The first line of a new paragraph is indented an em quadrate, of whatever
type the work may be; though, when the measure is very wide, two or even
three ems are preferable. By this means the paragraph is more strongly
marked, the indention of an em only being scarcely perceptible in a long
line. Authors vary materially in the mode of making paragraphs. Some
carry the argument of a position to a great length before they relieve
the attention of the reader; while others break off at almost every
place that will admit only of a full-point. But the author’s plan is to
be followed, unless he direct otherwise. Authors should always make the
beginning of a new paragraph conspicuous to the compositor, by indenting
the first line of it far enough to distinguish it from the preceding line
in case it should be quite full.
It is a practice too prevalent among compositors to drive out a word
at the close of a paragraph, or even to divide it, in order to reap
the advantage of a break-line. Part of a word, or a complete word, in
a break-line, if it contain no more than three or four letters, is
improper. It should be the business of the proof-reader to notice and
check this irregularity.
The last line of a paragraph should not on any account begin a page,
neither should the first line of a paragraph come at the bottom of a page
if the work has white lines between the breaks: to prevent this, the
compositor may make his page either long or short, as most convenient,
always taking care that the odd and even pages back, so that the extra
length or shortness of the page may escape observation.