But if two nouns in apposition are unattended with adjuncts, or if they form only a proper name, they should not be separated; as, "Paul the apostle, suffered martyrdom;” “The statesman Jefferson, wrote the declaration of Independence.”

Exercises.—­Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  Continue my dear child to make virtue thy chief study.  Canst thou expect thou betrayer of innocence to escape the hand of vengeance?  Death the king of terrors chose a prime minister.  Hope the balm of life sooths us under every misfortune.  Confucius the great Chinese philosopher was eminently good as well as wise.  The patriarch Joseph is an illustrious example of true piety.

RULE 5.  The nominative case absolute and the infinitive mood absolute with their adjuncts, a participle with words depending on it, and, generally, any imperfect phrase which may be resolved into a simple sentence, must be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas; as, “His father dying, he succeeded to the estate;” “To confess the truth, I was in fault;” “The king, approving the plan, put it in execution;” “He, having finished his academical course, has returned home, to prosecute his professional studies.”

Exercises.—­Peace of mind being secured we may smile at misfortune.  To enjoy present pleasure he sacrificed his future ease and reputation.  His talents formed for great enterprises could not fail of rendering him conspicuous.  The path of piety and virtue pursued with a firm and constant spirit will assuredly lead to happiness.  All mankind compose one family assembled under the eye of one common Father.

RULE 6.  A compound sentence must be resolved into simple ones by placing commas between its members; as, “The decay, the waste, and the dissolution of a plant, may affect our spirits, and suggest a train of serious reflections.”

Three or more nouns, verbs, adjectives, participles, or adverbs, connected by conjunctions, expressed or understood, must be separated by commas; as, “The husband, wife,[11] and children,[12] suffered extremely;” “In a letter, we may advise, exhort, comfort, request, and discuss;” “David was a brave, wise, and pious man;” “A man, fearing, serving, and loving his Creator, lives for a noble purpose;” “Success generally depends on acting prudently, steadily, and vigorously, in what we undertake.”

[11] The correctness and importance of this rule appear to be so obvious, as to render it not a little surprising, that any writer, possessing the least degree of rhetorical taste, should reject it.  I am bold to affirm, that it is observed by every correct reader and speaker; and yet, strange as it may seem, it is generally violated by those printers who punctuate by the ear, and all others who are influenced by their pernicious example; thus, “The head, the heart and the hands, should be constantly and actively employed