trifling, amid their grander researches into the laws of the universe, the internal operations of the human mind, and its external workings by means of language. The grammarian passes it by altogether unheeded, or lays down a few general and abstract principles; leaving the pupil to surmount the difficulties of the art as well as he may. The lawyer engrosses in a character which is perfectly legible; but, by its deficiency in sentential marks, it often proves, like the laws of which he is the expounder, "gloriously uncertain" as to the meaning intended to be expressed. The painter, the engraver, and the lithographer appear to set all rules at defiance, by either omitting the points or misplacing them, when required in certain departments of their work. The letter-writer, with his incessant and indiscriminate dashes, puts his friend, his beloved one, his agent, or his employer, to a little more trouble, in conning over his epistle, than is absolutely necessary. Even the author

- who, of all writers, ought to be the most accurate — not unfrequently puts his manuscript into the printer's hands, either destitute of grammatical points, or so badly punctuated as to create a needless loss of time to the compositor.

But, though an acquaintance with the principles of the art in question has been deemed the peculiar province of the printer, who might therefore be expected to have the requisite qualifications for the performance of his task; yet it must be admitted, that from the press are issued many books, grossly erroneous in sentential marks; and perhaps not a few, which, though distinguished for elegance of style, accuracy of orthography, or beauty of printing, are unworthy of being held up

as models of good taste and judgment in the use of points. It is a fact well known to those connected with the press, that compositors in general have a very deficient knowledge of Punctuation, considered as a branch of science; and that they acquire what they do know of it as an art, chiefly by mechanical habit, or by the correction of innumerable blunders, marked on the proof-sheets.

To make these observations, however, without granting many exceptions, would savor more of the petulance of presumption than of the candor of true criticism. There are numerous masterpieces of composition, in which the writer, the compositor, and the corrector of the press, have, either separately or together, inserted points with taste and propriety.

But enough has been said to demonstrate the necessity for an increased attention to the subject, and to prove a very obvious, though not an acknowledged, truth, that the principles of Punctuation must be duly learned, before they can be understood, or brought into systematic and perfect use. The question, then, will naturally arise, How is the desired improvement to be effected? how are the theory and practice of the art to be attained? We answer, By the most simple means; by the very means which are so well adapted to other subjects of learning. Let Punctuation form a branch of academical instruction; let it be studied, after a competent knowledge of English etymology and syntax has been acquired; let the rules be thoroughly comprehended by the pupil, be explained to him, if necessary, in the teacher's language, and re-explained by himself in his own words. Let him also write copious exercises, in

order to bring into further play his judgment and taste; and let him present to his teacher these trials of his skill, to be examined and approved or corrected. By this means will he soon be capable of so punctuating his own compositions as to be read by others with ease, pleasure, and advantage.

This is an age of authors, as well as of readers. Young aspirants after fame, some of them of considerable merit, meet us at every step, and in every department of literature. But surely, if they are capable of enlightening the world by their wisdom, or dazzling it by their genius, they can have no difficulty in writing so as to be understood. If they have thoughts worthy of being communicated through the agency of the pen and the press, they surely cannot with justice regard it as any degradation of their powers to submit to the task of indicating, as accurately as possible, what they do really intend to say. If there is beauty in their style; if there is pathos in their sentiments; if there is moral and intellectual vigor in the thoughts that burn for utterance; if their discourse is calculated to refine the taste, to improve the heart, and ennoble the mind, of the reader, — surely they should be careful that that beauty be not marred, that that pathos be not unfelt, that that vigor be not weakened, that that discourse be not shorn of half its power over the character and happiness of others, from the petty motive of saving themselves the trouble of learning what, of all men, from the very nature of their pursuits, they are the best able and most bound to learn. Besides, it is worthy of remark, that, by habituating themselves to the practice of pointing, their attention will naturally be directed to clearness of thought, and

accuracy of expression. They will be more apt to regard words as but of little value, except as representatives of ideas, and as an instrument by which these may gain access to the human soul. If involved in the difficulty of punctuating a badly-formed sentence, such as the following, "God heapeth favors on his servants ever liberal and faithful," - supposing this to imply that the Divine Being is ever liberal and faithful, -they will almost necessarily be led to réconstruct it, that they may rid themselves of their perplexity, and leave no doubt as to the sense meant to be conveyed; for, beyond all question, facility in punctuation is generally in proportion to the perspicuity and the good arrangement of words. Let authors, therefore, turn a little of their attention to the elements of this art, trifling and undignified as it may seem to be. Let them not transfer to their printer that department of duty which as authors it is their own province to fill. With some few boasted exceptions, no doubt much overrated, neither compositors nor correctors of the press are immaculate; for they do not understand all the subjects treated of in books, and cannot with accuracy punctuate what they do not comprehend.

It was in bygone times a preliminary requisite, that printers should be acquainted with what are termed the learned languages. But though, in this age of a more general and superficial literature, a profound knowledge of Hebrew points, Greek accents, and Latin quantities, is no longer required, it is necessary that compositors be acquainted with the principles of their native tongue, and with the functions of the peculiar marks used for setting off sentences, clauses, and phrases. Were every

author to write his work in a fair, legible character, and so punctuate his language as to convey the sense clearly and correctly, then might compositors act as mere machines, and "follow" their "copy." But, until writers for the press condescend to use the stops systematically and accurately, the humble workmen who put together the world-enlightening types must be more than unconscious machines: they must, to some degree, enter into the conceptions of those on whose works they are employed, and develop the sense of their manuscripts, with the greatest possible discrimination, by the help and service of the poor, despised, but useful handmaids,

the commas, the semicolons, and other little points. We know well the feeling which very naturally and properly exists in the minds of compositors, that the "copy" put into their hands should be prepared with an accuracy which would preclude the necessity, on their part, of losing time by pondering over the manuscript in order to render it intelligible to the reading public. But this we know also, that, in the actual state of things, the time thus apparently lost is, when employed aright, a comparative gain, by reason of the far greater consumption of unprofitable labor in the insertion and extraction of points, after the proof-sheet has been returned by the corrector of the press. If the manuscript be defective or erroneous in its sentential marks, the compositor must either take a little trouble in pointing it himself, or have it done for him afterwards by the proof-reader, to the serious diminution of his professional character, his good temper, and his weekly wages. But, further, we would ask, Is not the operative who comprehends the principles of his calling, who really knows what he is about,