;—but a neater mode is to use superiors; as, 1, 2, 3, or a, b, c, commencing with 1 or a on each page where notes occur.
In concluding our chapter on punctuation, we venture to say to our friends at the case, that, in our opinion, no system of pointing can be of uniform and universal application. Men differ as much in style of writing as in personal appearance, and we might as well expect the same robe to fit all forms, as that one set of rules shall nicely apply to the endless diversities of diction.
Other things being equal however, he who has paid most attention to rule will punctuate with the nearest approximation to correctness. With a clear understanding of an author’s meaning, the compositor seldom need go far astray; and if, having done his best, he finds any passage hopelessly involved, or the meaning too subtile to be grasped, he has one safe resource,—and that is, to FOLLOW THE COPY closely and mechanically. Could he have for reference a few pages preceding a doubtful passage, the whole matter might become perfectly clear; but, as that is out of the question, those pages being scattered as {p124} “takes” in other hands, let the compositor adopt the safe course,—FOLLOW COPY,—resting assured that no person whose opinion he need value, could possibly think of finding fault with him for leaving responsibility where it properly belongs.
CHAPTER VI. ORTHOGRAPHY.
Webster defines Orthography as “the art of writing words with the proper letters, according to common usage”; Worcester, as “the art or the mode of spelling words.” They agree in this: that there are some words—two or three thousand, perhaps—whose orthography common usage has not settled. Prefixed to either Dictionary is a list showing in double column the most prevalent methods of spelling words of doubtful orthography; thus:
| Abettor | Abetter |
| Escalade | Scalade |
| Germane | Germain, German |
The first column in the Webster List “presents the orthography recognized in the body of [the] Dictionary as the preferable one, or that in general use.” But “when in this list the word in the first column is followed by or, as ‘Abatis, or Abattis,’ it is implied that the second form is nearly, often quite, in as good use as the first.” When the word in the first column differs in meaning from that in the second, the word in the first is followed by and, as ‘Lunet, and Lunette,’ both words being in use, but applied to different things. {p126}
The orthography in the first column of the Worcester List “is deemed to be well authorized, and in most cases preferable; but with respect to the authority of that in the right-hand column, there is a great diversity. Both orthographies of some of the words are right, the words being differently spelled when used in different senses”; as, “Draught, or Draft,” “Subtle, or Subtile,” etc. Sometimes and is used as the connective; as, “Canvas, and Canvass.” But these double arrangements are of almost no service to the proof-reader or compositor,—for the interchangeable words cannot both be inserted in his work. If he could use the various spellings, it would save the trouble of weighing authorities: we should then have such sentences as these:
The hostler or ostler inveigled or enveigled the horses into the stockade or stoccade. Meanwhile the infantry landed at the jettee or jetty or jetta or jutty, and at once constructed an abatis or abattis or abbatis, as it behooved or behoved them.
Of these various correct spellings, one must be selected to the exclusion of the rest. But there being no common usage, no academy to instruct, and the copy not being uniform, who or what is to guide the printers and proof-readers in making the selection? “For the last eighty years [or more], printers have exercised a general control over English orthography,”—and we, to carry the general control a little farther, propose to set forth for general use one list from Webster’s first column, exhibiting only one single correct spelling, to be used where the Webster style prevails; and a similar list from Worcester’s {p127} first column, to be used where the Worcester style has the precedence. Would there were a Smithsonian Bureau of the English Language, to render two lists unnecessary; and to give one style to Government work,—a style which should have the approval of Congress, and to which all printing done by or for the various Departments of the United States Government should be conformed.