the least educated writers of all; and, next to these, in the men of science whose overpowering conscientiousness has made the mechanical putting in of commas so habitual that it perhaps becomes with them a sort of reflex action, and does itself at wrong moments without their volition.
- The Rector, lineal representative of the ancient monarchs of the University, though now, little more than a 'king of shreds and patches.'—HUXLEY.
THE COLON
It was said in the general remarks at the beginning of this chapter that the systematic use of the colon as one of the series (,), (;}, (:), (.), had died out with the decay of formal periods. Many people continue to use it, but few, if we can trust our observation, with any nice regard to its value. Some think it a prettier or more impressive stop than the semicolon, and use it instead of that; some like variety, and use the two indifferently, or resort to one when they are tired of the other. As the abandonment of periodic arrangement really makes the colon useless, it would be well (though of course any one who still writes in formal periods should retain his rights over it) if ordinary writers would give it up altogether except in the special uses, independent of its quantitative value, to which it is being more and more applied by common consent. These are (1) between two sentences that are in clear antithesis, but not connected by an adversative conjunction; (2) introducing a short quotation; (3) introducing a list; (4) introducing a sentence that comes as fulfilment of a promise expressed or implied in the previous sentence; (5) introducing an explanation or proof that is not connected with the previous sentence by for or the like. Examples are:
- (1) Man proposes: God disposes.
- (2) Always remember the ancient maxim: Know thyself.—B.
- (3) Chief rivers: Thames, Severn, Humber ...
- (4) Some things we can, and others we cannot do: we can walk, but we cannot fly.—BIGELOW.
- (5) Rebuke thy son in private: public rebuke hardens the heart.—B.