closely connected by a conjunction or a conjunctive adverb, the comma is generally omitted; as, "The remedy is worse than the disease."-"I know not whether he departed or stayed."

RULE III.—MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

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

1. "By turns they felt the glowing mind,

Disturb'd, delighted, raised, refined."—Collins.

2. "Who, to th' enraptured heart, and ear, and eye,

Teach beauty, virtue, truth, and love, and melody." Obs.—Two or more words are in the same construction, when they have a common dependence on some other term, and are parsed alike.

RULE IV.-ONLY TWO WORDS.

When only two words or terms are connected by a conjunction, they should not be separated by the comma; as, "Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul."— Goldsmith.

Exc. 1.—When the two words connected have several adjuncts, the comma is inserted; as, "By punctuality in his engagements, and honesty in his dealings, he grew wealthy and respected."

Exc. 2.—When the two words connected are emphatically distinguished, the comma is inserted; as,

66

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

Beattie.

"Mere prattle, without practice,

Is all his soldiership."—Shakspeare.

Exc. 3.—When there is merely an alternative of words, the comma is inserted; as, "We saw a large opening, or inlet."

What says Rule 3d of more than two words?---Rule 4th, of only two words? How many and what exceptions are there to Rule 4th?

Exc. 4.—When the conjunction is understood, the comma is inserted; as,

"Thee the noise, the dance obey."—Gray.

RULE V. WORDS IN PAIRS.

When successive words are joined in pairs by conjunctions, they should be separated in pairs by the comma; as, "Interest and ambition, honour and shame, friendship and enmity, gratitude and revenge, form the chief motives of human action."

RULE VI. WORDS ABSOLUTE.

Words put absolute, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma; as, "The prince, his father being dead, succeeded."—" His prœtorship in Sicily, what did it produce ?"

RULE VII. WORDS IN APPOSITION.

Words put in apposition, (especially if they have adjuncts,) are generally set off by the comma; as, "He that now calls upon thee, is Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe."

Exc. 1.—When several words are used as one compound name, the comma is not inserted; as, "Charles James Fox"—" Marcus Tullius Cicero."

Exc. 2.—When a common and a proper name are closely united, the comma is not inserted; as, "The river Severn"- "The queen Victoria."

Exc. 3.—When a pronoun is added to another word merely for emphasis and distinction, the comma is not inserted; as, "Ye men of England"—"I myself"—“ You princes."

Exc. 4.—When a name acquired by some action or relation, is put in apposition with a preceding noun or pronoun, the comma is not inserted; as, "I made the ground my bed"—"To make him king"—" With modesty thy guide."

RULE VIII.—ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives, when something depends on them, or when

What says Rule 5th of words in pairs ?... Rule 6th, of words put absolute ?--Rule 7th, of words in apposition ?---Rule 8th, of adjectives? How many and what exceptions are there to Rule 7th ?

they have the import of a dependent clause, should, with their adjuncts, be set off by the comma; as,

1.

66

Among the roots
Of hazel, pendent o'er the plaintive stream,
They frame the first foundation of their domes."

2. "The maids and matrons, on her awful voice,

Thomson.

Silent and pale, in wild amazement hung."—Collins. Exc.—When an adjective immediately follows its noun, and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be used before it; as,

"On the coast averse from entrance."

RULE IX.—FINITE VERBS.

-Milton.

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

RULE X.INFINITIVES.

The infinitive mood, when it follows a verb from which it must be separated, or when it depends on something remote or understood, is generally set off by the comma; as, "His duty was, to administer justice"—" To obey, was all we required of him."

RULE XI.—PARTICIPLES.

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

1. "Young Edwin, lighted by the evening star,

Ling'ring and list'ning, wander'd down the vale." 2. "United, we stand; divided, we fall."

3.

Properly speaking, there is no such thing as chance." Exc.—When a participle immediately follows its noun

What says Rule 9th of finite verbs ?---Rule 10th, of infinitives f..-Rule 11th, of participles? What is the exception to Rule 8th ?---to Rule 11th ?

and is taken in a restrictive sense, the comma should not be used before it; as,

"A man renowrCd for repartee,

Will seldom scruple to make free

With friendship's finest feeling."—Cowper.

RULE XII.-ADVERBS.

Adverbs, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they have not a close dependence on some particular word in the context, should be set off by the comma; as, "We must wait, however, till the opportunity arrives." "Besides, all was dark and uncomfortable."— "Truly, I do not know."

RULE XIII.-CONJUNCTIONS.

Conjunctions, when they are separated from the principal clause that depends on them, or when they introduce an example, are generally set off by the comma; as, "But, by a timely call upon Religion, the force of habit was eluded."—Johnson.

RULE XIV.-PREPOSITIONS.

Prepositions and their objects, when they break the connexion of a simple sentence, or when they do not closely follow the words on which they depend, are generally set off by the comma; as, "Fashion is, in general, nothing By writing, we make

but the ostentation of riches.". 66 others partakers in our knowledge."

66

RULE XV.-INTERJECTIONS.

Interjections are sometimes set off by the comma; as, "For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north."—Jeremiah i. 15.

RULE XVI.-WORDS REPEATED.

A word emphatically repeated, should be set off by the

What says Rule 12th of adverbs?---Rule 13th, of conjunctions ?---Rule 14th, of prepotitiont?---Rule 15th, of interjections ?---Rule 16th, of words repeated?

comma; as, "Happy, happy, happy pair!"-" Oh! dark, dark, dark."-Milton.

RULE XVII.—DEPENDENT QUOTATIONS.

A quotation or observation, when it is introduced by a verb (as, say, reply, and the like), is generally separated from the rest of the sentence by the comma; as, "My name,' she replied, 'is Wisdom.' — "I say unto all,

Watch."

OF THE SEMICOLON.

The Semicolon is used to separate those parts of a compound sentence which require a longer pause than the

comma.

RULE I. COMPOUND MEMBERS.

When several compound members, some or all of which require the comma, are constructed into a period, they are generally separated by the semicolon: as, "So true is it that our sentiments ever vary with the season; and that in adversity we are of one mind, in prosperity of another."— Harris.

RULE II. SIMPLE MEMBERS.

When several simple members, each of which is complete in sense, are constructed into a period, if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, they are usually separated by the semicolon: as, "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; and he that hateth suretiship is sure.' Prop. xi. 15.

RULE III. APPOSITION, &c.

Words in apposition, or in any other construction, if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, and less than that of the colon, may be separated by the semicolon: as, "There are three genders; the masculine, the feminine, and the neuter."

What says Rule 17th of dependent quotations? What is the general use of the semicolon? How many rules are there for the semicolon, and what are their heads? What says Rule 1st of compound members?---Rule 2d, of simple members? ...Rule 3d, of words in apposition?