verbial circumftances, affect the verb: as, He behaved himself modeftly, prudently, virtuously. For as many fuch adjuncts as there are, fo many feveral members does the fentence cóntain; and these are to be diftinguished from each other, as much as feveral fubjects or finite verbs. The reason of this is, that as many fubjects, finite verbs, or adjuncts as there are in a fentence, fo many diftinct fentences are actually implied; as the first example is equivalent to, My hopes all center in you, my fears all center in you, &c. The fecond example is equivalent to, A good man is an ornament to the commonwealth, a wife man is an ornament to the commonwealth, &c. The third example is equivalent to, He behaved himself modeftly, he behaved himself prudently, &c.; and these implied sentences are all to be diftinguished by a comma.

The exception to this rule is, where these fubjects or adjuncts are united by a conjunction: as, The imagination and the judgment do not always agree; and, A man never becomes learned without fudying conflantly and methodically. In thefe cafes the comma between the fubjects and adjuncts are omitted.

There are fome other kinds of fentences, which, though feemingly fimple, are neverthelefs of the compound kind, and really contain feveral fubjects, verbs, or adjuncts. Thus in the fentences containing what is called the ablative abfolute: as, Phyficians, the difeafe once difcovered, think the cure half wrought; where the words difeafe once difcovered, are equiva~ lent to, when the caufe of the difeafe is difcovered. -So in thofe fentences where nouns are added by appofition: ás, The Scots, a hardy people, en

I

dured it all. So alfo in those where vocative cafes occur: as, This, my friend, you must allow me. The first of thefe examples is equivalent to, The Scots endured it all, and The Scots, who are a hardy people, endured it all: and the last to, This you must allow me, and this my friend must allow me.

When a sentence can be divided into two or more members, which members are again divifible into members more fimple, the former are to be separated by a femicolon.

EXAMPLE.

But as this paffion for admiration, when it works according to reafon, improves the beautiful part of our fpecies in every thing that is laudable; fo nothing is more deftructive to them, when it is governed by vanity and folly.

When a sentence can be divided into two parts, each of which parts are again divifible by femicolons, the former are to be feparated by a colon.

EXAMPLES.

As we cannot difcern the shadow moving along the dial-plate, fo the advances we make in knowledge are only perceived by the distance gone over.

Here the two members, being both fimple, are only separated by a comma.

As we perceive the fhadow to have moved, but did not perceive it moving; fo our advances in learning, as they confift of fuch minute steps, are only perceivable by the distance.

Here the sentence being divided into two equal parts, and thofe compounded, fince they include others, we feparate the former by a femicolon, and the latter by commas.

As we perceive the fhadow to have moved along the dial, but did not perceive it moving; and it appears that the grafs has grown, though nobody ever faw it grow fo the advances we

make in knowledge, as they confift of fuch minute steps, are only perceivable by the distance.

Here the advancement in knowledge is compared to the motion of a fhadow, and the growth of grafs; which comparison divides the fentence into two principal parts: but fince what is faid of the movement of the fhadow, and of the growth of grafs, likewife contains two fimple members, they are to be separated by a femicolon; confequently, a higher pointing is required, to separate them from the other part of the fentence, which they are opposed to: and this is a colon.

When a member of a sentence forms complete fenfe, and does not excite expectation of what follows; though it confift but of a fimple member, it may be marked with a colon.

EXAMPLES.

The discourse confifted of two parts: in the first was shown the neceffity of fighting; in the second, the advantages that would arife from it.

The Auguftan age was fo eminent for good poets, that they have ferved as models to all others: yet it did not produce any good tragic poets.

When a sentence is fo far perfectly finished, as not to be connected in conftruction with the following fentence, it is marked with a period.

This is the moft concife and comprehenfive view I could poffibly collect from the several authors, who have written on this fubject. But it may be observed, that these rules, though fufficient to prevent confufion in writing, are very inadequate to the purposes of just and accurate pronouncing; as it is certain that a juft, a forcible, and easy pronunciation, will oblige a judicious reader to paufe much more fre

quently, than the most correct and accurate writers or printers give him leave: but I must again observe, that when I contend for the propriety, and even neceffity, of paufing, where we find no points in writing or printing, I do not mean to disturb the prefent practice of punctuation: I wish only to afford fuch aids to pronunciation as are actually made ufe of by the best readers and fpeakers, and fuch as we must use in reading and speaking in public, if we would wish to pronounce with juftness, energy, and ease.

An Introduction to the Theory of Rhetorical
Punctuation.

DR. LOWTH has, with great plainnefs and precifion, drawn the line which bounds the ufe of the comma upon paper, by telling us, that every fimple fentence, or that fentence which has but one fubject and one finite verb, cannot have any of its adjuncts, or imperfect phrafes, feparated by a point. This he illuftrates by a fentence, where the fubject and the verb are accompanied by as many adjuncts as they commonly are; but no provifion is made for fuch phrases as extend to twice the length, and yet continue perfectly fimple.-The paffion for praise produces excellent effects in women of fenfe,-is a fentence of fo moderate a fize, as may be pronounced even with folemnity and energy, by moft people, without once taking breath; but if we amplify thefe adjuncts that accompany the nominative cafe and the verb in fuch a manner as is frequently to be met with, at least in incorrect compofition, we fhall find it impoffible to pronounce the fentence with force and eafe, without fome interval for refpiration;-for inftance, if we had the following fentence to read-A violent paffion for univerfal admiration produces the most ridiculous circumstances in the general behaviour of women of the most excellent understandings.-If, I fay, we had this fentence to read, how could we poffibly pronounce it with force and ease, without once fetching breath?-and yet, according to the ftricteft laws of grammar, no paufe is to be admitted; for this latter fen