166 INTERROGATIVE AND EXCLAMATIVE MARKS. O Pascal thou wert pure in heart in this world, and now thou art in full sight of God. O John Milton thou art among the angels and the seraphs that were once thy glorious song; and this world is dear to them for what thou thyself wert in it. Oh, how sublimely dost thou move in heaven, the love of saints and heroes, and spirits multitudinous (Rule II. and Remark c.) O Nature how in every charm supreme Can storied urn or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath Or flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death (Rule II.) (Rule I.) A crippled and suffering child, looked at from without, seems the heaviest of domestic afflictions. Yet, once confided to our care, what an object of tender interest it becomes What gentle and holy affections hover over it What a web of soft and fostering duty is woven round it It gives new beauty and value to life. We would fain keep it with us for ever. What a void is left when it is removed by the hand of death (Rule II.) What must sound reason pronounce of a mind, which, in the train of millions of thoughts, has wandered to all things under the sun, to all the permanent objects or vanishing appearances in the creation, but never fixed its thought on the Supreme Reality; never approached, like Moses, to "see this great sight" (Remark ƒ, under Rule I.) Oh the littleness of man's heart, capable of loving only by units and in successive emotions, and therefore contracting the infinite heart of God to the narrowness of his own Oh the meanness of man's thoughts, when he takes the foot-rule, by which he measures his earthly dwelling, as his base-line of triangulation for measuring the amplitude of the heavenly temple (Rule II., Remark c.) Who is the man whom you select from the records of time as the object of your special admiration Is it he who lived to indulge himself; whose current of life flowed most equably and pleasurably; whose desires were crowned most liberally with means of gratification; whose table was most luxuriantly spread; and whom fortune made the envy of his neighborhood by the fulness of her gifts Were such the men to whom monuments have been reared, and whose memories, freshened with tears of joy and reverence, grow and flourish and spread through every age Oh, no (Rule I. and Remark e; Rule II., Remark d.) 167 SECT. II. — MARKS MARKS OF PARENTHESIS consist of two curved lines (), which serve to indicate that an expression is inserted in the body of a sentence, with which it has no connection in sense or in construction. REMARKS. a. These two curves are sometimes called parentheses, or a parenthesis, the same word that indicates the kind of phrase or clause which they enclose. But, as this designation tends to produce ambiguity or confusion of ideas, it would be better to name them "marks of parenthesis," and to restrict the term "parenthesis" to signify, what it properly means, those words which are put between such portions of a sentence as are intimately connected in sense and in construction. b. Marks of parenthesis were once used in greater abundance than they are at the present day; many phrases and clauses now pointed with commas having been formerly enclosed by curved lines. This probably arose from the fact, that the older writers were more accustomed to an involved style of composition, which could not be read without the frequent use of parenthetical marks; whereas modern authors, many of them with less beauty and justness of sentiment, are wont to adopt a freer and an uncomplicated mode of writing. Hence, the eye being but little habituated to marks of parenthesis, there is a growing tendency to dispense with them, even when the structure of a sentence demands their insertion. Those intermediate expressions, indeed, which are less harsh or abrupt, or do not hinder the flow of the sentence into which they are thrown, are more easily read by means of commas than with the help of marks of parenthesis; but, on the other hand, it is evident, that a whole sentence, or a part of a sentence, introduced into the body of another, with which it does not harmonize, is more clearly distinguished, and that the eye is better able to connect the main portions, when the proper parenthetical marks are introduced. See pp. 64, 65. RULE. Words thrown obliquely into the Body of a Sentence. The marks of parenthesis enclose only those words which break the unity of the sentence into which they are thrown, and which may therefore be omitted without injury to its sense or its construction. EXAMPLES. 1. The Egyptian style of architecture (see Dr. Pocock, not his discourses, but his prints) was apparently the mother of the Greek. 2. If we exercise right principles (and we cannot have them unless we exercise them), they must be perpetually on the increase. REMARKS. a. If a point would not be required between those parts of a sentence in which a parenthesis occurs, none should be used along with the parenthetical marks; as, "Are you still (I fear you are) far from being comfortably settled?" Here these marks are unaccompanied by any point, because, in its simple state, the sentence would be without it; as, "Are you still far from being comfortably settled?" b. But, when a comma or any other point is necessary where the incidental clause is thrown in, it should be placed after the last mark of parenthesis; as, "Pride, in some disguise or other (often a secret to the proud man himself), is the most ordinary spring of action among men." Some writers would punctuate this and similar sen"Left now tences with the same point before each of the marks; as, to himself, (malice could not wish him a worse adviser,) he resolves on a desperate project." But the former mode of pointing is preferable, as it connects the parenthesis more closely with the preceding part of the sentence, to which it is usually most related. c. Sometimes the parenthetical portion of a sentence is designed to express either inquiry or an emotion of wonder, astonishment, delight, &c., when the main passage is in its nature affirmative. In cases of this kind, the point required, if there were no parenthesis, is to be inserted before the first mark under consideration, and that which belongs to the enclosed portion before the second; as, "While the Christian desires the approbation of his fellow-men, (and why should he not desire it?) he disdains to receive their good-will by dishonorable means." d. On the other hand, the parenthesis is sometimes explanatory or affirmative; and the portion of the sentence with which it is connected, interrogative. Thus: "The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise: Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above;) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it?" In this passage, the points used with the marks of parenthesis are applied differently from those inserted in the example illustrating Remark c; but the principle is the same. e. Before the first parenthetical mark, however, no point should be used, if not required in case the parenthetical words were omitted; as, "The rocks (hard-hearted varlets!) melted not into tears, nor did the trees hang their heads in silent sorrow." f. Occasionally, the parenthesis is so little connected with the portion that follows it, that a period is required before the last mark, though no point whatever, or only a comma, is necessary to unite the parts before and after the parenthesis; as, The path to bliss abounds with many a snare: The Frenchman, first in literary fame, (Mention him, if you please. Voltaire? The same.) With spirit, genius, eloquence, supplied, Lived long, wrote much, laughed heartily, and died, g. Though, strictly speaking, a parenthesis is an interruption of the sense of a passage, yet the marks indicating it may sometimes be used to enclose a word, phrase, or clause, placed at the end of a sentence; as, "The next night we were introduced at the Prince of Craon's assembly (he has the chief power in the grand duke's absence). The princess," &c. But such a mode of punctuation is seldom needed in a style characterized either by unity or elegance. h. In the Scriptures, particularly in the Letters of the Apostle Paul, parentheses are found consisting of distinct sentences, which require to be separated by full points from the context, as in the following example: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruc tion, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' i. In reports of speeches, where a particular reference is sometimes made either to the present or a former speaker, or where the sense of the auditors is expressed by approbation or disapprobation, it is usual to enclose the inserted words within marks of parenthesis; as, The lucid exposition which has been made of the object of the meeting by the Right Reverend Bishop (M'Ilvaine) lightens the task of recommending it to an audience like this. I do not know but I should act more advisedly to leave his cogent and persuasive statement to produce its natural effect, without any attempt on my part to enforce it. (No.)" j. Some writers would put within parenthetical marks such words as are thrown into sentences to correct grammatical errors; as, "I am now as well as when you was (were) here." But, as will be shown hereafter, it is better to use brackets, that the language introduced may be clearly distinguished from the original; as (to take the same example), "I am now as well as when you was [were] here." k. Sometimes marks of parenthesis are used to enclose an expression standing apart from the context, and added by way of explanation, or in reference to some other passage. Examples of this kind may be seen in the "Exercises to be written," which: occur in the present treatise. The same marks are also used, particularly in dictionaries and in didactic and scientific works, to enclose the Arabic figures or the letters of the alphabet, when enumerating definitions of words, or subjects treated of; as, "(A.) The unlawfulness of suicide appears from the following considerations: (1.) Suicide is unlawful on account of its general consequences. (2.) Because it is the duty of the self-murderer to live in the world, and be useful in it. (3.) Because he deprives himself of all further opportunity to prepare for happiness in a future state." But, unless it is necessary to distinguish the letters or figures from the simpler modes of specification, the marks of parenthesis are better omitted. 7. When a parenthetical expression is short, or coincides with the rest of the sentence, the marks of parenthesis may be omitted, and commas used instead; as, "Every star, if we may judge by analogy, is a sun to a system of planets." The intervening words says I, says he, and others of a similar character, should all be written only with commas. See p. 65, Remark c. |