2. Robert is wasting his time (was it for this his family made such sacrifices?) in idle amusements.

3. The poets (tender-hearted swains!) have portrayed love as no prosewriter has ever been able to paint it.

§ 189. RULE III.-Marks of parenthesis are not necessarily accompanied with other points; neither, on the other hand, do they supersede the latter. Whatever point would be needed between the parts if the parenthesis were left out, must be retained. If a colon or semicolon is required, it must stand after the last parenthetical mark; if a comma, it must occupy the same position unless a parenthetical clause immediately precedes, in which case it must stand before the first mark of parenthesis.

"Matilda (such was the lady's name) smiled sweetly at this address." Here we have no comma, because none would be needed if the parenthesis were left out;-" Matilda smiled sweetly at this address."

"If a tree is known by its fruits (and who that believes Scripture can doubt it?), what must we think of these men?" Here the comma required after the hypothetical clause is inserted after the last mark of parenthesis.

"Are you still, my friend, (I fear from the tone of your letter you must be) troubled with these apprehensions?" Here the required comma is placed before the parenthesis, because the parenthetical clause, my friend, immediately precedes.

§ 190. RULE IV.-An interrogation-point within parentheses is often placed after an assertion or supposition, to throw doubt on it; and an exclamation-point similarly enclosed is used to denote wonder, irony, or contempt; as, "When I get the office (?), I shall spend my leisure time in reading."-"This accurate scholar (!), who went to Eton and graduated at Cambridge, has actually made a dozen grammatical mistakes within the compass of one short paragraph."

BRACKETS.

§ 191. BRACKETS are used principally in quoted pas

§ 189. What does Rule III. say respecting the use of other marks when parentheses are employed? Where must a colon or semicolon, if required, stand? Where, a comma? Give the examples, and show why they are so punctuated.

§190. Repeat Rule IV., relating to the enclosing of interrogation-points and exclamation-points within parentheses.

sages, to enclose words improperly omitted by the author or introduced to correct a mistake. Sometimes, like parentheses, they enclose an observation, an explanatory word, or a critical remark, that does not belong to the quotation. They are also employed in dictionaries and similar works to enclose the figured pronunciation of a word, the primitive from which it is derived, or a reference to some other term.

EXAMPLES.

1. He might have been happy, and now [he] is convinced of it. 2. A variety of pleasing objects meet [meets] the eye.

3. Mrs. Hemans was born to be a great poet. [She may have been born to be a great poet; but, if so, we can not help thinking that she woefully missed her mark.]

4. PETIT-MAITRE [pet'te-ma'tr] n. A coxcomb.

As regards the points to be used in connection with brackets, and the proper method of punctuating the matter contained within them, the same principles apply as those laid down for parentheses in § 188, 189,

When an independent sentence is enclosed, as in Example 3 given above, a period, an interrogation-point, or an exclamation-point must be used before the last bracket, according to the character of the sentence.

EXERCISE.

In the following sentences, supply the points required:UNDER 183, 185. Is it I must take the liberty of asking because no law touches the case that you thus violate justice-For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing-He had not been there so I was informed by those who lived in the neighborhood since the year 1840-He Mr. Brown had never before found himself in so embarrassing a position He was overcome and he begged the company would not think he was exaggerating his feelings with this unexpected mark of esteem-I expected to find every thing that great wealth for my friend is a man of property and taste for his taste is admitted to be unexceptionable could bestow-Here we took dinner though conscience will hardly allow me to dignify sour bread and musty eggs by so highsounding a name

UNDER $186, 187. I agree with the honorable gentleman Mr. Allen that it is pleasing to every generous mind to obey the dictates of sympathy but sir truth and justice impose on us higher obligations Lengthened applause and confusion in the galleries during which several sen

§ 191. For what are brackets used? What use is made of them in dictionaries? What points may be used in connection with brackets? How must the matter they enclose be punctuated? When an independent sentence is enclosed, what point must precede the last bracket?

tences were lost Mr Chairman I can not vote for this resolution Cheers I owe it not only to my country but to the rights of man of which so much is said to preserve the wise and long-established policy of the former and to stand by the principle of non-intervention as a high moral defence and security for the latter The speaker took his seat amid loud

Enter Alonzo speaking as he comes in

ALONZO HOW Is my hour elapsed Well I am ready

UNDER 188. The honorable gentleman on the right Mr Doubleday of Louisiana has overlooked one important point-I wish and why should I deny it that this compliment had been paid to any one rather than myself-She had managed this matter so well oh she was the most artful of women that my father's heart was gone before I suspected it was in danger-Consider and oh may the consideration sink deep into your heart that one crime inevitably leads the way to others

UNDER 189. While we earnestly desire the approbation of our fellow-men and this desire the better feelings of our nature can not fail to awaken we should shrink from gaining it by dishonorable meansSuch was the creed of the Stoics see Tennemann's Manual Vol II p 230 and their principles were for the most part strictly carried out in lifeThe baron left to himself malice itself could not wish him a worse adviser resolved on a desperate course-Could he possibly have committed this crime I am sure he could not which as all will acknowledge is at variance with the whole tenor of his life

UNDER $190. This would-be scholar once declared that the Iliad was the noblest poem in the Latin language-Her intellectual beauty is certainly surpassed only by her physical charms-Entering into conversation with his most Christian Majesty I was shocked to hear views advanced which would almost have disgraced a heathen

UNDER § 191. A man had four sons and he divided his property between among them-Be more anxious to acquire knowledge than about showing to show it-He has little more of the scholar besides than the name Some alas too few for the well-being of society place their bliss in action some in ease-ELUDE Latin eludo v. t. to escape-ENNUI ongwe weariness dulness of spirit-PETER-WORT n. A plant. See SAINT PETER'S WORT

LESSON XXVIII.

APOSTROPHE,—HYPHEN.-QUOTATION-POINTS.

BESIDES the grammatical points, various other marks are employed in written and printed matter; the principal of these are the Apostrophe ('), the Hyphen (-), and Quotation-points (" ").

Besides the grammatical points, what other marks are employed?

THE APOSTROPHE.

§ 192. The word APOSTROPHE means a turning from or away. The mark so called has the same form as the comma, and differs from it only in being placed above the line.

RULE I-OMISSION OF LETTERS.

§ 193. The apostrophe is used to denote the omission of a letter or letters; as, 'tis, I'll, o'er, tho'.

The period and the dash are also employed, as we have already seen, for this purpose. The following distinction, however, is to be observed:

1. The period is employed mainly in abbreviations of titles, proper names, technical and tabular terms, and foreign words; as, P. M. G., for Postmaster General;-Jas. K. Polk, for James Knox Polk;D. V., for Deo volente, God willing;—bu., for bushel.

2. The dash is used when it is desired to allude to an object without making known what it is; as, "In the year 18—, the usually quiet village of L- — was thrown into a state of excitement," &c.

3. In most other cases, that is, when the object is merely to abbreviate common English words which do not fall under the above classes, or to contract two words into one, the apostrophe is employed.

RULE II.-POSSESSIVE CASE.

§ 194. The apostrophe is used to denote the possessive case of nouns; as, India's treasures;-kings' daughters.

To form the possessive case, singular nouns take 's; as, fancy's flight; Thomas's unbelief. Plural nouns ending in s take the apostrophe alone; as, the cities' gates: other plural nouns take 's; as, men's sorrows. But if, by reason of a succession of s sounds, or from any other cause, euphony would be violated by the introduction of an s, the apostrophe alone is used in forming the possessive; as, Moses' staff ;—for conscience' sake;-Felix' speech.

§ 192. What does the word apostrophe mean? How does the mark so called differ from the comma?

§ 193. Repeat Rule I., relating to the omission of letters. What other points are employed for this purpose? In what case is the period used? In what, the dash? In what, the apostrophe ?

§ 194. For what other purpose is the apostrophe used, according to Rule II. ? How do singular nouns form their possessive case? How, plural nouns? When is the apostrophe alone used in forming the possessive?

§ 195. Observe that this rule applies only to nouns. The possessive case of the personal pronouns, whether ending in s or not, must have no apostrophe; as, mine, her, hers, ours, yours, theirs.

§ 196. The apostrophe followed by s is also used to form the plural of the names of letters, figures, and signs; as, "Dot your i's, cross your t's, make your 6's better, and insert two +'s."

THE HYPHEN.

§ 197. The word HYPHEN is derived from two Greek words meaning under one; and the mark so called is used to denote that the parts between which it stands belong to one and the same word.

RULE I-COMPOUND EPITHETS AND SUBSTANTIVES.

§ 198. The hyphen must be placed between words that unite to form a single epithet, and also between the parts of a compound substantive when each receives the stress of the voice; as, laughter-loving, good-natured, twenty-one, neverto-be-forgotten, glass-house, self-conceit, one's-self.

§ 199. Compound words, however, whose parts have so completely coalesced that they have but one accent, are written without the hyphen; as, watchman, lapdog, broadsword, himself.

RULE II.-DISTINCTION OF WORDS.

§ 200. The hyphen is used to distinguish words of similar spelling, but different pronunciation and meaning; also, to form one compound term of words which, if not thus united, would have a different signification.

Thus, re-creation means the act of creating again; and, when the word is so written, the first e is long, as in me. If we omit the hyphen, we

195. What is said of the possessive case of pronouns ?

§ 196. How is the plural of the names of letters, figures, and signs, formed?

§ 197. What is the meaning of the word hyphen? What does the mark so called denote ?

§198. Repeat Rule I., relating to compound epithets and substantives.

§199. What compounds are written without the hyphen ?

200. For what other purposes is the hyphen used, according to Rule II. ?