Print
Word
PDF “(Eve) so saying, her rash
hand in evil hour
Forth reaching to the fruit;
she pluck’d, she ate
Earth felt the wound:
and nature from her seat,
Sighing through all her works,
gave signs of wo,
That all was lost.”—Cooper’s
Pl. and Pr. Gram.
SECTION IV.—THE PERIOD.
The Period, or Full Stop, is used to mark an entire and independent sentence, whether simple or compound.
RULE I.—DISTINCT SENTENCES.
When a sentence, whether long or short, is complete in respect to sense, and independent in respect to construction, it should be marked with the period: as, “Every deviation from truth is criminal. Abhor a falsehood. Let your words be ingenuous. Sincerity possesses the most powerful charm.”—“The force of a true individual is felt through every clause and part of a right book; the commas and dashes are alive with it.”—R. W. Emerson.
“By frequent trying, TROY
was won.
All things, by trying, may
be done.”—Lloyd, p. 184.
RULE II.—ALLIED SENTENCES.
The period is often employed between two sentences which have a general connexion, expressed by a personal pronoun, a conjunction, or a conjunctive adverb: as, “The selfish man languishes in his narrow circle of pleasures. They are confined to what affects his own interests. He is obliged to repeat the same gratifications, till they become insipid. But the man of virtuous sensibility moves in a wider sphere of felicity.”—Blair.
“And whether we shall meet
again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting
farewell take.”—Shak., J. C.
RULE III.—ABBREVIATIONS.
The period is generally used after abbreviations, and very often to the exclusion of other points; but, as in this case it is not a constant sign of pause, other points may properly follow it, if the words written in full would demand them: as, A. D. for Anno Domini;—Pro tem. for pro tempore;—Ult. for ultimo;—i.e. for id est, that is;—Add., Spect, No. 285; i.e., Addison, in the Spectator, Number 285th.
“Consult the statute; ‘quart.’
I think, it is,
‘Edwardi sext.,’
or ‘prim. et quint. Eliz.’”—Pope,
p. 399.
OBSERVATIONS.
OBS. 1.—It seems to be commonly supposed, whether correctly or not, that short sentences which are in themselves distinct, and which in their stated use must be separated by the period, may sometimes be rehearsed as examples, in so close succession as not to require this point: as, “But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt
