SECTION IV. -The Period. The Period marks the completion of the sentence. RULE 1. COMPLETE SENTENCES. - Sentences which are complete in sense, and not connected in construction with what follows, and not exclamatory, or interrogatory, in their character, should be followed by a period. RULE 2. AFTER TITLES, ETC. - A period should be used after the title, or any of the headings, of a book; after the author's name and titles, on the title-page; after the address of a person, on a letter or note; and after each signature to a letter or other document. RULE 3. AFTER ABBREVIATIONS. - A period is used after all abbreviated words. NOTE 1. The most common method of abbreviation is to use the first letter of a word for the whole word, as B. Franklin for Benjamin Franklin. Sometimes, in abbreviating the word, the first letter is doubled; as, p. for page, pp. for pages, M. for Monsieur, MM. for Messieurs. In such cases, a period is not inserted between the two letters which represent the plural of one word. Sometimes a word is abbreviated by taking the first two or three letters, as Eng. for England; sometimes by taking the first letter and the last, as Wm. for William, Ca. for California; sometimes by taking the first letter and some leading letter in the middle of the word, as Mo. for Missouri, MS. for manuscript. In these cases, the period is to be used only at the end of the combined letters. NOTE 2. When an abbreviated word comes at the end of a sentence, it is not necessary to use two periods. One point is sufficient to mark both the abbreviation and the end of the sentence. But if the construction requires some other point, as the comma, semicolon, colon, interrogation, etc., both points must be inserted, one to mark the grammatical construction, the other to mark the abbreviation; as, "He reported the death of John Chapman, M.D." "John Chapman, M.D., at the early age of twentyfour, was carried off by disease." NOTE 3. When two or more abbreviated titles follow each other, they must be separated from each other by commas, just as they would be if written out in full. Thus: "Thomas Sumner, Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Laws, Bishop of London," abbreviated, becomes, "Thomas Sumner, D.D., LL.D., Bp. of London." NOTE 4. When the letters of the alphabet are used to represent numerals, it is customary to insert a period at the end of each completed numeral; as, Psalms iv., xxi., lxxxvi., cxix., etc. When dates are thus expressed, the whole number is separated into periods of thousands, hundreds, and the portion less than a hundred; as, M.DCCC.LXXI. for the year one thousand, eight hundred, and seventy-one, or 1871. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE. 1. Excellence in conversation depends in a great ifo conversation will measure on the attainments which one has made therefore education is neglected become trifling if perverted o corrupting. 2. The laws of Phoroneus were established 1807 those of Lycurgus BC 884 B C of Draco 623 See chap vii § xiv ¶ 7 p 3. The reader is requested to refer to the following passages of Scripture Ex xx 18 Deut xx 21 2 Sam xix 2 4. Bought on 9 mos credit the following articles 4 yds 3 qrs 2 n of broadcloth at $12 a yd 6 gals 1 pt 2 gi of vinegar at 65 cts a gal and 3 cords of wood at $7.50 a cord 5. Poetry was not the sole praise of either for both excelled likewise in prose but Pope did not borrow his prose from his predecessor. 6. Dryden's page is a natural field rising into inequalities and diversified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation Pope's is a velvet lawn by the scythe and levelled by the roller. shaven 7. Of genius that power which constitutes a poet ○ that quality without which judgment is cold ≈ and knowledge is inert that energy which collects combines amplifies and animates the superiority must with some hesitation 8. It is not to be inferred be allowed to Dryden ✪ that of this poetical vigor Pope had only a little because Dryden had more for every other writer since Milton must give place to Pope and even of Dryden it must be said that if he has brighter paragraphs he has not better poems SECTION V. -The Interrogation Point. An Interrogation Point is used for marking questions. RULE. DIRECT QUESTIONS. The Interrogation Point should be placed at the end of every direct question. NOTE. A direct question is one in regular form, requiring, or at least admitting an answer; as, "Why do you neglect your duty?" An indirect question is one that is merely reported or spoken of; as, "He inquired why you neglected your duty." SECTION VI. - The Exclamation Point. The Exclamation Point is used for marking strong emotion, RULE 1. - The Exclamation Point must be used at the close of every sentence, clause, or grammatical expression, intended to convey strong emotion. RULE 2. The Exclamation Point must be used after an interjection; as, Fie on him! Ah me! Oh! it hurts me. Oh that I could find him! 0 father Abraham! O Lord! NOTE. Where the interjection does not stand by itself, but forms part of a sentence, clause, or expression, the exclamation point should be placed at the end of the whole expression, and not immediately after the interrogation; as, "O wretched state! O bosom black as death!" RULE 3. Where the emotion to be expressed is very strong, more than one exclamation point is sometimes used; as, "That man virtuous!! You might as well preach to me of the virtue of Judas Iscariot!!" NOTE. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE. These examples, though intended merely for illustrating the Rules for the marks of Interrogation and Exclamation, will yet serve the incidental purpose of reviewing all the preceding rules. 1. Why for so many a year has the poet wandered amid the fragments of Athens and Rome and paused with strange and kindling feelings amid their broken columns their mouldering temples their deserted plains 4. Down soothless insulter I trust not the tale o 5. Have you eyes Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed and batten on this moor Ha have you eyes You cannot call it love for at your age the hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble, and waits upon the judgment and what judgment would step from this to this O 6. Charge Chester charge on Stanley on 7. Who in a sea-fight ever thought of the price of the chain which beats out the brains of a pirate or of the odor of the splinter which shatters his leg 8. King Charles forsooth had so many private virtues And had James no private virtues Was even Oliver Cromwell his bitterest enemies themselves being judges destitute of private virtues And what after all are the virtues ascribed to Charles 9. Ho trumpets sound a war-note 10. Oh was there ever such a knight or in war as our sovereign lord soldier of Navarre in friendship King Henry the SECTION VII.-The Dash. The Dash is used chiefly either to mark a sudden change or interruption in the structure of the sentence, or to mark some elocutionary pause. RULE 1. CONSTRUCTION CHANGED. - A Dash is used where the construction of the sentence is abruptly broken off or changed; as, Was there ever a bolder captain of a more valiant band? Was there ever - but I scorn to boast. RULE 2. UNEXPECTED CHANGE IN THE SENTIMENT. - The Dash is sometimes used to mark a sudden and unexpected change in the sentiment; as, He had no malice in his mind No ruffles on his shirt. RULE 3. EMPHATIC GENERALIZATION. A Dash is sometimes used to mark the transition from a succession of particulars to some emphatic general expression which includes them all; as,— He was witty, learned, industrious, plausible, everything but honest. A Dash is sometimes used RULE 4. ELOCUTIONARY PAUSE. to mark a significant pause, where there is no break in the grammatical construction; as, You have given the command to a person of illustrious birth, of ancient family, of innumerable statues, but-of no experience. |