The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-18

can in the discharge Of duty which be
feels i'll able to perform.
AS is customary after TIN conclusion Of the
reading of the essay, the subject was discuss
ed by some of the members present. and re-
solution was passed asking that the essay be
published in the Press and Banner.
Careless Punctuation Condemned.
Mr.. Cason said the subject discussed by the
essaylst is an interesting one, and In the mat
ter OF punctuation many think that there Is
much that is useless, There d3es not seem n.o 20
think the interrogation point might be dis,
pensed with, as the expression indicated a
question.
But there does not seem to be q great o61ec,
ton to the comma or period. Too frequent
use OF the comma is Objectionable but a. times,
and IL might be said, very often, the meaning
Ia determined by the placing OF the comma.
Take the quotation from Shakespeare:
uHang out our banners on the outward walls
| The cry Is still, they come"
It will be seen that the comma after the
| word still gives a very dilferent meaning
| from that conveyed by placing the, comma
before the word still. end 1t is often quoted as
Il preceded that word; i,, AS ao IL 1ne cry 10
f. Other instances might've given IN order 70
3show how careful punctuation should be, ana
! " hat difference OF meaning might be convey
cd by t4misuse OF The comma.
Too: Mich Punctuation-simple En-
| glish Commended.
Mr.. Benet said he congratulated Mr.. vii.
son on receiving the unusual compliment
which two members had already expressed,
weresdrry when it ended. He agreed with
them: and be offered motion that Mr..
Wilson be requested to print his essay In the
Press and Banner that the public may have
the pleasure of reading go excellent u paper.
The motion was put and carried.
Referring 10 the subject OF Punctuation, Mr.
Benet said: 1t has always seemed TO me
there is too much punctuation. We could
get on as we'll with one fourth OF 1t. l think
That the indiscri inmate and lavish use Q!
points induces carelessness In writer's. II all
the points were abolished except perhaps the
comma and the full stop, writer's would
punctuation but on their lucid aud logical ar
rangement of words I certainly think the
point Of exclamation and the point OF inter-
rogation should be dispensed with. Surely
the words convey the question and the sen.
timent without the aid OF points. may say
here that II is understood that the interroga.
tion point Twas originally "a ana an % %,
that the exclamation point was originally
The ancients made very little use Of puncta'
most entirely and the result was that for
clearness and conciseuess the Hebrew Ian.
guage was hardly equalled by any, other
Ancient Greek and Latin mnnnscripts show
that the Greek and Romans did not think
that coions. semicolons. commas, periods, &c
were necessary to good style and clearness
| The Caesars and Ciceros, the Homers and
p ths
a varied punctuation; but the classic authors
did not put the points there. l would
not advise the entire disuse of punctuation
but believe that great good would follow the
very sparing use Of the points: 1t would great
ly reform the style of our writers.
i Mr. Wilson's remarks on the use or simple
words in preference 70 oig Ioregn vond aeriVfc &c
a great blessing TO this generation If all news
paper editors and writer's had the same
Views as the editor, of the Press and Banner
newspaper. That is not its purpose nor IT.
Office, and we may be quite unconscious o.
being It's pupils, but the newpaper vocaon
larry and the newspaper style contro
this generation in It's style and vocab
Editors themselves are not sufficient
ly Impressed with the responsibility which
attaches to them in this regard. We have
had and still have some good writer's In The
press Of South Carolina. Captain Dawson o
the News and Courier was writer OF The
purest and best English. His writing came
from the swell of Englih undetlled.' Mr..
Williams OF the Greenville News writes eI
cellent English, clear, crisp, strong and SIM
Pile Ill.,, D.
|
fore giving place to my neigh bor let me read
| TO you marvellous specimen OF English-a
COPY OF verses composed by young man o.
this county some fourteen % or hiteen years years
lines in good faith, using bis very best Vocpo
ulary. He brought them to the printing Of
flee TO have them printed. but not published
They were printed In gold letters; they dlo
all that was expected of them his lady love
became his wife In few months afterwards
c.. ,ulo. ,Lou ,,aat
That glittering lovely sweet;
That guides me by day and night,
To Cnpid's mansion Of holy light?
We used to roam together in the iale,
Shrouded by love, and melody OF the larks flip
| pant tale; .
With hands united. hearts in unison as We walked
And sweetly, mildly and sarcasttcally talked,
| or fond and fascinating futures bliss.
When we should part and meet with kiss.
OF when, when Will the meeting be,
When can always be with thee;
Through adversely, joyt and pain,
Never, never to part again
OF methinks, see that consummate day,
/ Plodding onward ushering this way.
! In which the vertiginous. antci7attons shall enc
By the vnculum OF two genial friends.
/ And transform these utopian imagnations,
Into real and intrinsic nanipuations.
Iyearn for the precious hour,
i When we shall bow under the holy bower;
To be made as man and wife,
| Kind and lenitive the balance orlfe.
OF say. will not this meeting be ?
Omnipotence saith he's merciful to thee;
Then what power can control
virtuous, amiable and loving soul!
None other then l say we'll meet
Doubt not and cheer me with kissing greet.
Beautiful Extract.
Mr.. Benet contributed the following beau
tiful verses from Blackwood's Magazine o
October, 1890, in which the subject Of punctu