263. I know the banker I deal with, or the physician I usually call in, [There is no need, cried Dr. Slop (waking) to call in any physician in this case,] to be neither of them men of much religion.

264. For a general proof of this, examine the history of the Romish Church: [Well, what can you make of that? cried Dr. Slop:] see what scenes of cruelty, murder, rapine, bloodshed, [They may thank their own obstinacy, cried Dr. Slop,] have all been sanctified by religion not strictly governed by morality.

265. Experienced schoolmasters may quickly make a grammar of boys' natures, and reduce them all (saving some few exceptions) to certain general rules.

266. Ingenious boys, who are idle, think, with the hare in the fable, that, running with snails, (so they count the rest of their school-fellows,) they shall come soon enough to the post; though sleeping a good while before their starting.

LESSON XVII.

THE DASH.

The Dash is a straight mark like this

The dash is sometimes used to express a sudden stop, or change in the subject.

Sometimes the dash requires a pause no longer than a comma, and sometimes a longer pause than a period.

The dash is frequently used instead of crotchets or brackets, and a parenthesis is thus placed between two dashes. [See Number 281.]

The dash is sometimes used to precede something unexpected; as when a sentence beginning seriously ends humorously. [See Numbers 311 to 318.]

In the following sentences the dash expresses a sudden stop. or change of the subject.

EXAMPLES.

267. If you will give me your attention, I will show you but stop, I do not know that you wish to see.

268. Alas! that folly and falsehood should be so hard to grapple with but he that hopes to make mankind the wiser for his labors, must not be soon tired.

269. I stood to hear. -I love it well - the rain's continuous sound; small drops, but thick and fast they fell, down straight into the ground.

270. He set up the most piercing and dreadful cries that fear ever uttered-I may well term them dreadful, for they haunted my sleep for years afterwards.

271. Each zone obeys thee-thou goest forth dread, fathomless, alone.

272. Please your honors, quoth Trim, the inquisition is the vilest- Prithee spare thy description, Trim. I

hate the very name of it, said my father.

273. The fierce wolf prowls around thee - there he stands listening-not fearful, for he nothing fears.

274. The wild stag hears thy falling waters' sound, and tremblingly flies forward -o'er his back he bends his stately horns the noiseless ground his hurried feet impress not and his track is lost amidst the tumult of the breeze, and the leaves falling from the rustling trees.

275. The wild horse thee approaches in his turn. His mane stands up erect - his nostrils burn he snorts-he pricks his ears- and starts aside.

276. The music ceased, and Hamish Fraser, on coming back into the shealing, (or shed,) said, I see two men on horseback coming up the glen one is on a white horse. Ay-blessed be God, that is the good priest - now will I die in peace. My last earthly thoughts are gone by he will show me the salvation of Christ the road that leadeth to eternal life.

277. There was silence - not a word was said their meal was before them-God had been thanked, and they began to eat.

277. They hear not - - see not-know not for their eyes are covered with thick mists- they will not see. 278. The God of gods stood up-stood up to try the assembled gods of earth.

279. And ye like fading autumn leaves will fall; your throne but dust-your empire but a grave-your martial pomp a black funereal pall — your palace trampled by your meanest slave.

280. To-day is thine. morrow's distant ray.

improve to-day, nor trust to

281. And thus, in silent waiting, stood the piles of stone and piles of wood; till Death, who, in his vast affairs, never puts things off — as men in theirs and thus, if I the truth must tell, does his work finally and well-winked at our hero as he passed, - Your house is finished, sir, at last; narrower house- a house of clay your palace for another day.

a

232. For some time the struggle was most amusing-the fish pulling, and the bird screaming with all its might - the one attempting to fly, and the other to swim from its invisible enemy the gander at one moment losing and the next regaining his centre of gravity.

The dash is sometimes to be read as a period, with the falling inflection of the voice.

283. The favored child of nature, who combines in herself these united perfections, may justly be considered as the masterpiece of creation as the most perfect image of the

Divinity here below.

284. Now launch the boat upon the wave- the wind is blowing off the shore-I will not live a cowering slave, in these polluted islands more.

285. The wind is blowing off the shore, and out to sea the streamers fly - my music is the dashing roar, my canopy the stainless sky-it bends above, so fair a blue, that heaven seems opening to my view.

286. He had stopped soon after beginning the tale-he had laid the fragment away among his papers, and had never looked at it again.

237. The exaltation of his soul left him he sunk down —and his misery went over him like flood.

238. May their fate be a mock-word - may men of all lands laugh out with a scorn that shall ring to the poles. 289. You speak like a boy-like a boy who thinks the old gnarled oak can be twisted as easily as the young sapling.

- But

290. I am vexed for the bairns I am vexed when I think of Robert and Hamish living their father's life let us say no more of this.

-

291. He hears a noise - he is all awake - again he hears a noise on tiptoe down the hill he softly creeps 'Tis Goody Blake! She is at the hedge of Harry Gill.

292. Mr. Playfair was too indulgent, in truth, and favora

'ble to his friends and made a kind of liberal allowance for the faults of all mankind—except only faults of baseness or of cruelty; against which he never failed to manifest the most open scorn and detestation.

293. Towards women he had the most chivalrous feelings of regard and attention, and was, beyond almost all men, acceptable and agreeable in their society-though without the least levity or pretension unbecoming his age or condition.

The dash is sometimes to be read like a comma, with the voice suspended. [See Lesson 9th.]

294. Vain men, whose brains are dizzy with ambition, bright your swords your garments flowery, like a plain in the spring-time-if truth be your delight, and virtue your devotion, let your sword be bared alone at wisdom's sacred word.

295. I have always felt that I could meet death with composure; but I did not know, she said, with a tremulous voice, her lips quivering-I did not know how hard a thing it would be to leave my children, till now that the hour is

come.

296. The mountain-thy pall and thy prison -- may keep thee.

297. And Babylon shall become. she that was the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans- as the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah by the hand of God.

298. Our land-the first garden of liberty's tree- it has been, and shall yet be, the land of the free.

299. Earth may hide-waves ingulf-fire consume us, but they shall not to slavery door us.

300. They shall find that the name which they have dared to proscribe- that the name of Mac Gregor is a spell. 301. You must think hardly of us - and it is not natural that it should be otherwise.

302. Delightful in his manners - inflexible in his principles and generous in his affections, he had all that could charm in society, or attach in private.

303. The joys of life in hurried exile go till hope's fair smile, and beauty's ray of light, are shrouded in the griefs and storms of night.

304. Day after day prepares the funeral shroud; the

world is gray with age: the striking hour is but an echo of death's summons loud-the jarring of the dark grave's prison door. Into its deep abyss devouring all-kings and the friends of kings alike must fall.

305. No persuasion could induce little Flora to leave the shealing and Hamish Fraser was left to sit with her all night beside the bed.

306. One large star arose in heaven and a wide white glimmer over a breaking mass of clouds told that the moon was struggling through, and in another hour, if the upper current of air flowed on, would be apparent.

307. He was too weak, however, to talk - he could only look his thanks.

308. She made an effort to put on something like mourning for her son; and nothing could be more touching than this struggle between pious affection and utter poverty: a black ribbon or so a faded black handkerchief, and one or two more such humble attempts to express by outward signs hat grief that passeth show.

a

309. One great clime, whose vigorous offspring by dividing ocean are kept apart, and nursed in the devotion of freedom which their fathers fought for and bequeathed heritage of heart and hand, and proud distinction from each other land, whose sons must bow them at a monarch's motion, as if his senseless sceptre were a wand full of the magic of exploded science - still one great clime, in full and free defiance, yet rears her crest, unconquered and sublime, above the far Atlantic.

The dash sometimes precedes something unexpected; as when a sentence beginning seriously ends humorously.

310. Good people all, with one accord, lament for Madam Blaize ; who never wanted a good word from those who spoke her praise.

--

311. The needy seldom passed her door, and always found her kind; she freely lent to all the poor who left a pledge

behind.

312. She strove the neighborhood to please, with manner wondrous winning; and never followed wicked ways—except when she was sinning.

313. At church, in silks and satin new, with hoop of monstrous size, she never slumbered in her pew- but when she shut her eyes.