And here let us say a word about this matter of uniformity: very important in some works, in others it is of no consequence whatever, however much some readers may stickle for it. If, for example, a mass of letters, from all parts of the country, recommending a patent inkstand, or stating the prospects of the potato crop, are sent in to be printed, the dates and addresses will vary in style, according to the taste and knowledge of the several writers; and there is not the slightest need of changing them to make them alike, as if all these widely scattered writers had graduated from the same school. Let such writings be printed as diversely as they come to hand. If one writes plough, and another plow, what matters it, so far as your proof-reading is concerned? If one writes “15th June,” and another “June 15” or “June 15th,” so let it stand on the printed page. It is idle to waste time in making things alike, that could not by any possibility have been written alike. But you can make each letter consistent with itself, which is all that uniformity requires. You need not stretch one man out, and cut off the feet of another, to justify all authors in your composing-stick. So much for exceptional cases.
As a general rule, study to preserve uniformity in every work. If “A. M.” and “P. M.” are in capitals on one page, it will look very like carelessness to have them appear “A.M.” and “P.M.” in small capitals, on the next. With the exceptions above pointed out, your only safety is to have but one style, and to adhere to it with the stiffness of a martinet, {p53} in all contingencies, unless overruled by those who have a right to dictate in the premises.
READING GREEK.
Greek words sometimes appear in copy, and are somewhat vexatious to printers who never had the good fortune to study Greek at school—or elsewhere. In a proof-sheet, we once met a word whose etymology was given thus in the copy: “From Ἕλιος the sun, and φιλος a lover” (the epsilon was the author’s mistake). The compositor, not aware of a Greek alphabet, set up the passage in those English letters which most nearly resemble the Hellenic characters, and it appeared in this guise: “From Ediog the sun, and pidog a lover.” We advise proof-readers, and compositors and copy-holders as well, to acquire—if they do not already possess—so much knowledge of Greek letters and characters as will enable them to acquit themselves without discredit, though “Ediog” and “pidog” condog (v. Wb.) to annoy them. A few hours’ attention to the alphabet and characters given below, and to the annexed practical directions, will suffice to fix in the memory as much knowledge of Greek as will serve for the mechanical following of the copy,—mechanical following,—for, if you are setting up or reading a reprint of the 450th page of Webster’s Dictionary, and meet with the word ἐννενήκοντα you must put in the eleven letters as they stand: and if copying Worcester’s 486th page, you find ἐννεήκοντα, put in {p54} the ten letters. If you have any doubts, submit your query.
The Greek alphabet consists of twenty-four letters.
| Alpha | Α α | a |
| Beta | Β β | b |
| Gamma | Γ γ | g |
| Delta | Δ δ | d |
| Epsilon | Ε ε | ĕ |
| Zeta | Ζ ζ | z |
| Eta | Η η | ē |
| Theta | Θ ϑ θ | th |
| Iota | Ι ι | i |
| Kappa | Κ κ | k |
| Lambda | Λ λ | l |
| Mu | Μ μ | m |
| Nu | Ν ν | n |
| Xi | Ξ ξ | x |
| Omicron | Ο ο | ŏ |
| Pi | Π π | p |
| Rho | Ρ ϱ ρ | r |
| Sigma | Σ σ, final ς | s |
| Tau | Τ τ | t |
| Upsilon | Υ υ | u |
| Phi | Φ φ | ph |
| Chi | Χ χ | ch |
| Psi | Ψ ψ | ps |
| Omega | Ω ω | ō |
In reading Greek, mention each letter by its English equivalent.
Ε is read, “cap. short e”; ε, “short e”; Η is read, “cap. long e”; η, “long e.”
Ο is read, “cap. short o”; ο, “short o”; Ω is read, “cap. long o”; ω, “long o.” {p55}
There are three accents,—the acute ( ΄ ), the grave (