IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—­ERRORS CONCERNING THE SEMICOLON.

UNDER RULE I.—­OF COMPLEX MEMBERS.

“The buds spread into leaves, and the blossoms swell to fruit, but they know not how they grow, nor who causes them to spring up from the bosom of the earth.”—­Day’s E. Gr., p. 72.

[FORMULE.—­Not proper, because the two chief members which compose this period, are separated only by the comma after “fruit.”  But, according to Rule 1st for the Semicolon, “When two or more complex members, or such clauses as require the comma in themselves, are constructed into a period, they are generally separated by the semicolon.”  Therefore, the pause after “fruit” should be marked by a semicolon.]

“But he used his eloquence chiefly against Philip, king of Macedon, and, in several orations, he stirred up the Athenians to make war against him.”—­Bullions, E. Gram., p. 84.  “For the sake of euphony, the n is dropped before a consonant, and because most words begin with a consonant, this of course is its more common form.’”—­Ib., p. 192.  “But if I say ‘Will a man be able to carry this burden?’ it is manifest the idea is entirely changed, the reference is not to number, but to the species, and the answer might be ‘No; but a horse will.’”—­Ib., p. 193.  “In direct discourse, a noun used by a speaker or writer to designate himself, is said to be of the first person—­used to designate the person addressed, it is said to be of the second person, and when used to designate a person or thing spoken of, it is said to be of the third person.”—­Ib., p. 195.  “Vice stings us, even in our pleasures, but virtue consoles us, even in our pains.”—­Day’s Gram., p. 84.  “Vice is infamous though in a prince, and virtue honorable though in a peasant.”—­Ib., p. 72.  “Every word that is the name of a person or thing, is a Noun, because ’A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing.’”—­Bullions, Pract.  Les., p. 83.

   “This is the sword, with which he did the deed,
    And that the shield by which he was defended.”—­Bucke’s Gram., p. 56.

UNDER RULE II.—­OF SIMPLE MEMBERS.

“A deathlike paleness was diffused over his countenancee [sic—­KTH], a chilling terror convulsed his frame; his voice burst out at intervals into broken accents.”—­Principles of Eloquence, p. 73.

[FORMULE.—­Not proper, because the first pause in this sentence is not marked by a suitable point.  But, according to Rule 2d for the Semicolon, “When two or more simple members, or such clauses as complete their sense without subdivision, are constructed into a period; if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, they are usually separated by the semicolon.”  Therefore, the comma after “countenance” should be changed to a semicolon.]