4.

"_Alas!_ how short is life." "_Thomas_, study your book."--_Day's District
School Gram._, p. 109. "As, '_alas!_' how short is life; _Thomas_, study
your book.'"--_Ib._, p. 82. "Who can tell us who they are."--_Sanborn's
Gram._, p. 178. "Lord have mercy on my son; for he is a lunatic,
etc."--_Felton's Gram._, 1st Ed., p. 138; Ster. Ed., 140. "O, ye wild
groves, O, where is now your bloom!"--_Ib._, p. 88; Ster. Ed., 91.

"O who of man the story will unfold!"
--_Farnum's Gr._, 2d Ed., p. 104.

"Methought I heard Horatio say to-morrow.
Go to I will not hear of it--to-morrow."
--_Hallock's Gr._, 1st Ed., p. 221.

"How his eyes languish? how his thoughts adore
That painted coat which Joseph never wore?"
--_Love of Fame_, p. 66.

SECTION VIII.--THE CURVES.

The Curves, or Marks of Parenthesis, are used to distinguish a clause or
hint that is hastily thrown in between the parts of a sentence to which it
does not properly belong; as, "Their enemies (and enemies they will always
have) would have a handle for exposing their measures."--_Walpole_.

"To others do (the law is not severe)
What to thyself thou wishest to be done."--_Beattie_.

OBS.--The incidental clause should be uttered in a lower tone, and faster
than the principal sentence. It always requires a pause as great as that of
a comma, or greater.

RULE I.--THE PARENTHESIS.

A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be
incorporated with it, and only such, should be inclosed within curves, as a
parenthesis; as, "For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth
no good thing."--_Rom._, vii, 18.

"Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,)
Virtue alone is happiness below."--_Pope_.

RULE II.--INCLUDED POINTS.

The curves do not supersede other stops; and, as the parenthesis terminates
with a pause equal to that which precedes it, the same point should be
included, except when the sentences differ in form: as, 1. "Now for a
recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also
enlarged."--_2 Cor._, vi, 13.

2. "Man's thirst of happiness declares it is:
(For nature never gravitates to nought:)
That thirst unquench'd, declares it is not here."--_Young_.

3. "Night visions may befriend: (as sung above:)
Our waking dreams are fatal. How I dreamt
Of things impossible! (could sleep do more?)
Of joys perpetual in perpetual c