888 Division of Words into Syllables, according to the Pronunciation 96 INTRODUCTION. WHATEVER conduces, even though remotely, to the efficiency of written language that wonderful medium of communicating intelligence from one mind to another, of exalting and improving the present age, and of transmitting the treasures of wisdom and genius to beings yet unborn - has surely some claim on the consideration of the lover of his species. Whatever tends to develope or elucidate the meaning of a writer to bring out his to render his expres thoughts to the best advantage sions a genuine transcript of the emotions and sentiments which he would convey to the hearts and minds of his - is obviously entitled to no small degree of readers attention. Many subjects, indeed, having a more immediate and vital influence on the well-being of society, are worthy of higher regard than that of punctuation; but, whether considered as a science or as an art, it ought not to be neglected. To some extent, it has a relation to philology and metaphysics. It is, without doubt, intimately connected with grammar; subservient to the purposes of syntax; essentially necessary in those instances of ambiguity which often disfigure composition; and useful even A in sentences, the construction of which is not liable to the charge of obscurity. By the omission or the improper insertion of points, not only the beauties and elegancies, but even the advantages, of literature would be faintly discerned, except by the most attentive readers, or by persons of superior taste and information: the sense of even the more simple and familiar class of productions such as the narrative, the essay, or the epistle would be liable to be misapprehended, or, at least, to be imperfectly understood. The perusal, indeed, of a single page of any work will bear testimony to the comparative importance of just punctuation. Scarcely can a sentence be perused with pleasure or interest, unless pointed with some degree of accuracy. The well-known speech of Norval, for instance, in the tragedy of Douglas, may be read, by an erroneous use of the pauses, in such a manner as to pervert or destroy the meaning; as, My name is Norval on the Grampian hills. Whose constant cares were to increase his store, &c. We fought and conquered ere a sword was drawn. An arrow from my bow, had pierced their chief The insertion of the right points will restore the sense of these passages, and render them conformable to the conceptions of the dramatist : My name is Norval. On the Grampian hills My father feeds his flock; a frugal swain, Whose constant cares were to increase his store, &c. We fought and conquered. Ere a sword was drawn, In the note below will be found a few other instances of erroneous punctuation, which, though in their nature sufficiently ludicrous, forcibly show the necessity of paying due attention to sentential marks.* *The following request is said to have been made at church: "A sailor going to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety." It happened to be thus given out:- "A sailor, going to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety." A blacksmith, passing by a hair-dresser's shop, observed in the window, a placard, which he read as follows: What do you think? I'll shave you for nothing, And give you some drink. The son of Vulcan, with a huge black beard on his chin, and a little spark in his throat, considered the opportunity too good to be lost. He accordingly entered; and, after the operation had been duly performed, asked, with the utmost sang froid, for the liquor. But the shaver of beards demanded payment, when the smith, in a Stentorian voice, referred him to his own placard, which the barber goodhumouredly produced, and read thus: What! do you think I'll shave you for nothing, Another example of the ludicrous will tend still more to show the value of just punctuation: Every lady in this land Hath twenty nails upon each hand; Five and twenty on hands and feet: And this is true, without deceit. Let the points be changed, and the true meaning of the passage will at once be discerned: Every lady in this land Hath twenty nails; upon each hand And this is true, without deceit. |