If the quotation when unbroken is composed of two independent parts separated by a semicolon, a semicolon (not a comma) should follow the author's words when the quotation is broken.
1. Unbroken. Solomon said, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
2. Broken. "Boast not thyself of to-morrow," said Solomon; "for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
When a quotation is long or formally introduced, it is usually preceded by a colon, or by a colon and a dash.
1. Nathan Hale, before he was executed, spoke the following words: "I regret that I have only one life to give for my country."
2. In Tennyson's Bugle Song we find the following beautiful lines:—
"O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill, or field, or river;
Our echoes roll from soul to soul
And grow forever and forever."
Exercise 36.—Rewrite the following sentences, putting in the quotation marks. Make each speech of each person a paragraph by itself.
1. The mother turned her head as Alice entered, and said, Who is it? Is it you, Alice? Yes, it is I, mother. Where have you been so long? I have been nowhere, dear mother. I have come directly home from church. How long it seems to me! It is very late. It is growing quite dark. I was just going to call for the lights. Why, mother! exclaimed Alice, in a startled tone, what do you mean? The sun is shining directly into your face! Impossible, my dear Alice. It is quite dark. I cannot see you. Where are you? Alice leaned over her mother and kissed her. Both were silent,—both wept. They knew that the hour, so long looked forward to with dismay, had suddenly come. Mrs. Archer was blind!
2. Yonder comes Moses. As she spoke, Moses came in on foot, sweating under the deal box, which he had strapped round his shoulders like a peddler. Welcome, welcome, Moses; well, my boy, what have you brought us from the fair? I have brought you myself, cried Moses, with a sly look, and resting the box on the dresser. Ah, Moses, cried my wife, that we know, but where is the horse? I have sold him, cried Moses, for three pounds five shillings and twopence. Well done, my good boy, returned she. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and twopence is no bad day's work. Come, let us have it, then. I have brought back no money, cried Moses again. I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is, pulling out a bundle from his breast; here they are, a gross of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen cases. A gross of green spectacles! repeated my wife in a faint voice. And you have parted with the colt, and bought us back nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles! Dear mother, cried the boy, why won't you listen to reason? They were a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them.