- The Asterisk, or

XIV. MARKS OF REFERENCE. Star [*], the Obelisk, or Dagger [†], the Double Dagger [], the Section [§], Parallel Lines [ || ], and the Paragraph [ ¶ ], are used, in the order here presented, when references are made to observations or notes in the margin.

When references are numerous, the above marks, when they have been all used in one and the same page, and others are required, should be doubled or trebled; as, **, ttt.

But, for purposes of reference, many authors prefer lowercase Italic letters or Arabic figures, enclosed by marks of parenthesis (a) or (1): some using the letters throughout the alphabet, or the figures as far as 10 or 100 inclusive, then beginning again with (a) or (1); and others commencing each page with the first letter or figure.

As, however, all the above marks have a rather clumsy appearance, particularly when they often occur in the same page, it has, in more recent times, been regarded as an improvement to use, in their order, letters or figures of a smaller size, technically called, from their standing above the line, Superiors; as, a or1. If the notes are placed in the margin, it is recommended that the letter a or figure be the first reference of every page in which notes occur; but that figures, and not letters, be employed in regular succession, as far as required, if the notes are introduced at the end of the volume.

The ASTERISK is used in some dictionaries to note, either that a word is of Greek origin, or is distinguished by some other peculiarity; and the OBELISK, that a word or phrase is barbarous or obsolete. In Roman-Catholic church-books, the asterisk is used to divide each verse of a psalm into two parts, showing where the responses begin. The obelisk is inserted, instead of the proper square cross, in those places of the printed prayers and benedictions where the priest is to make the sign of the cross. It is also used in the briefs of the pope, and in the mandates of archbishops and bishops, who put this symbol immediately before the signature of their names.

The mark termed the SECTION [§] is sometimes employed, as in Locke's "Essay on the Human Understanding," to divide books or chapters into smaller portions; and that called the PARAGRAPH [¶] occurs frequently in the authorized version of the Bible.

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CHAPTER VI.

GENERAL EXERCISES,

PUNCTUATED ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN IN THE

PRESENT WORK.

THE following Exercises are presented in the hope, that they will be not only perused as a source of pleasure and general improvement, but also studied with relation to the art which they are meant to exemplify. This can be done in one of two ways: The reader may, in passing from one sentence to another, assign, either mentally or to a teacher, the reasons for the punctuation adopted, by referring to the rules or the remarks which are laid down in the preceding pages as applicable to each separate case. Or he may write out the exercises, one at a time, without any points whatever; and, in the course of a day or two, take his transcribed copy, and, without aid from the book, insert such marks as he thinks will best exhibit the grammatical structure of the composition, the connections or relations subsisting between the various parts of its sentences, and the sense which the author intended to express. He may then compare his manuscript with the print, in order to ascertain in what respects they correspond or differ; introducing the

points which he has omitted, or rectifying the errors he has made. If the defects or mistakes are numerous, he should carefully transcribe the exercise a second time.

The Index, at the end of the book, will enable the pupil, when his memory fails him, to discover any particular rule or remark to which he may have occasion to refer.

I. PRIDE AND HUMILITY.

Pride and humility are always relative terms. They imply a comparison of some sort with an object higher or lower; and the same mind, with actual excellence exactly the same, and with the same comparative attainments in every one around, may thus be either proud or humble, as it looks above or looks beneath. In the great scale of society, there is a continued rise from one excellence to another excellence, internal or external, intellectual or moral. Wherever we may fix, there is still some one whom we may find superior or inferior; and these relations are mutually convertible as we ascend or descend. The shrub is taller than the flower which grows in its shade; the tree, than the shrub; the rock, than the tree; the mountain, than the single rock; and above all are the sun and the heavens. It is the same in the world of life. From that Almighty Being who is the Source of all life, to the lowest of his creatures, what innumerable gradations may be traced, even in the ranks of excellence on our own earth! each being higher than that beneath, and lower than that above; and thus, all to all, objects at once of pride or humility, according as the comparison may be made with the greater or with the less.

Of two minds, then, possessing equal excellence, which is the more noble, that which, however high the excellence attained by it, has still some nobler excellence in view, to which it feels its own inferiority; or that which, having risen a few steps in the ascent of intellectual and moral glory, thinks only of those beneath, and rejoices in an excellence which would appear to it of little value if

only it lifted a single glance to the perfection above? Yet this habitual tendency to look beneath, rather than above, is the character of mind which is denominated "pride;" while the tendency to look above, rather than below, and to feel an inferiority, therefore, which others perhaps do not perceive, is the character which is denominated "humility." Is it false, then, or even extravagant, to say that humility is truly the nobler; and that pride, which delights in the contemplation of abject objects beneath, is truly in itself more abject than that meekness of heart which is humble because it has greater objects, and which looks with reverence to the excellence that is above it, because it is formed with a capacity of feeling all the worth of that excellence which it reveres?

The accomplished philosopher and man of letters, to whom the great names of all who have been eminent in ancient and modern times, in all the nations in which the race of man has risen to glory, are familiar, almost like the names of those with whom he is living in society, who has thus constantly before his mind images of excellence of the highest order, and who, even in the hopes which he dares to form, feels how small a contribution it will be in his power to add to the great imperishable stock of human wisdom, may be proud indeed; but his pride will be of a sort that is tempered with humility, and will be humility itself if compared with the pride of a pedant or sciolist, who thinks, that, in adding the result of some little discovery which he may have fortunately made, he is almost doubling that mass of knowledge, in which it is scarcely perceived as an element.

Pride, then, as a character of self-complacent exultation, is not the prevailing cast of mind of those who are formed for genuine excellence. He who is formed for genuine excellence has before him an ideal perfection, that semper melius aliquid, which makes excellence itself, however admirable to those who measure it only with their weaker powers, seem to his own mind, as compared with what he has ever in his own mental vision, a sort of failure. He thinks less of what he has done than of what it seems possible to do; and he is not so much proud of merit attained, as desirous of a merit that has not yet been attained by him.

It is in this way that the very religion which ennobles man leads him, not to pride, but to humility. It elevates him from the smoke and dust of earth; but it elevates him above the darkness, that he may see better the great heights that are above him. It shows him, not the mere excellence of a few frail creatures, as fallible as him

self, but excellence, the very conception of which is the highest effort that can be made by man: exhibiting thus constantly what it will be the only honor worthy of his nature to imitate, however faintly; and checking his momentary pride, at every step of his glorious progress, by the brightness and the vastness of what is still before him.

May I not add to these remarks, that it is in this way we are to account for that humility which is so peculiarly a part of the Christian character, as contrasted with the general pride which other systems either recommend or allow? The Christian religion is, indeed, as has been often sarcastically said by those who revile it, the religion of the humble in heart; but it is the religion of the humble, only because it presents to our contemplation a higher excellence than was ever before exhibited to man. The proud look down upon the earth, and see nothing that creeps upon its surface more noble than themselves: the humble look upward to their God. THOMAS BROWN.

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight of his room,
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold;

And to the presence in the room he said,

"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head,

And, with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" asked Abou. 66
Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

It came again, with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blest;
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

LEIGH HUNT.