THE NOTE OF EXCLAMATION. The note of exclamation is used after expressions of sudden emotion or passion, and after solemn invocations and addresses; as, Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead : Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets!" Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumbering world. Young. "Hail, holy light! offspring of heaven first born!" Milton. When the interjection Oh is used, the point is nerally placed immediately after it; but when i employed, the point is placed after one or more ir ervening words, as, "Oh! my offence is rank, it smells to heaven." Shakspere. "But thou, O Hope! with eyes so fair,— What was thy delighted measure?"— Collins, The following characters are also employed in Composition: The parenthesis () generally includes a word, phrase, or remark, which is merely incidental or explanatory, and which might be omitted without injury to the grammatical construction; as, The tuneful Nine (so sacred legends tell,) First waked their heavenly lyre these scenes to tell."-Campbell. "Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,) Virtue alone is happiness below."-Pope. The parenthesis is now employed less frequently than formerly; commas or dashes being used to supply its place; as, "The colonists-such is human nature-desired to burn the town in which they had been so wretched."-Robertson. The apostrophe (') is used to denote the omission of one or more letters; as, o'er, tho'. It is likewise the sign of the possessive case, being used instead of a letter, which was formerly inserted in its place; as, man's for manes, or, manis. "In Marks of quotation (" ") are used to indicate that the exact words of another are introduced; as, my first parliament," said James, "I was a novice." When a quotation is introduced within a quotation, it is usually distinguished by single inverted commas; as, "I was not only a ship-boy on the high and giddy mast,' but also in the cabin, where every menial office fell to my lot." If both quotations commence or terminate together, this commencement or termination is indicated by the use of three commas; as, "In the course of this polite attention, he pointed in a certain direction, and exclaimed, That is Mr. Bradley, of York, a man, whose benevolence is proverbial."" When a point is inserted immediately after a quotation, it should be placed within the quotation marks. A mark of accent (') is sometimes placed over a syllable to denote that it requires particular stress in pronunciation. A diaeresis (...) is sometimes placed over the latter of two successive vowels to show that they do not form a dipthong; as, cooperate, aërial. The cedilla () is a mark, which is sometimes placed under the letter c to show that it has the sound of s; as in "façade." The paragraph (¶) is used in the Old and New Testaments to denote the beginning of a new subject. In other books, paragraphs are distinguished by commencing a new line further from the margin than the beginning of the other lines. This is called indenting. FIGURES OF SPEECH. A figure of speech is a departure from the ordinary form of words, from their regular construction. or from their literal signification. Departures from the usual form of words are called figures of Etymology. Departures from the regular construction of words are called figures of Syntax. Departures from the literal signification of words are called figures of Rhetoric. Figures of Etymology. The figures of Etymology are Aphaércsis, Sýncope, Apócope, Prósthesis, Paragóge, Synaéresis, Diaéresis, and Tmésis. 1. Aphaeresis is the taking of a letter or syllable from the beginning of a word, as, 'neath for he acath, 'gainst for against. "But his courage 'gan fail, 2. Syncope is the elision of one or more letters from the middle of a word; as, ling'ring for linger. ing; lov'd for loved. 3. Apocope is the elision of one or more letters from the end of a word; as, thro' for through; th for the. 4. Prosthesis is the addition of one or more letters to the beginning of a word; as, beloved for loved, enchain for chain; adown for down. 5. Paragoge is the addition of one or more letters to the end of a word; as, awaken for awake; bounden for bound; deary for dear. 6. Synaeresis is the contraction of two syllables into one; as, sēēst for sē-ěst; alienate for a-li-ën-ate N.B. Alienate in three syllables, as if written ale-yen-ate. 7. Diaeresis is the separation of two vowels standing together, so as to connect them with different syllables; as, coöperate, aërial. 7. Tmesis is the separation of a compound wora into two parts, by introducing another word between them; as, "Thy thoughts, which are to us ward" for "Thy thoughts, which are toward us.” -"How high soever" for "Howsoever high." Figures of Syntax. The principal figures of Syntax are Ellipsis Pleonasm, Enállage, and Hyperbaton. 1. Ellipsis is the omission of one or more words, which are necessary to complete the grammatical construction. The following examples will serve to illustrate this figure: 1. Nouns; as, "St. Peter's" [church];-" The twelve" [apostles]. 2. Adjectives; as, "Every day and [every] hour; ""A gentleman and [a] lady." 3. Pronouns; as, "I am monarch of all [which] I survey;"-" He left in the morning, and [he] returned the same day." 4. Verbs; as, "To whom the angel" [spoke]; -[Let] "No man eat fruit of thee." 5. Adverbs; as, " He spoke [wisely] and acted wisely." 6. Prepositions; as, "He was banished [from] England;"" He lived like [to] a prince." 7. Conjunctions; as, "I came, [and] I saw, [and] I conquered. 8. Phrases and entire clauses; as, "I love you for nothing more than [I love you] for the just esteem you have for all the sons of Adam."Swift. 2. Pleonasm is the use of more words to express ideas than are necessary; as, "I know thee who thou art."-N. Test. "What we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears.” The repetition of a conjunction is termed Polysyndeton; as, "We have ships and men and money und stores." 3. Enallage is the use of one part of speech for another;* as, * Deviations of this kind are, in general, to be considered colecisms; otherwise, the rules of grammar would be of no |