A Treatise on English Punctuation Designed for Letter-Writers, Authors, Printers, and Correctors of the Press [Etc.] (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856 edition. Excerpt: ... In concluding these rules and remarks on the use of capitals, we would suggest that authors either note accurately and consistently the words which they mean to be so distinguished, or allow the printer to exercise his own taste and judgment. By this means, not only would a great loss of time be saved to the workman, but the work itself would have a neater and more uniform appearance. In manuscript, words or sentences meant to be printed in CAPITALS are distinguished by having three lines drawn under them; in Small Capitals, by two lines; and in Italics, by one. H.--ITALIC CHARACTERS. Characters called Italics, and printed in this form, are used chiefly to point out emphatical expressions, or to distinguish foreign words and phrases. In the common version of the Scriptures, however, words are so printed to show that they have nothing corresponding to them in the original Hebrew or Greek, but were inserted by the translators to complete or explain the sense. It is quite impracticable to lay down definite and unvarying rules in respect to all the circumstances under which it is proper to use Italic letters. Their employment was at one time exceedingly common; all proper names, and almost all words of more than ordinary significance, having been written or printed in this manner. A sparing use of Italics is, however, strongly recommended to authors and typographers; for it is obvious, that, as there are in composition innumerable shades and degrees of emphasis, a prodigal introduction of words of a sloping character would tend rather to confound the sense and perplex the reader, than to elucidate the meaning, or to assist in discriminating the relative importance which should be attached to different sentiments. In all works, however, which...