Adjuncts to a nominative case are commas, oftentimes marked with only one comma-point, placed immediately before the verb; as,

The good taste of the present age, has not allowed us to neglect the cultivation of the English Tongue.

In this example, the words of the present age are the adjuncts which form the comma, which is marked with only one comma-point.

A comma may be treated in three different ways:— 1st, It may be distinguished from the other words, with two comma-points, as in the following example;— Lucius Mummius, because he was ignorant, destroyed Corinth. 2ndly, It may be marked with only one point; thus,

comma

Lucius Mummius because he was ignorant, destroyed Corinth. 3dly, The points may altogether be omitted; as, Lucius Mummius because he was ignorant destroyed Corinth.

High pointing is an error: it is from the extravagant use of the comma-points, that the phrase has arisen; for instance the following period is high-pointed;

Lucius Mummius, because he was ignorant, and illiterate, destroyed Corinth.

The general and perhaps the better way of pointing such a period would be thus ;

Lucius Mummius, because he was ignorant and illiterate, destroyed Corinth.

The following is another instance of high pointing ;

At dinner parties, a custom, particularly of late years, has grown up, of drinking the healths of, comparatively, obscure men, who are present, and, at public meetings, there is an analogous custom of thanking men, for supposed, or trifling services:-these health-drinkings, and thanks-votings, the cheering, the cries of hear, hear, and the

clapping of hands, which accompany them, instead of adding to the honors and reputations, of some men, frequently make them, what is, indeed, sometimes, intended, by their companions, objects of fun: for folks call, upon them, for speeches, and replies, and the necessity, as some fancy, of saying something, the perplexity of not knowing what to say, and the anxiety of appearing learned, deep-read, or witty, are circumstances, which are capable of making, and have made, many a man, appear ridiculous: besides, these customs, are evil customs, because they, sometimes, give a blockhead, of many words, and little

sense,

One, who strikes his breast, and slaps his thighs,

As, if he's stung, by gnats, or flies,

with superficial listeners, particularly those of the fair sex, an advantage over men, of undoubted ability, to which these talking chaps, are not, justly, entitled.

The error of high pointing may be avoided by omitting to point some commas, or by pointing others only at one extremity in short periods, which are so plain in themselves, that the several parts require no distinctive marks, confusion rather than perspicuity is produced, by the introduction of comma-points: confusion rather than perspicuity, is also produced in long sentences, where comma-points are unnecessarily thrust in. The difficulty with commas is not as to what is or what is not a comma, but whether they shall be marked at all, or only with one or two points.34

THE PARENTHESIS AND PARATHESIS.

MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE PARENTHESIS.

Parenthesis is taken from the Greek and signifies interposition.35 The Parenthesis is placed by Grammarians, as one of the five species of the figure of speech called Hyperbaton; 36 the following is by some of them given as an example ;

Tityre, dum redeo (brevis est via) pasce capellas.

Translated the passage runs,

Oh Tityrus, until I return (the journey is but a short one) feed the goats.

A parenthesis is a note and ought only to be inserted in a sentence, when from its brevity, it does not distract the mind of the reader too long from the main proposition. Kett, in his Elements of General Literature, observes, that “the long parenthesis which so frequently occurs in the older [English] writers to the great embarrassment and perplexity of their meaning, has fallen much into disuse; and," he adds, "that it is no where to be found in the writings of Johnson." 37

Not unfrequently but improperly, two comma-points are substituted for the parenthesis-points :-there may be parts of a sentence which partake partly of the nature of a comma, and partly of the nature of a parenthesis ; whenever there is a doubt, whether they should be marked with the one or the other of the points, the better plan will be to recast the words, and give them beyond question, the form of a comma or a parenthesis. Sir James Burrow, approves of superadding colon and semi-colon points at the end of a parenthesis.

MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE PARATHESIS.

Sir James Burrow says that one special use of the parathesis is, "That when a Speaker is repeating, or a Writer citing the Words of another Person; and finds that his adding a single Word, or two or three Words of his own, will be necessary or convenient towards ascertaining any equivocal Term or Expression, or clearing up any Doubt; he puts these added Words of his own, within a PARATHESIS, if he is Writing, or lowers

E

his Voice, if he is speaking them; in order to shew that they are not the original Words of his Author, but additional explanatory Words of his own.

I apprehend to be the usual Office of a Parathesis.

[

This

"It is marked by Hooks or Brackets or Crotchets, thus ]."' 38

The following are examples of a parathesis ;—

It [the word person] was probably employed by our divines as a literal, or perhaps etymological, rendering of the Latin word persona.

They [the English and Irish rebels] pretended to have authority from the King and Queen, [Charles the First and his consort], chiefly from the latter, for their insurrection.

Most of his [Bacon's] works were composed in Latin.

When a translation is embodied in a discourse, and the translator adds one or more of the original words, the added word or words is a parathesis; for instance,

It is not lawful for the church to ordain [statuere] anything that is contrary to God's word written.

Quamvis nondum pretium numeratum sit, ac ne arrha [earnest money] quidem data fuerit.

Le marche pied le long [the towing path] des rivieres navigable. The towing path [le marche pied le long] of a navigable river.

A translation of an entire passage when the original is embodied in a discourse may properly be treated as a parathesis; as,

Homo, naturæ minister et interpres, tantum facit et intelligit, quantum de naturæ ordine re vel mente observaverit; nec amplius scit aut potest. [Man, the servant and expounder of nature, can only understand and act, as far as he observes and contemplates the order of nature; more he can neither know nor do.]

Or, vice versa, the translation being given the original may be made a parathesis.

Obsolete and provincial words and phrases may well be explained in a parathesis :

A Frankelein [freeholder] was in this compagnie.

Who would fardels [burdens] bear!

When the prisoner came in he was watcherd [wet shod], which proved he had not been all the night in the tallit [hay loft].

The Huntsman crossed the brook at Bowman's Burge [bridge].

THE INTERROGATION OR INTERROGATIVE.

An interrogative speaks for itself: it is a member of a sentence or a period, in that peculiar form of words, which denotes that a question is asked.

The note or point of an interrogation should never be used but to point an actual question: an ill use of its point is made in the following example ;—

If there should be a debate between a Protestant and a Catholic, whether there is such a place as purgatory? let them remember that they both agree in this, that Christ has made satisfaction or atonement for sin.

In the form of an interrogative, a period or a member of a sentence is sometimes so expressed, as to unite the powers of the interrogation and interjection; conveying at the same time the idea of the answer, whether negative or affirmative, in a most emphatic manner: such members are commonly marked with the interrogative point, and sometimes but rarely with the note of interjection :

How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, until my change come.

Did I not weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

Is it for me to abandon my undertaking? cannot I turn from Italy