Plain, and short rules for pointing periods, and reading sentences grammatically, with the great use of them by M. Lewis ...

Rules for pointing a PERIOD.

EVery Subject, called the Nominative Case, and Finite Verb (expressed, or understood) with their Dependents, must have a Point, or distinction: because the Verb ex∣presses, the state, motion, or action of the Subject, and must be stopt, or else we move in infinitum, and cannot begin a new motion. Let this Paragraph be an example.

Except. 1. any word, or clause (having the import of a Sentence) wherein a Verb is virtually contained, may have a stop. Such are,

1. Interjections. As, Alas, that is, it is a sad case, woe is me.

2. Participles of the present, and preter-tense. As, God, creating the World, made man. Man, created by God, was placed in Paradise.

3. One Substantive after another by apposition, having the import of a Sentence. As, Man, the image of God, was placed in Paradise; otherwise not. As, M.T.C.

4. An Infinitive mood, having the import of a Sentence, may be distinguished from the preceding Verb. As, God created man in his image, to be lord of the Creatures, that is, that he might be lord of the Creatures. But, when the Infinitive mood, hath the nature of a Substantive, and depends upon the former Verb, as if it was an oblique Case, it ought not to be distinguished. As, I desire to learn, that is, I desire learning.

2. Except the Vocative case with the dependents, which is an extra••entential phrase, and a preparation to a motion. As, Son, come hither.

3. Except, when a Word, or Phrase, as in Zeugma, relates to several things, it may be distinguished from the thing, immediately depending upon it, to shew its relation to be indifferent, to that, and to the things, it affects more remotely. As, God hath given a law, to the fire, air, water, earth.

4. When a Sentence is parted by any intercepting Clause, the former part of the Sen∣tence is distinguished from the Clause, and the Clause from the latter part of the Sen∣tence. As, God, creating the world, gave man dominion over the Creatures.

5. The same Sentence sometimes hath a Point in it, when it is in-grammatically placed, to shew its disorder. As, By an almighty power, God created the world.

I do not intend, a Point must be made in all these cases. I only say, a Point may be, and de facto many times is, upon these grounds. Exact Pointing is best. But if we do miscarry, it is better to under point, then over point.

These things are obvious to ordinary capacities, and do fully answer my end: to prepare English to be rendered into Latin; and Latin to be Analysed, and rendered into English: and therein are useful to Children.

But as a Point in general is absolutely necessary to rational instructing in the plain Syntactical part of Grammar: so to understand the kinds of Points, when, and where they shall be used, is as necessary to some parts of Rhetorick. No man can pronounce, and act Artificially out of judgment; or compose Oratorically by a Rule, who doth not understand the various constitutions, and contextures of Periods from whence the kinds of Points do arise.

As therefore a Point in general arises from a Verb in general, or something analogous to it: so the species of Points arise from the Verbs in a Period as they do more intimately; or more remotely relate to one another. Where the dependence is greater, the stay between them is less; (giving liberty for a lower tone and lesser action) where the dependance is less, the stay is greater, the tone higher, and the action more.

The Points, distinguishing a plain Sentence, are a Period, a Colon, a Sub-colon, a Comma, which may be compared to those stops in Musick, a Minim, a Crochet, a Quaver, a Semi-quaver.

To the Rules following I premise. A Proposition, Theme, or Matter treated of is either Simple; (As God created the World. Man is lord of the Creatures) or it is Compounded, in which there is a principal Verb, expressed, or suppressed, and another Verb, or Verbs depending upon it, to explain, enlarge, restrain, divide, or confirm the principal Pro∣position laid down, to which these depending Verbs are united by some Conjunction, expressed, or understood. Let this Paragraph be an example. The principal Sentence suppressed is, Propositions are twofold. All, that follows, relates to this.

The principal Verb in a Period is that, which is the motion of the principal subject; or doth affect the principal Object, spoken of. This Verb (if it be expressed) is the first Verb in the Natural, and Grammatical order. But it is often suppressed, as in the former Paragraph, proposed for an example.

The principal Theme, or Matter is threefold:

• 1. Of a Discourse, or an Oration;
• 2. Of a Paragraph, usually noted by a Break;
• 3 Of a Period strictly taken.

A Discourse may contain several Paragraphs. A Paragraph may contain several Peri∣ods. Every one of these Periods have a principal Verb, that is, such a Verb, that doth not immediately depend upon another Verb, o•• totum. Put it may depend upon the Theme of the Discourse, or Paragraph.

This all must grant, a great member, or totum in a Period is distinguished from lesser members, or parts by a greater rest, then lesser members are distinguished from one another, or from their subdividing members, and exegetical expressions. I mean: a totum is distinguished from its parts by a Colon; the parts are distinguished from one another by a Sub-colon; Exegetical expressions to these, are distinguished by Comma's.