Higher Lessons in English Part 35

+Example+.--The story of William Tell, _it is now believed_, is a myth.

(Notice that the princ.i.p.al clause, used parenthetically, is set off by the comma.)

+Direction+.--_Write the following sentences, using the independent clauses parenthetically_:--

1. We believe that the first printing-press in America was set up in Mexico in 1536.

2. I am aware that refinement of mind and clearness of thinking usually result from grammatical studies.

3. It is true that the glorious sun pours down his golden flood as cheerily on the poor man's cottage as on the rich man's palace.

+Direction+.--_Vary the following sentence so as to ill.u.s.trate five different kinds of noun clauses_:--

+Model+.-- 1. _That stars are suns_ is the belief of astronomers.

2. Astronomers believe _that stars are suns_.

3. The belief of astronomers is, _that stars are suns_.

4. The belief _that stars are suns_ is held by astronomers.

5. Astronomers are confident _that stars are suns_.

1. Our conclusion is, that different forms of government suit different stages of civilization.

The noun clause may be contracted by changing the predicate to a participle, and the subject to a possessive.

+Example+.--_That he was brave_ cannot be doubted = _His being brave_ cannot be doubted.

+Direction+.--_Make the following complex sentences simple by changing the noun clauses to phrases_:--

1. That the caterpillar changes to a b.u.t.terfly is a curious fact.

2. Everybody admits that Cromwell was a great leader.

3. A man's chief objection to a woman is, that she has no respect for the newspaper.

4. The thought that we are spinning around the sun at the rate of twenty miles a second makes us dizzy.

5. She was aware that I appreciated her situation.

The noun clause may be contracted by making the predicate, when changed to an infinitive phrase, the objective complement, and the subject the object complement.

+Direction+.--_Make the following complex sentences simple by changing the predicates of the noun clauses to objective complements, and the subjects to object complements_:--

+Model+.--King Ahasuerus commanded that _Haman should be hanged_ = King Ahasuerus commanded _Haman to be hanged_.

1. I believe that he is a foreigner.

2. The Governor ordered that the prisoner should be set free.

3. Many people believe that Webster was the greatest of American statesmen.

4. How wide do you think that the Atlantic ocean is?

5. They hold that taxation without representation is unjust.

+Direction+.--_Expand into complex sentences such of the sentences in Lesson_ 41 _as contain an objective complement and an object complement that together are equivalent to a clause_.

A noun clause may be contracted to an infinitive phrase.

+Example+.--_That he should vote_ is the duty of every American citizen = _To vote_ is the duty of every American citizen.

+Direction+.--_Contract these noun clauses to infinitive phrases_:--

1. That we guard our liberty with vigilance is a sacred duty.

2. Every one desires that he may live long and happily.

3. The effect of looking upon the sun is, that the eye is blinded.

4. Caesar Augustus issued a decree that all the world should be taxed.

5. We are all anxious that we may make a good impression.

6. He does not know whom he should send.

7. He cannot find out how he is to go there.

LESSON 74.

COMPOSITION--NOUN CLAUSE--CONTINUED.

+QUOTATION MARKS--RULE.--Quotation marks ("") inclose a copied word or pa.s.sage+.

+Remarks+.--Single marks (' ') inclose a quotation within a quotation. If, within the quotation having single marks, still another quotation is made, the double marks are again used; as, "The incorrectness of the dispatches led Bismarck to declare, 'It will soon come to be said, "He lies like the telegraph."'" This introduction of a third quotation should generally be avoided, especially where the three marks come at the end, as above.

When a quotation is divided by a parenthetical expression, each part of the quotation is inclosed; as, "I would rather be right," said Clay, "than be president."

In quoting a question, the interrogation point must stand within the quotation marks; as, He asked, "What are you living for?" but, when a question contains a quotation, this order is reversed; as, May we not find "sermons in stones"? So also with the exclamation point.

+CAPITAL LETTER--RULE.--The first word of a direct quotation making complete sense or of a direct question introduced into a sentence should begin with a capital letter+.

+Remarks+.--A +direct quotation+ is one whose exact words, as well as thought, are copied; as, Nathan said to David, "_Thou art the man_." An +indirect quotation+ is one whose thought, but not whose exact words, is copied; as, Nathan told David _that he was the man_. The reference here of the p.r.o.noun _he_ is somewhat ambiguous. Guard against this, especially in indirect quotations.

The direct quotation is set off by the comma, begins with a capital letter, and is inclosed within quotation marks--though these may be omitted. The indirect quotation is not generally set off by the comma, does not necessarily begin with a capital letter, and is not inclosed within quotation marks.

A +direct question+ introduced into a sentence is one in which the exact words and their order in an interrogative sentence (see Lesson 55) are preserved, and which is followed by an interrogation point; as, Cain asked, "_Am I my brother's keeper_?" An +indirect question+ is one which is referred to as a question, but not directly asked or quoted as such, and which is not followed by an interrogation point; as, Cain asked _whether he was his brother's keeper_.

The direct question introduced into a sentence is set off by the comma (but no comma is used after the interrogation point), begins with a capital letter, and is inclosed within quotation marks--though these may be omitted. An indirect question is not generally set off by a comma, does not necessarily begin with a capital letter, and is not inclosed within quotation marks.

If the direct quotation, whether a question or not, is formally introduced (see Lesson 147), it is preceded by the colon; as, Nathan's words to David were these: "_Thou art the man_." He put the question thus: "_Can you do it_?"

+Direction+.--_Point out the direct and the indirect quotations and questions in the sentences of Lesson_ 71, _tell why they do or do not begin with capital letters, and justify the use or the omission of the comma, the interrogation point, and the quotation marks_.

+Direction+.--_Rewrite these same sentences, changing the direct quotations and questions to indirect, and the indirect to direct_.

+Direction+.--_Write five sentences containing direct quotations, some of which shall be formally introduced, and some of which shall be questions occurring at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence. Change these to the indirect form, and look carefully to the punctuation and the capitalization._

+Direction+.--_Write sentences ill.u.s.trating the last paragraph of the Remarks under the Rule for Quotation Marks_.

LESSON 75.

a.n.a.lYSIS.

+Direction+.--_a.n.a.lyze the sentences given for arrangement and contraction in Lesson_ 73.