“The study of the principles of composition should include the following subjects: a study of words as to their origin and meaning; a study of the structure of the sentence and of the larger elements of discourse—in other words, of concrete logic; a study of the principles of effective literary composition, as illustrated in the various divisions of literature; and also a study of the æsthetics of literature.”
“What John Morley once said of literature as a whole is even more accurate when applied to fiction alone: its purpose is ‘to bring sunshine into our hearts and to drive moonshine out of our heads.’”
“For four years he had thought of Nancy Lammeter, and wooed her with a tacit patient worship, as the woman who made him think of the future with joy: she would be his wife, and would make home lovely to him, as his father’s home had never been; and it would be easy, when she was always near, to shake off those foolish habits that were no pleasures, but only a feverish way of annulling vacancy.”
“He didn’t want to give Godfrey that pleasure: he preferred that Master Godfrey should be vexed.”
THE DASH.
- A dash is frequently used with a colon to introduce a formal quotation. The quotation then begins a new paragraph.
- (Example under colon.)
- A dash is used alone or with a comma to inclose a phrase or clause which is parenthetic or explanatory.
- “‘But as for being ugly, look at me, child, in this silver-colored silk—I told you how it ’ud be—I look as yallow as a daffadil.’”
- (Example under comma.)
- A dash is used to denote a sudden turn of the thought.
- “I’ve no opinion of the men, Miss Gunn—I don’t know what you have.”
- “‘It does make her look funny, though—partly like a short-necked bottle wi’ a long quill in it.’”
- A dash is frequently used when the composition should be interrupted to indicate the intensity of the emotion.
- “‘No—no—I can’t part with it, I can’t let it go,’ said Silas abruptly. ‘It’s come to me—I’ve a right to keep it.’”
- “And my poor fool is hang’d! No, no, no life!
- Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,
- And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more,
- Never, never, never, never, never!—
- Pray you, undo this button:—thank you, sir.—
- Do you see this? Look on her,—look,—her lips,—
- Look there, look there!”—
- [308] A dash is sometimes used alone before an appositive phrase or clause.
- “For the first time he determined to try the coal-hole—a small closet near the hearth.”
“‘But as for being ugly, look at me, child, in this silver-colored silk—I told you how it ’ud be—I look as yallow as a daffadil.’”
“I’ve no opinion of the men, Miss Gunn—I don’t know what you have.”
“‘It does make her look funny, though—partly like a short-necked bottle wi’ a long quill in it.’”
“‘No—no—I can’t part with it, I can’t let it go,’ said Silas abruptly. ‘It’s come to me—I’ve a right to keep it.’”