Webster could address a bench of judges; Everett could charm a
    college; Choate could delude a jury; Clay could magnetize a senate,
    and Tom Corwin could hold the mob in his right hand; but no one
    of these men could do more than this one thing.

—­Wendell Phillips.

  We might as well decide the question now; for we shall surely be
    obliged to soon.

2.  When the members of a compound sentence themselves contain commas, they should be separated from one another by semicolons.

  As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at
    it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew
    him.

—­Shakespeare.

3.  The semicolon should be used to precede as, namely, i.e., e.g., viz.

  Some adjectives are compared irregularly; as, good, bad, and little.

4.  When a series of distinct statements all have a common dependence on what precedes or follows them, they may be separated from each other by semicolons.

  When subject to the influence of cold we eat more; we choose more
    heat-producing foods, as fatty foodstuffs; we take more vigorous
    exercise; we put on more clothing, especially of the non-conducting
    kinds—­woolens.

+7.  Rules for the Use of the Colon.+—­1.  The colon is used before long or formal quotations, before enumerations, and before the conclusion of a previous statement.

  Old Sir Thomas Browne shrewdly observes:  “Every man is not only
    himself.  There have been many Diogeneses and many Timons
    though but few of the name.  Men are lived over again.  The world
    is now as it was in ages past.  There were none then, but there has
    been one since, that parallels him, and is, as it were, revived self.”

—­George Dana Boardman.

  Adjectives are divided into two general classes:  descriptive and
    definitive adjectives.

  The following members sent in their resignations:  Mrs. William M.
    Murphy, Mrs. Ralph B. Wiltsie, and Mrs. John C. Clark.

2.  The colon is used to separate the different members of a compound sentence, when they themselves are divided by semicolons.

  It is too warm to-day; the sunshine is too bright; the shade, too
    pleasant:  we will wait until to-morrow or we will have some one else
    do it when the busy time is over.

+8.  Rules for the Use of the Period.+—­1.  The period is used at the close of imperative and declarative sentences.

2.  All abbreviations should be followed by a period.

+9.  Rule for the Use of the Interrogation Mark.+—­The interrogation mark should be used after all direct questions.

+10.  Rule for the Use of the Exclamation Mark.+—­Interjections and exclamatory words and expressions should be followed by the exclamation mark.  Sometimes the exclamatory word is only a part of the whole exclamation.  In this case, the exclamatory word should be followed by a comma, and the entire exclamation by an exclamation mark.