lifornia tonal lity Hlii::ii!!l IHIHII1 Ex Libris C. K. OODEN NY . fc TREATISE ENGLISH PUNCTUATION; DESIGNED FOB LETTER-WRITERS, AUTHOBS, PRINTERS, AND CORRECTORS OF THE PRESS; THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES. ESEttfj an CONTAINIXa RULES ON THE USE OF CAPITALS, A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS) HINTS ON THE PREPARATION OF COPT AND ON PROOF-READINQ, SPECIMEN OF PROOF-SHEET, ETC. BY JOHN WIIIJBNUBRAR1 OF ANGELES TWENTY-FIFTH EDITION. POTTER, AINSWORTH, & COMPANY, NEW YORK AND CHICAGO. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year J871, by JOHN WILSON, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at "Washington. University Press : John Wilson & Son, Cambridge. PREFACE TO THE TWENTIETH EDITION. Is 1826, an edition of this work, designed solely for printers, was first published. In 1850, the second edition appeared, greatly enlarged, and designed for letter-writers, authors, printers, and correctors of the press. In 1855, the author, in his Preface to the third edition, says : " In presenting anew the following treatise, the author would say, that, agreeably to the admission contained in the closing paragraph of the Preface to the second edition, he has embraced the opportunity of making what is conceived to be further improvements, by changing occasionally the modes of expression, enlarging the remarks and exercises, rewriting and extending the section on compound and de- rivative words, drawing up a more copious list of abbrevia- tions, offering to young authors some considerations on the preparation of ' copy,' and appending a full and minute Index. He feels justified in affirming, that not only in its present form, but in its past, this book is the most complete of any on the subject that he has seen." And now, three years after the author's death, this edi- tion the twentieth is offered to the public, in the hope that it may still continue to merit the approval awarded to former editions. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 1871. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION THB work that follows Is a new edition of one published by the writer in England, abont six years ago, under the title of " A Trea- tise on Grammatical Punctuation ; " the difference consisting, not in their fundamental principles, but in the mode in which these are stated, in the divisions of the subjects treated of, in the augmentation of the exercises, and in the insertion of matter which is entirely new. The proper manner of using the book will depend altogether on the capabilities of the learner. If unversed in Punctuation, or but slightly acquainted with the art, it is recommended, that, after a careful study of Sect. II. of the " Introduction," he confine his attention to the leading principles laid down in the definitions and rules, all of which are printed in a larger character, and may be readily seen ; and also to their illustrations, which are given under the head of " Examples " and of " Oral Exercises," in that por- tion which applies merely to the rules. When he has gone through this course, he will have been furnished with as much information as will enable him to comprehend the exceptions or the additional principles contained in the " Remarks," and to explain or write and punctuate the remaining or second series of exercises in accordance both with the rules and the remarks. These modes of studying the book, it is conceived, may be advantageously adopted hi schools, with more or less variation, to suit the capacity of each individual in a class. The Italic lines, under the heads termed " Exercises," are mere general directions, which the teacher may modify according to his own taste and judg- ment But, beyond these brief hints, the writer has not prescribed a* VI PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. any questions for examination, because he thinks that such a pro- cedure, common as it is in elementary books, either offers a premium to sloth and ignorance on the part of an instructor, or implies an insult to his understanding and his talents, as if he were less capable than an author of knowing what to ask of those under his charge. Though written in a manner which specially adapts it to instruc- tion in schools, the work is also designed for printers and private students, all of whom must have some previous acquaintance with English literature ; and also for young authors, who can have little difficulty in mastering an art so intimately connected with their tastes or profession. For this class of students, the exercises termed "Oral" will be found peculiarly serviceable; tending, as they do by a variety of examples, to impress on the mind the practical applications of the rales and remarks to which they refer. At the request of friends, the writer has introduced into the Appendix a short article on Proof-reading, the insertion of which will, he trusts, be found of some use to authors and printers, if not to general readers. With respect to the mode in which the work has been executed, its author asks no indulgence but that of candor and good feeling. He has ventured, as in the former edition, to call the book a " Trea- tise," because he professes to have gone somewhat thoroughly into the subject with which it deals ; but he does not flatter himself, that he has cleared away every obstacle which has beset one small but requisite pathway to literary excellence. On the contrary, he feels that in a production of this nature, which requires so- much expe- rience and accuracy, and for the preparation of which so little aid, comparatively speakuig, can be derived from other writers, all is not yet effected that can be done to simplify, and to put on a firm basis, that despised but useful art, the art of Punctuation. BOSTON, May, 1850. CONTENTS. CHAP. I. INTRODUCTION. Paga SECT. I. THE IMPORTANCE AND USES OF CORKECT PUNC- TUATION 1 SHOT. II. PLAN OF THE WORK, AND DEFINITIONS OF THB TERMS USED 19 CHAP. H. - THE GRAMMATICAL POINTS. Introductory Observations 26 SECT. I. THE COMMA. Remarks on the Use of the Comma 27 Two Words, of the same Part of Speech, connected by the Conjunctions and, or, nor 28 Two Words, of the same Part of Speech, not connected by a Conjunction 83 Series of Words of the same Part of Speech 37 Words or Phrases in Apposition 41 Words or Phrases in Contrast 45 The Subject and the Predicate 60 Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses 57 Parenthetical Phrases and Clauses 64 Vlil CONTENTS. Page. Vocative Words, Phrases, and Clauses 68 Adjectival, Participial, and Absolute Phrases 69 Adverbs and Adverbial Phrases 72 Phrases at the End of Sentences or Clauses 78 Inverted or Transposed Expressions 83 One Clause depending on Another 89 Correlative Words, Phrases, and Clauses 93 Phrases and Clauses in the same Construction 98 Clauses having a Verb understood 104 Clauses consisting of Short Quotations or Remarks .... 108 Numeral Figures and Worda 112 SECT. II. THE SEMICOLON. A Sentence consisting of Two Conjoined Clauses 118 Expressions divided into Simpler Parts 116 A Series of Expressions having a Common Dependence . . . 120 Short Sentences slightly Connected 125 Lists of Words, Phrases, and Numbers . 128 SECT. III. THE COLON. Remarks on the Use and Abuse of the Colon 129 Two Clauses not joined by a Conjunction 180 Conjoined Members of Sentences 134 Quotations, Remarks, &c., formally Introduced ...... 138 The Chanting Service in the Liturgy . 141 Terms in the Rule of Three 141 Concluding Remarks 141 SECT. IV. THE PERIOD. Complete and Independent Sentences 142 s, Subheads, Phrases in Titlepages, &c 147 CONTENTS. IX rage. Names, Titles, and other Words, abbreviated 148 Marks or Figures used instead of Words 160 Letters used for Figures or Words 160 CHAP. HI. THE GRAMMATICAL AND RHETORICAL POINTS. Introductory Observations 168 SECT. I. NOTES OF INTERROGATION AND EXCLAMATION. Remarks on the Notes of Interrogation and Exclamation . . 164 Expressions in the Form of Questions 166 Expressions indicating Passion or Emotion 169 SECT. II. MARKS OP PARENTHESIS. Observations on Parentheses, and Marks of Parenthesis . . . 167 Words thrown obliquely into the Body, of a Sentence .... 168 SECT. III. THE DASH. Remarks on the Use and Abuse of the Dash 174 Broken and Epigrammatic Sentences 176 A Concluding Clause on which other Expressions depend . . 178 The Echo, or Words repeated Rhetorically 182 A Parenthesis coalescing with the Main Passage 186 Ellipsis of the Adverb " Namely," &c. 181 Subheads, &c., to Paragraphs 194 Omission of Letters, Figures, or Words 186 X CONTENTS. CHAP. IV. LETTER, SYLLABIC, AND QUOTATION POINTS. Page. Introductory Observations ; 197 SECT. I. THE APOSTROPHE. Elision of Letters, or Shortening of Words 198 The Genitive or Possessive Case 204 SECT. II. THE HYPHEN. Remarks on the Uses of the Hyphen 208 Componnd Words 209 Prefixes in Derivative Words 219 The Division of Words into Syllables, according to their Pro- nunciation 224 The Division of Words into Syllables, according to their Form, Derivation, or Meaning 225 SECT. III. MARKS OF QUOTATION. Words borrowed from a Speaker or an Author 228 One Quotation within Another 230 Extracts composed of Successive Paragraphs 232 CHAP. V. - MISCELLANEOUS MARKS. Brackets, or Crotchets 235 A Comma Inverted; Two Commas 236 The Index, or Hand; Three Stars; the Caret; the Brace . . 237 Marks of Ellipsis ; Leaders 238 Accents; Marks of Quantity; the Cedilla; the Tilde . ... 239 Marks of Reference 240 CONTENTS. D CHAP. VI. GENERAL EXERCISES. Page. Introductory Observations 241 Pride and Humility, by Thomas Brown 242 Abon Ben Adhem, by Leigh Hunt 244 Panegyric on England, by Edward Everett 245 The Pen and the Press, by John Critchley Prince 247 A Taste for Reading, by George S. Hillard 248 Relative Perfection, by John James Taylor >. 250 Labor not Lost, by R. C. Trench 251 Ancient and Modern Writers, by Charles Sumner 252 The True Source of Reform, by E. H. Chapin 258 Great Men generally Good, by John Logan 254 APPENDIX. CTsKS OF CAPITAL LETTERS 257 The First Word of a Book, Tract, &c 268 The First Word after a Full Point 268 Appellations of God and Christ 259 Titles of Honor and Respect 261 Names of Persons, Places, &c 262 Nouns and Adjectives derived from Proper Names .... 268 Words of Primary Importance 264 The Pronoun 7, and the Interjection 265 Commencement of Lines in Verse 266 Prosopopoeia, or Personification 266 Quotations, Examples, &c 267 Capitals used instead of Figures 268 Titlepages, Inscriptions, &c < 268 XU CONTENTS. Page. ITALIC CHARACTERS 269 TERMS RELATING TO BOOKS 270 Captions, Subheads, Sideheads, and Running Titles ... 270 Signatures 271 Names of Various Sizes of Books 271 ABBREVIATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE LETTERS .... 272 Various Modes of Forming Abbreviations . 272 Table of Abbreviations 277 MEDICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SIGNS 801 ASTRONOMICAL CHARACTERS 302 The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac 802 The Planetary Signs 802 The Lunar Signs 802 Aspects of the Planets 802 HINTS ON PREPARING COPT, AND ON BEADING PROOFS . . 808 EXPLANATION OF PROOF-MARKS 816 SPECIMEN OF PROOF-SHEET 820 INDEX ... 323 ENGLISH PUNCTUATION. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. SECT. L THE IMPORTANCE AND USES OP CORRECT PUNCTUATION. No one will hesitate to admit, that next in value to the capacity of discerning or discovering truth, and of feel- ing the blessed relations which we sustain to the Being who made us, and to our fellow-creatures, particularly those with whom we are more immediately connected, is the power, by which intelligence and emotion are communicated from one mind to another. By it the great and the gifted of past times have bequeathed to us many a rich legacy of thought and deed ; and by it those of the present either re-create the old materials, or fashion new ones, for the delight and improvement of their own generation ; and transmit to the future to beings yet unborn their treasures of wisdom, of genius, and of love. This power, it is needless to say, is language, oral and written, especially the latter. But as oral speech has its tones and inflections, its pauses and its emphases, and other variations of voice, 1 2 INTRODUCTION. to give greater expression to the thoughts which spoken words represent, and to produce on the mind of the hearer a more rapid and intense impression than lifeless enunciation could effect ; so written or printed language is usually accompanied by marks or points, to enable the reader to comprehend at a glance the precise and deter- minate sense of the author, a sense which, without these marks, would in many instances be gathered only by an elaborate and painful process, and very often be misunderstood. It therefore obviously follows, that the art which serves to elucidate the meaning of a writer, to bring out his ideas with more facility, and to render his expressions a genuine transcript of the feelings and sentiments which he would convey to the hearts and the minds of others, is entitled to no small degree of attention. Now, it is indisputable that Punctuation does conduce to make written language more effective, by exhibiting with greater precision and definiteness the ideas, feel- ings, and emotions of an author, than could be accom- plished by a mass of words, however well chosen, if brought together without those peculiar marks which show the multifarious varieties of union or of separa- tion existing in thought and expression. For what is Punctuation, and what its ami? It is the art of dividing a literary composition into sentences, and parts of sentences, by means of points, for the purpose of exhibiting the various combinations, connections, and dependencies of words. And what is this process but a means of facilitating that analysis and combination which must be made, consciously or unconsciously, before we can penetrate to the very core of an author's THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 3 thoughts, and appropriate them as food for the life and growth of our own minds ? We would not overrate the importance of Punctua- tion, or deny that many subjects are worthy of a higher regard, and have a more immediate and vital influence on the well-being of society. But we would emphati- cally say, that this subject ought to be understood by all who are led, by the bent of their tastes, the force of their genius, or their condition in life, to enter upon any of the walks of literature, whether they would tread an humble and a beaten track, or wander into paths adorned by flowers and fruit. It is related to philology and metaphysics, and indeed, more or less, to every science or art communicated by the instrumentality of written language. It is intimately connected with the principles of grammar ; subservient to the purposes of syntax ; essential to the clearing-up of ambiguities, which so often obscure composition ; and useful to the more ready understanding even of those sentences whose construction is not liable to the charge of obscurity. By the omission or the improper insertion of points, not only would the beauties and elegances of literature, but even its advantages, be faintly discerned and enjoyed, except by the most attentive readers, or by men of superior taste and information : the sense of even the more simple and familiar class of productions such as the narra- tive, the essay, or the epistle would be liable to be misapprehended, or, at least, to be imperfectly under- stood. Indeed, the perusal of a single page of any work will bear testimony to the comparative value of a just punctuation. Nay, scarcely can a sentence be perused with satisfaction or interest, unless pointed with 4 INTRODUCTION. some degree of accuracy. The well-known speech of Norval, for instance, in the tragedy of " Douglas," may, by an erroneous use of the pauses, be delivered in such a manner as to pervert or destroy the meaning ; as, - - " My name is Norval on the Grampian hills. My father feeds his flock a frugal swain ; Whose constant cares were to increase his store. We fought and conquered ere a sword was drawn. An arrow from my bow, had pierced their chief Who wore that day the arms which now I wear." But the insertion of the right stops will restore the sense of these passages, and render them conformable to the conceptions of the dramatist : " My name is Norval. On the Grampian hills My father feeds his flock ; a frugal swain, Whose constant cares were to increase his store. We fought and conquered. Ere a sword was drawn, An arrow from my bow had pierced their chief, Who wore, that day, the arms which now I wear." Notwithstanding, however, its utility, Punctuation has not received that attention which its importance demands. Considered merely as the plaything of the pedant, or as the peculiar function of the printer, it is often neglected or perverted by those who have occasion to present to the eye either their own thoughts or the thoughts of others. The man of science, the mental philosopher, and the philologist seem to regard it as too In the note at the end of this section, page 18, will be found a few other instances of erroneous pointing, which, though in their nature sufficiently ludicrous, show in a forcible manner the necessity of paying a due regard to punctuation. Many happy illustrations of the importance of correct marks may also be seen in Day's valuable little work, entitled " Punctuation reduced to a System," pp. 3345. THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. trifling, amid their grander researches into the laws of the universe, the internal operations of the human mind, and its external workings by means of language. The grammarian passes it by altogether unheeded, or lays down u few general and abstract principles ; leaving the pupil to surmount the difficulties of the art as well as he may. The lawyer engrosses in a character which is perfectly legible ; but, by its deficiency in sentential marks, it often proves, like the laws of which he is the expounder, " gloriously uncertain " as to the meaning intended to be expressed. The painter, the engraver, and the lithographer appear to set all rules at defiance, by either omitting the points or misplacing them, when required in certain departments of their work. The let- ter-writer, with his incessant and indiscriminate dashes, puts his friend, his beloved one, his agent, or his em- ployer, to a little more trouble, in conning over his epistle, than is absolutely necessary. Even the author who, of all writers, ought to be the most accurate not unfrequently puts his manuscript into the printer's hands, either destitute of grammatical points, or so badly punctuated as to create a needless loss of time to the compositor. But though an acquaintance with the principles of the art in question has been deemed the peculiar province of the printer, who might therefore be expected to have the requisite qualifications for the performance of his task ; yet it must be admitted, that from the press are issued many books, grossly erroneous in sentential marks ; and perhaps not a few, which, though distin- guished for elegance of style, accuracy of orthography, or beauty of printing, are unworthy of being held up D INTRODUCTION. as models of good taste and judgment in the use of points. It is a fact well known to those connected with the press, that compositors in general have a very deficient knowledge of Punctuation, considered as a branch of science ; and that they acquire what they do know of it as an art, chiefly by mechanical habit, or by the correction of innumerable blunders, marked on the proof-sheets. To make these observations, however, without grant- ing many exceptions, would savor more of the petulance of presumption than of the candor of true criticism. There are numerous masterpieces of composition, in which the writer, the compositor, and the corrector of the press, have, either separately or together, inserted points with taste and propriety. But enough has been said to demonstrate the necessity for an increased attention to the subject, and to prove a very obvious, though not an acknowledged, truth, that the principles of Punctuation must be duly learned, before they can be understood, or brought into system- atic and perfect use. The question, then, will naturally arise, How is the desired improvement to be effected ? how are the theory and practice of the art to be attained ? We answer, By the most simple means ; by the very means which are so well adapted to other subjects of learning. Let Punctuation form a branch of academi- cal instruction ; let it be studied, after a competent knowledge of English etymology and syntax has been acquired ; let the rules be thoroughly comprehended by the pupil, be explained to him, if necessary, in the teacher's language, and re-explained by himself in his owa words. Let him also write copious exercises, in THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 7 order to bring into further play his judgment and taste ; and let him present to his teacher these trials of his skill, to be examined and approved or corrected. By this means will he soon be capable of so punctuating his own compositions as to be read by others with ease, pleasure, and advantage. This is an age of authors, as well as of readers. Young aspirants after fame, some of them of considera- ble merit, meet us at every step, and in every department of literature. But surely, if they are capable of enlight- ening the world by their wisdom, or dazzling it by their genius, they can have no difficulty in writing so as to be understood. If they have thoughts worthy of being communicated through the agency of the pen and the press, they surely cannot with justice regard it as any degradation of their powers to submit to the task of indicating, as accurately as possible, what they do really intend to say. If there is beauty in their style ; if there is pathos in their sentiments ; if there is moral and intel- lectual vigor in the thoughts that burn for utterance ; if their discourse is calculated to i*fine the taste, to improve the heart, and ennoble the mind, f the reader, surely they should be careful that that beauty be not marred, that that pathos be not unfelt, that that vigor be not weakened, that that discourse be not shorn of half its power over the character and happiness of others, from the petty motive of saving themselves the trouble of learning what, of all men, from the very nature of their pursuits, they are the best able and most bound to learn. Besides, it is worthy of remark, that, by habituating themselves to the practice of pointing, their attention will naturally be directed to clearness of thought, and 8 INTRODUCTION. accuracy of expression. They will be more apt to regard words as but of little value, except as repre- sentatives of ideas, and as an instrument by which these may gain access to the human soul. If involved in the difficulty of punctuating a badly formed sentence, such as the following, " God heapeth favors on his servants ever liberal and faithful," supposing this to imply that the Divine Being is ever liberal and faithful, they will almost necessarily be led to reconstruct it, that they may rid themselves of their perplexity, and leave no doubt as to the sense meant to be conveyed ; for, beyond all question, facility in punctuation is generally in proportion to the perspicuity and the good arrange- ment of words. Let authors, therefore, turn a little of their attention to the elements of this art, trifling and undignified as it may seem to be. Let them not trans- fer to their printer that department of duty which as authors it is their own province to fill. With some few boasted exceptions, no doubt much overrated, neither compositors nor correctors of the press are immaculate ; for they do not understand all the subjects treated of in books, and cannot with accuracy punctuate what they do not comprehend. It was in bygone times a preliminary requisite, that printers should be acquainted with what are termed the learned languages. But though, in this age of a more general and superficial literature, a profound knowledge of Hebrew points, Greek accents, and Latin quantities, is no longer required, it is necessary that compositors be acquainted with the principles of their native tongue, and with the functions of the peculiar marks used for setting off sentences, clauses, and phrases. Were every THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. U author to write his work in a fair, legible character, and so punctuate his language as to convey the sense clearly and correctly, then might compositors act as mere machines, and " follow " their " copy." But, until writers for the press condescend to use the stops system- atically and accurately, the humble workmen who put together the world-enlightening types must be more than unconscious machines : they must, to some degree, enter into the conceptions of those on whose works they are employed, and develop the sense of their manuscripts, with the greatest possible discrimination, by the help and service of the poor, despised, but useful handmaids, the commas, the semicolons, and other little points. We know well the feeling which very naturally and pro- perly exists in the minds of compositors, that the " copy " put into their hands should be prepared with an accuracy which would preclude the necessity, on their part, of losing time by pondering over the manuscript in order to render it intelligible to the reading public. But this we know also, that, in the actual state of things, the time thus apparently lost is, when employed aright, a com- parative gain, by reason of the far greater consumption of unprofitable labor in the insertion and extraction of points, after the proof-sheet has been returned by the corrector of the press. If the manuscript be defective or erroneous in its sentential marks, the compositor must either take a little trouble in pointing it himself, or have it done for him afterwards by the proof-reader, to the serious diminution of his professional character, his good temper, and his weekly wages. But, further, we would ask, Is not the operative who comprehends the principles of his calling, who really knows what he is about, 10 INTRODUCTION. a happier and a nobler being than he who works at mere random, and stumbles at every petty obstruction in his way ? Does not his daily toil become a pleasure, when it brings into play the exercise of a fine taste and a cultivated understanding? Do not his very difficulties become a source of satisfaction, when he himself can solve them, without being forced for ever to ask the aid of his fellow-workmen, or to submit to the painful pro- cess of undoing what he has already done, of altering and improving what he has ignorantly and blunderingly executed? Do not, indeed, these difficulties become less and less, the more frequently he is successful in removing them? Does he not, by his endeavors to perform his work in a skilful manner, acquire habits of discrimination, that will enable him, in cases at which others would fret and foam or idly stand, to see, as it were intuitively, the very thing required, and the mode in which it should be done ? These questions may be asked in relation to manual labor of any kind. They may be asked, too, in respect to ail the branches of work in which a compositor may be engaged. But they are put here chiefly in reference to his knowledge and appliance of the art of Punctuation ; and we feel assured, that, if desirous of being able to insert points with skill and propriety, he will also aim to perform well all the duties pertaining to his sphere of toil. If, therefore, the compositor would lose as little as possible of that time which is so valuable to him ; if he would have at his command greater pecuniary resources than he can have by ignorance of his art, or by habits of carelessness ; if, by the exercise of his intellectual powers, he would deprive physical toil of no small share THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 11 of its pain or lassitude, let him, if now ignorant of the subject, never rest contented till he is able both to understand the principles on which Punctuation is based, and to bring them into full practice. The remarks just made have the strongest claim on the attention of youths learning the art of type-setting ; many of whom, stimulated by a love of change or by false views of independence, soon break loose from those steady and regular habits which are necessary for mastering the difficulties of any occupation ; moving about from one employer to another, without having a disposition or sufficient time to attain a knowledge even of the first principles of the craft by which they are to earn a living. But if desirous of perfecting themselves in the various branches of typography, one of which we have shown to be the art of Punctuation, it is of the greatest moment that they resolve to remain with a person whom they can regard as a friend as well as an employer ; and receive from him, or at their leisure hours from the study of books designed for the purpose, such instruction as will conduce to their improvement, and render them, when of age, competent to discharge, with honor to themselves and with satisfaction to others, the duties pertaining to their profession. If a knowledge of Punctuation is admitted to be requisite to the setter of types, there will be the utmost reason for regarding it as indispensable to a reader of proof-sheets. Besides the multiform duties devolving on or expected from him, of correcting and improving the work of compositors, which is seldom, if ever, a faithful representation of the " copy ; " of rectifying the orthography of inexperienced writers, and drawing 12 INTRODUCTION. the attention of others to errors in grammar and con- struction, into which the most accurate will sometimes fall, the professional corrector is generally required, in the existing state of authorship, to devote a great part of his attention to the proper insertion of points, and thus to present to the public eye in a readable con- dition what would otherwise be an ill-digested mass of letters and words. When it is considered that he has not unfrequently to perform this task amid doubts and difficulties arising from manuscript almost illegible, it will be seen how necessary it is for correctors of the press to possess that kind of knowledge which is so easily within their reach, and which at present forms an essential and a peculiar feature of their calling, an accurate knowledge of the theory and practice of Punc- tuation. It would not be right to expect from them, even if they were better remunerated, perfect accuracy in their work ; but, so long as they hold so responsible a situation, their ignorance of this branch of their pro- fession should be regarded as inexcusable. It may be, and has been, objected to the study of this art, that it is not subject to any fixed or determinate principles ; that scarcely two writers follow the same mode of punctuating sentences. Where one author or printer uses a comma, another would insert a semi- colon ; and, where one thinks a semicolon ought to be employed, another prefers a colon, if not a comma. One teacher embarrasses the learner with an additional pause (the semicomma), by giving it " a local habitation and a name ; " while a different one discards the colon alto- gether as a useless point Some grammarians would THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 13 unfeelingly lop off the dash, as an excrescence on a printed leaf; but others, again, are so partial to its form and use as to call in its aid on every possible occasion. The objection has, on purpose, been strongly stated. But might not similar objections be adduced against the orthography, the etymology, and the syntax of the Eng- lish language; against, indeed, the general principles of English Grammar ? Might it not be demonstrated, that grammarians and lexicographers differ in spelling, in pronunciation, in the classification of the parts of speech, in modes of derivation and of construction, and in the position of relatives and adverbs ? Might not a plausible treatise be written against grammatical prin- ciples, as plausible, but just as illogical and uncon- vincing, as are the common and startling objections against a system of Punctuation? Might it not be shown, that Johnson and Lowth, Blair, Murray, and Crombie, have attacked the dicta of others, and have had their own attacked in turn ? Might it not be proved, that kings and queens, statesmen and historians, poets and essayists, nay, even professed grammarians, have written false English, and violated the most generally acknowledged canons of syntax ? But surely it would not be a fair conclusion to draw, from this diversity of opinion and from the employment of inelegant or incon- gruous English, that there are no determinate principles in the language ; that there is no authority to which an appeal can be made ; that authors may send forth their compositions into the world, without any regard what- ever to law or usage. Neither is it. we contend, a legitimate conclusion, that, because some writers dis- 14 iiSTUODUCTlON. agree in their system of pauses, and others point their works at random, therefore Punctuation is too trifling to demand serious attention, too unsettled to be treated as a branch of science, or practised with any degree of uniformity as an art. The writer, then, of the present work can have no hesitation in asserting, that the art of Punctuation is not more varied or changeable in its character than that of composition ; and that its essential principles are as fixed and determinate as those canons in sy r ntax, which, though sometimes violated by our best authors, are universally acknowledged to be indisputable. Diversities in the application of these principles will no more prove that modes of punctuating sentences are altogether arbitrary, than diversities in styles of composition will demonstrate that the labors of grammarians to ascertain the laws of language must go for nought, and that every writer may take whatever liberties he chooses, in opposition to reputable usage. As various modes of expressing a thought may be justifiably used, when they do not affect the principles of grammar ; though, as respects beauty, elegance, or force, one mode may be preferable to another: so also different methods of pointing a sen- tence may be allowable, when they do not violate the fundamental laws of Punctuation ; though they may be objectionable or otherwise, just as they are less or more calculated to please the eye, and bring out the sense of the passage. Perhaps one reason why Punctuation has been gene- rally undervalued or neglected is, that grammarians have devoted so little of their attention to the subject. The books, too, professedly written to elucidate its principles. THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 15 are, so far as have beeu observed by the writer of the present work, deficient either in an explanation of exceptions and difficulties ; in examples and exercises ; or in rules and remarks, illustrative of the diversified functions of the notes of interrogation and exclamation, the marks of parenthesis, the dash, the apostrophe, the hyphen, and the quotation-marks. For though these may be regarded as minor points, when compared to others of a more grammatical nature, yet they occur so frequently that no work on Punctuation which passes them over with only a few brief and hasty remarks can be considered practically and generally useful. Another cause of the neglect and misapprehension to which correct Punctuation is subject, arises probably from the false light in which it is regarded. Many per- sons seem to consider points as being the representatives only of rhetorical pauses ; as showing merely those places, in the utterance of a composition, at which time for breathing is required ; as indicating the definite pro- portions of the stops made in reading aloud. Hence not a few writers and authors point their manuscript exactly as they would recite it, in accordance with their power of enunciation, with the quickness or slowness of their perceptions, or with their particular views as to the influence of pauses on the minds of their hearers. Elo- cutionists themselves disagree in respect to the precise cessations of the voice which should be made in delivery. Granting, however, that there were no differences of opinion on this subject, and that all good speakers would make the same pauses in the reading of any given dis- course, it might even then be easily shown, that the points in common use would not be sufficient for rhetorical 16 INTRODUCTION. purposes ; and that, if thus employed, they would tend, by the necessity of perpetually repeating them, and the consequent minute separations of words and phrases, rather to perplex the judgment of the reader, than to facilitate his comprehension of the writer's meaning. Let us suppose, for instance, that the following passage were so punctuated as to correspond in some measure with the peculiar notation adopted by Mr. Vandenhotf, in his excellent work on the " Art of Elocution," pp. 73, 74, and with the real pauses demanded by an accurate and effective delivery, it would stand thus : " Men of superior genius ; while they see the rest of mankind, painfully struggling, to comprehend obvious truths; glance, themselves, through the most remote consequences; like lightning, through a path, that cannot be traced; they see the beauties of nature, with light and warmth, and paint them forcibly, without effort; as the morning sun, does the scenes he rises upon ; and, in several instances, communicate to objects, a morning fresh- ness, and unaccountable lustre, that is not seen in the creations of nature. The poet, the statuary, the painter, have produced images, that left nature far behind." But let the same sentence be punctuated by the rules of grammar, and not by those of rhetoric, and with the sole view of indicating the sense of the passage, it would appear as follows : '' Men of superior geniui, while they see the rest of mankind painfully struggling to comprehend obvious truths, glance themselves through the most remote consequences, like lightning through a path that cannot be traced. They see the beauties of nature with light and warmth, and paint them for- cibly without effort, as the morning sun does the scenes he rises upon ; and. In several instances, communicate to objects a morning freshness and unac- countable lustre that is not seen in the creations of nature. The poet, the statuary, the painter, have produced Ullages that left nature far behind." By comparing the two mod'is of punctuation adopted in the passage under notice, namely, the rhetorical or THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUATION. 17 close, and the grammatical or free, it will be obvious, that, wliile the latter tends to elucidate the aim of the writer, and to some extent assist the delivery, the for- mer throws nothing but obscurity on his meaning ; and, though showing the various pauses of the voice with greater accuracy, imparts no information whatever on matters which in delivery are as important, the inflec- tions, the intonations, the emphases, the calm, equable flow, or the wild torrent, of a good reader or an eloquent speaker. That grammatical and rhetorical punctuation are not one and the same, is acknowledged by the best elocu- tionists. Thus the writer just quoted says,* that " the grammatical pauses, which are addressed to the eye of the reader, are insufficient for the speaker, who addresses himself to the understanding ' through the porches of the ear.' . . . We have, therefore, rhetorical pauses, which are independent of, though consistent with and assistant to, the grammatical pauses." It must, however, be admitted that some of the points namely, the mark of admiration and of excla- mation, the parenthesis, and the dash partake more of a rhetorical character than the common and principal points ; and in this light we will consider them in the following pages. But, on the whole, it will be found that the art of Punctuation is founded rather on gram- mar than on rhetoric ; that its chief aim is to unfold the meaning of sentences, with the least trouble to the reader; and that it aids the delivery, only in so far as it tends to bring out the sense of the writer to the best advantage. " Art of Elocution," p 68. 2 18 INTRODUCTION. NOTES ILLUSTRATING THE VALUE OF CORRECT PUNCTUATION. 1. The following request is said to have been made at church: " A sailor going to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety." But, by an unhappy transposition of the comma, the note was thus read: "A sailor, going to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety." 2. A blacksmith, passing by a hair-dresser's shop, observed in the window an unpointed placard, which he read as follows : " What do you think? I'll shave you for nothing, And give you some drink." The son of Vulcan, with a huge black beard on his chin and a little spark in his throat, considered the opportunity too good to be lost. He accordingly entered; and, after the operation had been duly per- formed, asked, with the utmost sang froid, for the liquor. But the shaver of beards demanded payment; when the smith, in a stentorian voice, referred him to his own placard, which the barber very good- humoredly produced, and read thus : " What ! do you think I'll shave you for nothing, And give you some drink? " 3. Another example of the ludicrous will tend still better to show the value of just punctuation : " Every lady in this land Hath twenty nails upon each hand ; Five and twenty on hands and feet. And this is true, without deceit." If the present points be removed, and others inserted as follow the trne meaning of the passage will at once appear: " Every lady in this land Hath twenty nails : upon each hand Five; and twenty on hands and feet. And this is true, without deceit." PLAN OF THE WORK. 19 SRCT. IT. PLAN OF THE WORK, AND DEFINITIONS OF THE TERMS USED. In the preceding section, Punctuation was defined to be the art of dividing a written or printed discourse into sentences, and parts of sentences, by means of certain marks called points, for the purpose of exhibiting the various combinations, connections, and dependencies of words. Its uses also were found to consist primarily in developing, with as much clearness as possible, the sense and the grammatical constructions of a composi- tion ; and secondarily in showing, to some extent, the various pauses which are requisite for an accurate reading or delivery. We now proceed to enter on the practical mode of attaining the information required ; and, for the sake of order and of clearness of conception, it is proposed to regard the subject as separable into branches. We will treat, in the first place, of the marks pertaining to SENTENCES, which may be divided into two kinds, the common or principal points, which are chiefly of a grammatical nature ; and the less common but equally necessary points, which, occurring as they often do in animated composition, and being used for the twofold purpose of bringing out the sense and aiding the deli- very, are entitled to be spoken of as both grammatical and rhetorical. We will, lastly, speak of other marks, which either bear a more intimate relation to LETTERS and SYLLABLES than to words and sentences, or are of a varied and mixed character ; and hence these may 20 INTRODUCTION. be termed letter, syllabic, quotation, and miscellaneous points. Before, however, commencing the study of the laws which regulate the use of these marks, the learner should know at least as much of grammar as will enable him to distinguish, with tolerable accuracy, the different parts of speech into which language is resolvable. Be- sides this, it is essential that he be in some measure acquainted with the various kinds of sentences, their usual constructions, and the mode in which they may be analyzed into their component parts. Taking, there- fore, for granted that he is not entirely ignorant of the principles of the English language, we will intrude into the province of the grammarian, only so far as may be necessary for the student to form correct notions of the meaning of a few terms, relating to sentences, which will frequently occur in the rules and remarks, and without a due knowledge of which he would be unable fully to comprehend the laws of Punctuation. The terms alluded to, then, are denned and illustrated as follow : DEFINITIONS. I. A SENTENCE is an assemblage of words, so arranged as to form a proposition, or two or more related propositions; making, directly or indirectly, complete sense. II. A SIMPLE SENTENCE expresses only a simple proposition. It consists of one nominative, subject, or thing spoken of, and of a sin- gle predicate, or affirmation concerning the subject; as, 1. Calumny | destroys reputation. 2. The Creator | is good. 3. Kings | reign. [n these propositions, the words that precede the perpendicular lines are the subjects or nominatives, and those that follow are the predicates. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS. 21 A logician would define a proposition by stating it to be a sentence consisting of a subject; of the copula, or sign of predication; and of the predicate. But the explanation given will be found sufficiently correct for grammatical purposes. III. A COMPOUND SENTENCE consists of two or more simple sentences in combination, and therefore contains more than one nomi- native and finite verb, either expressed or understood ; as, 1. Virtue refines the affections; but vice debases them. 2. To err is human; to forgive, divine. 3. Age, though it lessens the enjoyment of life, increases our desire of living. That these sentences are compound will be seen at once by resolving each into two simple sentences: " Virtue refines the affections. Vice, on the other hand, debases the affections." " To err is human. To forgive is divine." "Age lessens the enjoyment of life. It, how- ever, increases our desire of living." IV. MEMBERS. When a sentence consists of several clauses, admitting of a union of some and a separation of others, those which are combined may together be called members ; as, The ox knoweth his owner, | and the ass his 'master's crib: || but Israel doth not know ; | my people do not consider. In this example there are four clauses: the first two forming one member; the latter two, another member. In many books, however, the word member is used in its primary and more extensive sense, as denoting any portion of a sentence, whether a single clause, a phrase, or a word. V. A CUAUSE is a simple sentence, or part of a sentence, united to another, and contains a nominative and a finite verb, either ex- pressed or understood ; as, 1. That high moral excellence is true greatness | cannot be denied. 2. Candor is a quality | which all admire. 8. Though he slay me, | yet will I trust in him. 4. The smile of gayety may be assumed, | while the heart aches within. 5. Gentleness often disarms the fierce, | and melts the stubborn. When the subject of a proposition is itself a sentence, or contains a finite verb, as in No. 1, above, it is called a nominative clause; when a clause begins with a relative pronoun, as the last in No. 2, it is termed a relative clause ; when clauses are introduced by correspond- 22 INTRODUCTION. ing words, as " though " and " yet " in No. 3, they are named correla- tive ; when one clause is subject to another for completeness of sense, as those in No. 4, they are called dependent ; and when one is simply added to another, co-ordinate or consecutive clauses, as exemplified in No. 5. VI. A PHRASE consists of at least two words, being a form of expression, or part of a sentence, which has no finite verb, expressed or understood ; and which therefore does not of itself make any asser- tion, or form complete sense ; as, 1. In haste. 2. Of all our senses. 3. By infinite wisdom. 4. Awkward in person. 6. Studious of praise. 6 Useful to artiitts. 7. To confess the trutd. 8. Law and order. 9. A man of wisdom. In works on grammar, these and similar expressions are usually calle