Chapter XCVIII: Section VIII: The Curves

The Curves, or Marks of Parenthesis, are used to distinguish a clause or hint that is hastily thrown in between the parts of a sentence to which it does not properly belong; as, "Their enemies (and enemies they will always have) would have a handle for exposing their measures."--_Walpole_.

"To others do (the law is not severe)
What to thyself thou wishest to be done."--_Beattie_.

OBS.--The incidental clause should be uttered in a lower tone, and faster than the principal sentence. It always requires a pause as great as that of a comma, or greater.

RULE I.--THE PARENTHESIS.

A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be inclosed within curves, as a parenthesis; as, "For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing."--_Rom._, vii, 18.

"Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,)
Virtue alone is happiness below."--_Pope_.

RULE II.--INCLUDED POINTS.

The curves do not supersede other stops; and, as the parenthesis terminates with a pause equal to that which precedes it, the same point should be included, except when the sentences differ in form: as, 1. "Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged."--_2 Cor._, vi, 13.

2. "Man's thirst of happiness declares it is:
(For nature never gravitates to nought:)
That thirst unquench'd, declares it is not here."--_Young_.

3. "Night visions may befriend: (as sung above:)
Our waking dreams are fatal. How I dreamt
Of things impossible! (could sleep do more?)
Of joys perpetual in perpetual change!"--_Young_.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.--ERRORS CONCERNING THE CURVES.

UNDER RULE I.--OF THE PARENTHESIS.

"Another is composed of the indefinite article _an_, which, etymologically means _one_ and _other_, and denotes _one other_."--_Hallock's Gram._, p. 63.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the parenthetic expression, "which etymologically means _one_," is not sufficiently separated from the rest of the passage. But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, "A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis." Therefore, the curves should be here inserted; and also, by Rule 2d, a comma at the word _one_.]

"Each mood has its peculiar Tense, Tenses (or Times)."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 58.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the expression, "or Times," which has not the nature of a parenthesis, is here marked with curves. But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, "A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, _and only such_, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis." Therefore, these marks should be omitted; and a comma should be set after the word "_Tenses_," by Rule 3d.]

"In some very ancient languages, as the Hebrew, which have been employed chiefly for expressing plain sentiments in the plainest manner, without aiming at any elaborate length or harmony of periods, this pronoun [the relative] occurs not so often."--_L. Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 127.

"Before I shall say those Things, (O conscript Fathers) about the Public Affairs, which are to be spoken at this Time; I shall lay before you, in few Words, the Motives of the Journey, and the Return."--_Brightland's Gram._, p. 149.

"Of well-chose Words some take not care enough.
And think they should be (like the Subject) rough."
--_Ib._, p. 173.

"Then having shewed his wounds, _he'd_ sit (him) down."
--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 32.

UNDER RULE II.--OF INCLUDED POINTS.

"Then Jael smote the Nail into his Temples, and fastened it to the Ground: (for he was fast asleep and weary) so he died. OLD TEST."--_Ward's Gram._, p. 17.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because this parenthesis is not marked as terminating with a pause equal to that which precedes it. But, according to Rule 2d above, "The curves do not supersede other stops; and, as the parenthesis terminates with a pause equal to that which precedes it, the same point should be included, except when the sentences differ in form." Therefore, a colon should be inserted within the curve after _weary_.]

"Every thing in the Iliad has manners (as Aristotle expresses it) that is, every thing is acted or spoken."--_Pope, Pref. to Homer_, p. vi.

"Those nouns, that end in _f._ or _fe_ (except some few I shall mention presently), form plurals by changing those letters into _ves_: as, thief, _thieves_; wife, _wives_."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 35.

"_As_, requires _as_; (expressing equality) Mine is as good as yours. _As_,--so; (expressing equality) As the stars, so shall thy seed be. _So,--as_; (with a negative expressing inequality) He is not so wise as his brother. _So.--that_; (expressing consequence) I am so weak that I cannot walk."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 113; _Pract. Les._, p. 112.

"A captious question, sir (and yours is one,)
Deserves an answer similar, or none."--_Cowper_, ii. 228.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"Whatever words the verb TO BE serves to unite referring to the same thing, must be of the same case; §61, as, _Alexander_ is a _student_."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 75. "When the objective is a relative or interrogative, it comes before the verb that governs it. §40, R. 9. (Murray's 6th rule is unnecessary.)"--_Id., ib._, p. 90. "It is generally improper (except in poetry,) to omit the antecedent to a relative; and always to omit a relative when of the nominative case."--_Id., ib._, p. 130. "In every sentence there must be a _verb_ and a _nominative_ (or subject) expressed or understood."--_Id., ib._, p. 87; _Pract. Lessons_, p. 91. "Nouns and pronouns, and especially words denoting time, are often governed by prepositions understood; or are used to restrict verbs or adjectives without a governing word, §50. Rem. 6 and Rule; as, He gave (to) me a full account of the whole affair."--_Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 80. "When _should_ is used instead of _ought_, to express _present_ duty, §20, 4, it may be followed by the present; as, 'You _should_ study that you _may_ become learned.'"--_Id., ib._, p. 123. "The indicative present is frequently used after the words, _when, till, before, as soon as, after_, to express the relative time of a future action; (§24, I, 4,) as, 'When he _comes_, he will be welcome.'"--_Id., ib._, p. 124. "The relative is parsed by stating its gender, number, case, and antecedent, (the gender and number being always the same as those of the antecedent) thus, 'The boy who.' '_Who_' is a relative pronoun, masculine, singular, the nominative, and refers to '_boy_' as its antecedent."--_Bullions, Pract. Les._, p. 31.

"Now, now, I seize, I clasp _thy_ charms,
And now _you_ burst; ah! cruel from my arms."

Here is an unnecessary change from the second person singular to the second plural. It would have been better thus,

"Now, now I seize, I clasp _your_ charms,
And now _you_ burst; ah! cruel from my arms."
--_J. Burn's Gram._, p. 193.