2. Some writers always place a comma before the verb, when its subject consists of many words.
Rule XVII. Contrasted Expressions.—Contrasted expressions or comparisons should be separated by a comma.
EXAMPLES.
“Of the other two men, one was a species of giant, the other a sort of dwarf.”—Hugo.
“The more I reflected upon it, the more important it appeared.”—Goldsmith.
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”—Psalms.
“Master books, but do not let them master you. Read to live, not live to read.”—Bulwer.
REMARKS.
1. When the comparison is short and the words closely connected, the comma may be omitted.