tive mood,
which, by transposition, may be made the nominative case to it, the verb
_to be_ is generally separated from the infinitive by a comma; as, "The
most obvious remedy is, _to withdraw from all associations with bad
men_;" "The first and most obvious remedy against the infection, is, to
withdraw from all associations with bad men."

_Exercises._--They believed he was dead. He did not know that I was the
man. I knew she was still alive. The greatest misery is to be condemned
by our own hearts. The greatest misery that we can endure is to be
condemned by our own hearts.

NOTES.

1. When a conjunction is separated by a phrase or member from the
member to which it belongs, such intervening phrase appears to
require a comma at each extremity; as, "They set out early, _and_,
before the close of the day, arrived at the destined place." This
rule, however, is not generally followed by our best writers; as,
"If thou seek the Lord, he will be found of thee; _but_ if thou
forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever;" "_But_ if the parts
connected are not short, a comma may be inserted."

2. Several verbs succeeding each other in the infinitive mood, and
having a common dependance, may be divided by commas; as, "To
relieve the indigent, to comfort the afflicted, to protect the
innocent, to reward the deserving, are humane and noble
employments."

3. A remarkable expression, or a short observation, somewhat in the
form of a quotation, may be properly marked with a comma; as, "It
hurts a man's pride to say, _I do not know_;" "Plutarch calls lying,
_the vice of slaves_."

4. When words are placed in opposition to each other, or with some
marked variety, they must be distinguished by a comma; as,

"Tho' _deep_, yet _clear_; tho' _gentle_, yet not _dull_;
_Strong_, without _rage_; without _o'erflowing_, _full_."

"Good men, in this frail, imperfect state, are often found, not only
in union _with_, but in opposition _to_, the views and conduct of
each other."

Sometimes when the word with which the last preposition agrees, is
single, the comma may be omitted; as, "Many states were in alliance
_with_, and under the protection _of_ Rome."

The same rule and restrictions apply, when two or more nouns refer
to the same preposition; as, "He was composed both under the
_threatening_, and at the _appro