PE 1450 .W6 1871 Copy 1 W4 TREATISE ENGLISH PUNCTUATION DESIGNED FOE LETTER-WRITERS, AUTHORS, PRINTERS, AND CORRECTOR^ OF THE PRESS; THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES. 8TOJ) an gtypenM):, CONTAINING RULES ON THE USE OP CAPITALS, A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, HINTS ON THE PREPARATION OF COPY AND ON PROOF-READING, SPECIMEN OF PROOF-SHEET, ETC. BY JO HltJwiL SON TWENTIETH WOOLWORTH, AINSWORTH, & CO., 51, 63, 55, JOHN STREET, NEW YORK. Ill, STATE STREET, CHICAGO. 1871. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by JOHN WILSON, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at "Washington. Cambridge : Printed by John Wilson and Son. PREFACE TO THE TWENTIETH EDITION". In 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 The work that follows is a new edition of one published by the writer in England, about 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," — hi 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 " Kemarks," 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 in schools, with more or less variation, to suit the capacity of each individual in a class. The Italic fines, 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 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 rules 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 jvhich so little aid, comparatively speaking, 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. Page. Sect. I. — The Importance and Uses of Correct Punc-. TUATION 1 Sect. II. — Plan of the Work, and Definitions of the 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 33 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 50 Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses 67 Parenthetical Phrases and Clauses 64 ! V1U 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 Words 112 SECT. II. THE SEMICOLON. A Sentence consisting of Two Conjoined Clauses 113 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. Bemarks on the Use and Abuse of the Colon 129 Two Clauses not joined by a Conjunction 130 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 3, Subheads, Phrases in Titlepages, &c 147 CONTENTS. IX Page. Names, Titles, and other Words, abbreviated 148 Marks, or Figures used instead of Words 150 Letters used for Figures or Words 160 CHAP, m. — THE GRAMMATICAL AND RHETORICAL POINTS. Introductory Observations 168 SECT. I. — NOTES OP INTERROGATION AND EXCLAMATION. I Remarks on the Notes of Interrogation and Exclamation . . 154 Expressions in the Form of Questions 165 Expressions indicating Passion or Emotion 159 SECT. II. — MARKS OF 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 175 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 191 Subheads, &c, to Paragraphs 194 Omission of Letters, Figures, or Words 195 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 Compound 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 OP QUOTATION. Words borrowed from a Speaker or an Author 228 One Quotation within Another 230 Extracts composed of Successive Paragraphs 232 CHAP. V. — MISCELLANEOUS MAUKS. 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. XI CHAP. VI. — GENERAL EXERCISES. Page. Introductory Observations 241 Pride and Humility, by Thomas Brown 242 Abou 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 Tayler 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 A P P EN D I X. Uses op Capital Letters 257 The First Word of a Book, Tract, &c 258 The First Word after a Full Point 258 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 .... 263 Words of Primary Importance 264 The Pronoun /, 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 Xii 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 301 Astronomical Characters 802 The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac 302 The Planetary Signs 802 The Lunar Signs 302 Aspects of the Planets 302 jlnts on preparing copt, and on reading proofs . . 303 Explanation of Proof-marks .316 Specimen of Proof-sheet - 820 Index , . . . . . 828 ENGLISH PUNCTUATION, CHAPTER L INTRODUCTION. Sect. I. — The Importance and Uses of 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, feeK 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 aim? It is the art of dividing a literary composition into sentences, and parts nf 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. 6 tho Lights, 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 marka may also be seen in Day's valuable little work, entitled " Punctuation reduced w> a System," pp. 33—45. 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 a 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 b 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 the y 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 own words. Let him also write copious exercises, io THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNGTUATION. 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 refine the taste, to improve the heart, and ennoble the mind, of 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. 9 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 Josing 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 all 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 1.