sounds may not come together."—Ib., p. 27. "It would be as improper to say an unit, as to say an youth; to say an one, as to say an wonder."—Ib., p. 27. "When we say 'He died for the truth,' for is a preposition."—Ib., p. 28. "We do not say 'I might go yesterday,' but 'I might have gone yesterday.'"—Ib., p. 11. "By student, we understand one who has by matriculation acquired the rights of academical citizenship; but, by bursché, we understand one who has already spent a certain time at the university."—Howitt's Student-Life in Germany, p. 27.
SECTION II.—THE SEMICOLON.
The Semicolon is used to separate those parts of a compound sentence, which are neither so closely connected as those which are distinguished by the comma, nor so little dependent as those which require the colon.
RULE I.—COMPLEX MEMBERS.
When two or more complex members, or such clauses as require the comma in themselves, are constructed into a period, they are generally separated by the semicolon: as, "In the regions inhabited by angelic natures, unmingled felicity forever blooms; joy flows there with a perpetual and abundant stream, nor needs any mound to check its course."—Carter. "When the voice rises, the gesture naturally ascends; and when the voice makes the falling inflection, or lowers its pitch, the gesture follows it by a corresponding descent; and, in the level and monotonous pronunciation of the voice, the gesture seems to observe a similar limitation, by moving rather in the horizontal direction, without much varying its elevation."—Comstock's Elocution, p. 107.
"The wide, the unbounded prospect lies before me;
But shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it."—Addison.
RULE II.—SIMPLE MEMBERS.
When two or more simple members, or such clauses as complete their sense without subdivision, are constructed into a period; if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, they are usually separated by the semicolon: as, "Straws swim upon the surface; but pearls lie at the bottom."—Murray's Gram., p. 276. "Every thing grows old; every thing passes away; every thing disappears."—Hiley's Gram., p. 115. "Alexander asked them the distance of the Persian capital; what forces the king of Persia could bring into the field; what the Persian government was; what was the character of the king; how he treated his enemies; what were the most direct ways into Persia."—Whelpley's Lectures, p. 175.
"A longer care man's helpless kind demands;
That longer care contracts more lasting bands."—Pope.
RULE III.—OF APPOSITION, &C.
Words in apposition, in disjunct pairs, or in any other construction, if they require a pause greater than that of the comma, and less than that of the colon, may be separated by the semicolon: as, "Pronouns have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective."—Murray's Gram., p. 51. "Judge, judgement; lodge, lodgement; acknowledge, acknowledgement."—Butler's Gram., p. 11. "Do not the eyes discover humility, pride; cruelty, compassion; reflection, dissipation; kindness, resentment?"—Sheridan's Elocution, p. 159. "This rule forbids parents to lie to children, and children to parents; instructors to pupils, and pupils to instructors; the old to the young, and the young to the old; attorneys to jurors, and jurors to attorneys; buyers to sellers, and sellers to buyers."—Wayland's Moral Science, p. 304.
"Make, made; have, had; pay, paid; say, said; leave, left;
Dream, dreamt; mean, meant; reave and bereave have reft."
—Ward's Gr., p. 66.
IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.
FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE SEMICOLON.
