“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 change!”—­Young.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE PUNCTUATION.—­ERRORS CONCERNING THE CURVES.

UNDER RULE I.—­OF THE PARENTHESIS.

“Another is composed of the indefinite article an, which, etymologically means one and other, and denotes one other.”—­Hallock’s Gram., p. 63.

[FORMULE.—­Not proper, because the parenthetic expression, “which etymologically means one,” is not sufficiently separated from the rest of the passage.  But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, “A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis.”  Therefore, the curves should be here inserted; and also, by Rule 2d, a comma at the word one.]

“Each mood has its peculiar Tense, Tenses (or Times).”—­Bucke’s Gram., p. 58.

[FORMULE.—­Not proper, because the expression, “or Times,” which has not the nature of a parenthesis, is here marked with curves.  But, according to Rule 1st for the Curves, “A clause that breaks the unity of a sentence or passage too much to be incorporated with it, and only such, should be enclosed within curves, as a parenthesis.”  Therefore, these marks should be omitted; and a comma should be set after the word “Tenses,” by Rule 3d.]