THE COLON (:). § 545. The COLON is used to divide a sentence into two or more parts, less connected than those which are separated by a semicolon, but not so independent as separate distinct sentences. 1. When a member of a sentence is complete in itself, but followed by some supplemental remark or farther illustration of the subject, the colon is used; as, "A brute arrives at a point of perfection that he can never pass: in a few years he has all the endowments he is capable of; and were he to live ten thousand more, he would be the same thing that he is at present." 2. When a semicolon, or more than one, has preceded, and a still greater pause is necessary in order to mark the connecting or concluding sentence; as, "As we perceive the shadow to have moved along the dial, but did not perceive it moving; and it appears that the grass has grown, though nobody ever saw it grow: so the advances we make in knowledge, as they consist of such insensible steps, are only perceivable by the distance." 3. The colon is frequently used when a quotation or a speech is introduced; as, "I admire this sublime passage: 'God said, Let there be light, and there was light. EXAMPLES. 999 1. For the training of goodness, the ancient reliance was on the right discipline of habit and affection: the modern is rather on the illumination of the understanding. 2. When we look forward to the year which is beginning, what do we behold there? All, my brethren, is a blank to our view: a dark unknown presents itself. 3. All our conduct toward men should be influenced by this important precept: "Do unto others as you would that others should do unto you." THE PERIOD (.). § 546. The PERIOD marks the completion of the sense in declarative sentences; as, "Worldly happiness ever tends to destroy itself by corrupting the heart. It fosters the loose and the violent passions. It engenders noxious habits, and taints the mind with false delicacy, which makes it feel a thousand unreal evils." The period should be used after abbreviations; as, A.B., Dec., Mr., etc. EXAMPLES. 1. Self-control is promoted by humility. Pride is a fruitful source of uneasiness. It keeps the mind in disquiet. Humility is the antidote to this evil. 2. Thought engenders thought. Place one idea on your paper, another will follow it, and still another, until you have written a page. You can not fathom your mind. There is a well of thought there which has no bottom. The more you draw from it, the more clear and fruitful it will be. 3. The key to every man is his thought. Sturdy and defying though he look, he has a helm which he obeys, which is the idea after which all his thoughts are classified. He can only be reformed by showing him a new idea which commands his own.-R. W. EMERSON. NOTE OF INTERROGATION (?). § 547. The INTERROGATION POINT at the close of a sentence denotes a question. EXAMPLES. 1. When shall you return from abroad? 2. Can our curiosity pierce through the cloud which the Supreme Being hath made impenetrable to mortal eye? THE EXCLAMATION POINT (!). § 548. The EXCLAMATION POINT is used after sudden expressions of surprise, and after invocations and addresses; as, "How are the mighty fallen!" "When the interjection oh is used, the point is generally placed immediately after it; but when O is em ployed, the point is placed after one or more intervening words; as, "Oh! my offense is rank, it smells to heaven.' "But thou, O Hope! with eyes so fair.'" EXAMPLES. 1. To lie down on the pillow after a day spent in temperance, how sweet is it! 2. Gripus has long been endeavoring to fill his chest, and lo! it is now full. OTHER POINTS AND MARKS. $ 549. The PARENTHESIS () includes a remark or clause not essential to the sentence, but useful in explaining it; as, "Every planet (for God has made nothing in vain) is most probably inhabited." $550. BRACKETS [] inclose a word or sentence which is to be explained in a note, or the explanation itself, or a word or sentence which is intended to supply some deficiency or rectify some mistake; as, "He [Mr. Canning] was of a different opinion." § 551. The DASH (-) marks a break in the sentence, or an abrupt transition; as, "There was to be a stern death-grapple between Might and Right-between the heavy arm and the ethereal thought-between that which was and that which ought to be." "If thou art he but oh how fallen!" § 552. The CARET (^) denotes that some word or letter has been left out in writing; as, "I called to see last § 553. The APOSTROPHE (') is used to denote the abbreviation of a word; as, 'tis for it is. Its chief use is to mark the genitive case of nouns; as, “John's hat.” § 554. The mark of ACCENT (or) is placed over a syllable to denote a particular stress of the voice which is required in the pronunciation. The first is called the Acute accent, and is in use. The other is called the Grave accent, and is not much in use in the English language. The two united (^) is called the Circumflex. § 555. A HYPHEN (-) is employed in connecting compounded words; as, "Lap-dog;" "to-morrow." It is also used when a word is divided, and the former part is printed or written at the end of one line, and the latter part at the beginning of another. In this case it is placed at the end of the first line, and not at the beginning of the second. When each of two contiguous substantives retains each its original accent, the hyphen should be omitted; as, "Máster builder." When the latter loses or alters its accent, the hyphen should be inserted; as, "Shipbuilder." When two substantives are in apposition, and either of the two is separately applicable to the person or thing designated, the hyphen should be omitted; as, Lord chancellor. When they are not in apposition, and only one of the two is separately applicable to the person or thing, the hyphen should be inserted; as, a horse-dealer, one who is a dealer, but not a horse. of an When the first substantive serves the purpose adjective, expressing the matter or substance of which the second thing consists, and may be placed after it with of (not denoting possession), the hyphen should be omitted; as, Silk gown gown of silk. When the first does not express the matter or substance of the second, and may be placed after it with of (denoting possession), or with for, or belonging to, the hyphen should be inserted; as, School-master, play-time, cork-screw, laundry-maid. = Between an adjective and its substantive the hyphen should be omitted; as, High sheriff, prime minister. When the adjective and its substantive are used as a kind of compound adjective to another substantive, the hyphen should be inserted between the two former; as, High-church doctrine. When an adjective, or an adverb, and a participle immediately following, are used together as a kind of com pound adjective, merely expressing an inherent quality § 557. The DIÆRESIS () consists of two points, § 558. The PARAGRAPH (¶) denotes the beginning of § 560. QUOTATION MARKS (" ") denote that the words § 561. The INDEX or HAND () points out a re- *** § 562. The ELLIPSIS ( or ) denotes the omis- § 563. The ASTERISK (*), the OBELISK (†), the Dou- CAPITAL LETTERS. § 564. In ancient manuscripts capital letters only |