

Note. But few exercises have been given in punctuation, and those few, principally with the view to illustrate the rules and exceptions. Perhaps the best method of teach. ing punctuation is, at the same time that the pupil is attending to parsing, by analyzing sentences, resolving them into their component parts, and determining the propriety or impropriety of the punctuation, by a practical application of the rules. Of this highly useful and important exercise, the following may serve as a specimen.

Example The indulgence of barsh dispositions is the introduction to future misery.? Resolution. This is a simple sentence, of which 'indulgence' is the subject, and 'is'

the verb. Harsh dispositions' is an adjunct of the subject, connected by the preposition ' of ;' ' introduction' is an adjunct of the verb, and 'future misery' is an adjunct of that adjunct, connected by the preposition to. These adjuncts being connected, either with not subject or the verb, in a different manner, the sentence is simple, and its members must the be separated, according to Rule I.

Example. The tutor, by instruction and discipline, lays the foundation of the papil's future honour.'

Resolution. This is a simple sentence, because it has but one subject, tutor,' and one finite verb, 'lays. By instruction and discipline' is an adjunct of the verb, coming between the subject and verb; and, therefore, separated by commas on both sides, according to Exception 1. to Rule I... The rest of the sentence may be resolved according to the first example.

The following characters are also frequently used in composition.

Of the Dash

The Dash, though often used improperly by hasty and incoherent writers, may be introduced with propriety where the sentence breaks off abruptly; where a significant pause is required; or where there is an unexpected turn in the sentiment ;-as, If thou art he, so much respected once-but oh! how fallen! how degraded !' If acting conformably to the will of our creator,-if promoting the welfare of mankind around us,-if securing our own happiness, are objects of the highest moment ;-then we are called upon to cultivate and extend the great interests of religion and virtue.'—A dash, following a stop, denotes that the pause is to be greater, than if the stop were alone; and, when used by itself, requires a pause of such a length, as the sense alone can deter mine.

Here lies the great False marble, where ?
'Nothing but sordid dust lies here.'

'Whatever is, is right.-This world, 'tis true,
'Was made for Cæsar-but for Titus too.'

Of the Interrogatory Point, ?

A note of Interrogation is used at the end of an interrogative sentence; that is, when a question is asked ;-as, ' Who will accompany me? Shall we always be friends?

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Questions, which a person asks himself in contemplation, ought to be terminated by points of interrogation ;-as, Who adorned the heavens with such exquisite beauty? At whose command do the planets perform their constant revolutions ?'

To whom can riches give repute or trust,

'Couteat or pleasure, but the good and just ?"

A point of interrogation is improper after sentences, which are not questions, but only expressions of admiration, or of some other emotion ;-as, With what prudence does the Son of Sirach advise us, in the choice of our companions!' A note of interrogation should not be employed in cases where it is only said, that a question has been asked, and where the words are not used as a question. The Cyprians asked me why I wept.' To give this sentence the interrogative form, it should be expressed thus, The Cyprians said to me, Why dost thou weep?'

Of the Exclamatory Point,!

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The note of Exclamation is applied to expressions of sudden emotion, surprise, joy, grief, &c. and also to invocations or addresses ;-as, ' My friend ! this conduct amazes me! Bless the Lord O my soul ! and forget not all his benefits!?

Oh! bad we both our humble state maintain❜d,
And safe in peace and poverty remain❜d !'

It is difficult in some cases, to distinguish between an interrogative and exclamatory sentence; but a sentence in which any wonder or admiration is expressed, and no answer expected or implied, may be always properly terminat. ed by a note of exclamation ;-as, "How much vanity in the pursuits of men! Who can sufficiently express the goodness of our Creator! What is more amiable than virtue !'

The points of Interrogation and Exclamation mark an elevation of the voice; and their utility appears from the following examples, in which the meaning is signified solely by the points.

• What condescension !'
'What condescension ?
"How great was the sacrifice!"
'How great was the sacrifice?'

Of the Parenthesis, ()

A Parenthesis is a clause containing some necessary information, or useful remark, introduced in the body of a sentence obliquely, and which may be omitted without injuring the grammatical construction; as, ' To gain a posthu mous reputation is to save four or five letters (for what is a name besides ?) from oblivion. Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them, that know the law,) bow that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth ?'

Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,)

• Virtue alone is happiness below.'

If the incidental clause is short, or perfectly coincides with the rest of the sentence, it is not proper to use the parenthetical characters. The following instances are therefore improper uses of the parenthesis. Speak you (who saw) his wonders in the deep. Every planet (as the Creator has made nothing in vain.) is most probably inhabited. He found them asleep again; (for their eyes were heavy ;) neither knew they what to answer him.

The Parenthesis generally marks a moderate depression of the voice, and may be accompanied with every point, which the sense would require, if the parenthetical characters were omitted. It ought to terminate with the same kind of stop, which the member has, that precedes it; and to contain that stop withthe parenthetical marks. We must, however except cases of interrogation and exclamation;-as, While they wish to please. (and why should they not wish it ?) they disdain dishonourable means. It was represented by an analogy, (Oh, how inadequate!) which was borrowed from the religion of paganism.'

Of the Apostrophe, Caret, &c.

An Apostrophe, marked thus is used to abbreviate or shorten a word;—as, 'tis for it is; tho' for though; e'en for even; judg'd for judged. Its chief use is to show the possessive case of nouos ;—as, · A ́man's property; a woman's oruament.'

A

A Caret, marked thus is placed where some word happens to be left out in writing, and which is inserted over the line. This mark is also called a circumflex, when placed over a particular vowel to denote a long syllable ;—as, • Euphrates.'

A Hyphen, marked thus is employed in connecting compound words ;-as, Lap-dog, tea-pot, pre-existence, self-love, to-morrow, mother-in-law.