or not, is given a line (or more) to itself, it is not to be placed
within quotation marks; but when the line of poetry runs on with the
prose then quotation marks are to be used.
On spacing poetry, see p. 49.
CAPITAL LETTERS
Avoid beginning words with capitals as much as possible; but use them
in the following and similar cases:
Act, when referring to Act of Parliament or Acts of a play; also in
Baptist, Christian, Nonconformist, Presbyterian, Puritan, Liberal,
Conservative, and all denominational terms and names of parties.
His Majesty, Her Royal Highness, &c.
The King of England, the Prince of Wales.
The Duke of Wellington, Bishop of Oxford, Sir Roger Tichborne, &c.
British Army, German Navy.
Christmas Day, Lady Day, &c.
Dark Ages, Middle Ages.
House of Commons, Parliament, &c.
Government, Cabinet, Speaker.
In geography: Sun, Earth, Equator, the Continent.
In geological names: Upper Greensand, London Clay, Tertiary, Lias, &c.
In names of streets, roads, &c., as—Chandos Street, Trafalgar
Square, Kingston Road, Addison’s Walk, Norreys Avenue.
Figure, Number, Plate (Fig., No., Pl.), should each begin with a
capital, whether contracted or not, unless special instructions are
given to the contrary.
Pronouns referring to the Deity should begin with capitals—He, Him,
His, Me, Mine, My, Thee, Thine, Thou; but print—who, whom, and whose.
Also capitalize the less common adjectives derived from proper names;
e.g. Homeric, Platonic.
LOWER-CASE INITIALS
FOR ANGLICIZED WORDS, ETC.
christianize, frenchified, herculean, italic, laconic, latinize,
puritanic, quixotic, roman, satanic, tantalize, vulcanize.
Also for the more common words derived from proper names,
as—boycott, doily, guernsey, hackney, hansom-cab, holland,
inverness, japanning, latinity, may (blossom), morocco, russia,
stepney-wheel.
When ‘In the press’ occurs in publishers’ announcements, print
‘press’ with a lower-case initial.
SMALL CAPITALS
Put a hair space between the letters of contractions in small
capitals:
A.U.C. Anno urbis conditae
A.D. Anno Domini
A.H. Anno Hegirae
A.M. Anno mundi
B.C. Before Christ.
a.m.[42] (ante meridiem), p.m.{42} (post meridiem), should be
lower-case, except in lines of caps. or small caps.
When small caps, are used at foot of title-page, print thus: M DCCCC
IV[43]
Text references to caps. in plates and woodcuts to be in small caps.
The first word in each chapter of a book is to be in small caps. and
the first line usually indented one em; but this does not apply to
works in which the matter is broken up into many sections, nor to
cases where large initials are used. (See p. 50 as to indentation.)
FOOTNOTES:
[42] It is a common error to suppose that these initials stand for
ante-meridian and post-meridian. Thus, Charles Dickens represents one
of his characters in _Pickwick_ as saying ‘Curious circumstance about
those initials, sir,’ said Mr. Magnus. ‘You will observe—P.M.—post
meridian. In hasty notes to intimate acquaintance, I sometimes
sign myself “Afternoon”. It amuses my friends very much, Mr.
Pickwick.’—DICKENS, _Pickwick Papers_, p. 367. Oxford edit.,
1903.—H. H.
[43] ‘Or better M CM IV’—J. A. H. M.
SPECIAL SIGNS OR SYMBOLS
The signs + (plus), - (minus), = (equal to), > (‘larger than’, in
etymology signifying ‘gives’ or ‘has given’), < (‘smaller than’,
in etymology signifying ‘derived from’), are now often used in
printing ordinary scientific works, and not in those only which are
mathematical or arithmetical.
In such instances +, -, =, >, <, should in the matter of spacing be
treated as words are treated. For instance, in—
spectabilis, _Bœrl. l. c._ (= Haasia spectabilis)
the = belongs to ‘spectabilis’ as much as to ‘Haasia’, and the sign
should not be put close to ‘Haasia’. A thin space only should be used.
In Philological works an asterisk * prefixed to a word signifies a
reconstructed form, and must be so printed; a dagger † signifies
an obsolete word. The latter sign, placed before a person’s name,
signifies deceased.
In Medical books the formulae are set in lower-case letters, j being
used for i both singly and in the final letter, e.g. gr.j (one
grain), ℥viij (eight ounces), ʒiij (three drachms), ℈iij (three
scruples), ♏︎iiij (four minims).
SPACING
Spacing ought to be even. Paragraphs are not to be widely spaced
for the sake of making breaklines. When the last line but one of a
paragraph is widely spaced and the first line of the next paragraph
is more than thick-spaced, extra spaces should be used between the
words in the intermediate breakline. Such spaces should not exceed en
quads, nor be increased if by so doing the line would be driven full
out.
In general, close spacing is to be preferred; but this must be
regulated proportionately to the manner in which a work is leaded.
Breaklines should consist of more than five letters, except in narrow
measures. But take care that bad spacing is not thereby necessitated.
Poetical quotations, and poetry generally when in wide measure,
should be spaced with en quadrats. But this must not be applied to
reprints of sixteenth and seventeenth century books: in such cases a
thick space only should be used.
Avoid (especially in full measures) printing at the ends of lines—a,
l., ll., p. _or_ pp., I (when a pronoun).
Capt., Dr., Esq., Mr., Rev., St., and so on, should not be separated
from names; nor should initials be divided: e.g. Mr. W. E. |
Gladstone; _not_ Mr. W. | E. Gladstone.
Thin spaces before apostrophes, e.g. that’s (for ‘that is’), boy’s
(for ‘boy is’), to distinguish abbreviations from the possessive case.
In Greek, Latin, and Italian, when a vowel is omitted at the end of a
word (denoted by an apostrophe), put a space before the word which
immediately follows.
Hair spaces to be placed between lower-case contractions, as in e.g.,
i.e., q.v.
Indentation of first lines of paragraphs should be one em for full
measures in 8vo and smaller books. In 4to and larger books the
indentation should be increased.
Sub-indentation should be proportionate; and the rule for all
indentation is not to drive too far in.
Quotations in prose, as a rule, should not be broken off from the
text unless the matter exceeds three lines.
Use great care in spacing out a page, and let it not be too open.
Underlines, wherever possible, to be in one line.
ITALIC TYPE
_NOTE.—A list of foreign and anglicized words and phrases, showing
which should be printed in roman and which in italic, is given on pp.
35-7._
In many works it is now common to print titles of books in italic,
instead of in inverted commas. This must be determined by the
directions given with the copy, but the practice must be uniform
throughout the work.
Words or phrases cited from foreign languages (unless anglicized)
should be in italic.
Short extracts from books, whether foreign or English, should not be
in italic but in roman (between inverted commas, or otherwise, as
directed on p. 63).
Names of periodicals should be in italic. Inconsistency is often
caused by the prefix _The_ being sometimes printed in italic, and
sometimes roman. As a rule, print the definite article in roman, as
the _Standard_, the _Daily News_. _The Times_ is to be an exception,
as that newspaper prefers to have it so. _The_, if it is part of the
title of a book, should also be in italic letters.
Print names of ships[44] in italic. In this case, print ‘the’ in
roman, as it is often uncertain whether ‘the’ is part of the title
or not. For example, ‘the _King George_’, ‘the _Revenge_’; also put
other prefixes in roman, as ‘H.M.S. _Dreadnought_’.
ad loc., cf., e.g., et seq., ib., ibid., id., i.e., loc. cit., q.v.,
viz.[45], not to be in italic. Print _c._ (= _circa_), _ante_,
_infra_, _passim_, _post_, _supra_, &c.
Italic _s._ and _d._ to be generally used to express shillings and
pence; and the sign £ (except in special cases) to express the pound
sterling. But in catalogues and similar work the diagonal sign / or
‘shilling-mark’ is sometimes preferred to divide figures representing
shillings and pence. The same sign is occasionally used in dates, as
4/2/04.
In Mathematical works, theorems are usually printed in italic.
FOOTNOTES:
[44] Italicizing the names of ships is thus recognized by Victor
Hugo: ‘Il l’avait nommé _Durande_. La Durande,—nous ne l’appellerons
plus autrement. On nous permettra également, quel que soit l’usage
typographique, de ne point souligner ce nom Durande, nous conformant
en cela à la pensée de Mess Lethierry pour qui la Durande était
presque une personne.’—V. HUGO, _Travailleurs de la mer_, 3rd (1866)
edit., Vol. I, p. 129.—H. H.
[45] This expression, although a symbol rather than an abbreviation,
must be printed with a full point after the z.—H. H.
REFERENCES TO AUTHORITIES
Citation of authorities at the end of quotations should be printed
thus: HOMER, _Odyssey_, ii. 15, but print HOR. _Carm._ ii. 14. 2;
HOM. _Od._ iv. 272. This applies chiefly to quotations at the heads
of chapters. It does not refer to frequent citations in notes, where
the author’s name is usually in lower-case letters, and the title of
the book sometimes printed in roman.
As an example: Stubbs, _Constitutional History_, vol. ii, p. 98; or
the more contracted form—Stubbs, _Const. Hist._ ii. 98, will do
equally well; but, whichever style is adopted after an examination of
the manuscript, it must be uniform throughout the work.
References to the Bible in ordinary works to be printed thus—Exod.
xxxii. 32; xxxvii. 2. (For full list of contractions see p. 41.)
References to Shakespeare’s plays thus—_I Henry VI_, III. ii. 14;
and so with the references to Act, scene, and line in other dramatic
writings.
Likewise in references to poems divided into books, cantos, and
lines; e. g. Spenser, _Faerie Queene_, IV. xxvi. 35.
References to MSS. or unprinted documents should be in roman.
As to use of italic, see also above, p. 50.
DIVISION OF WORDS
I. ENGLISH
Such divisions as en-, de-, or in- to be allowed only in very narrow
measures, and there exceptionally.
Disyllables, as ‘into’, ‘until’, &c., are only to be divided in very
narrow measures.
The following divisions to be preferred:
abun-dance
appli-cable
corre-spon-dence
depen-dent
dimin-ish
dis-connect
estab-lish-ment
impor-tance
inter-est
minis-ter
pun-ish
respon-dent
Avoid such divisions as—
star-vation,
obser-vation,
exal-tation,
gene-ration,
imagi-nation,
origi-nally;
but put starva-tion, &c.
The principle is that the part of the word left at the end of a line
should suggest the part commencing the next line. Thus the word
‘happiness’ should be divided happi-ness, _not_ hap-piness.[46]
Roman-ism, Puritan-ism; but Agnosti-cism, Catholi-cism, criti-cism,
fanati-cism, tauto-logism, witti-cism, &c.
The terminations -cial, -cian, -cious, -sion, -tion should not be
divided when forming one sound, as in so-cial, Gre-cian, pugna-cious,
condescen-sion, forma-tion.
Atmo-sphere, micro-scope, philo-sophy, tele-phone, tele-scope,
should have only this division. But always print episco-pal (not
epi-scopal), &c.[47]
A divided word should not end a page, if it is possible to avoid it.
II. SOME ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, AND SPANISH WORDS
_Italian._—Divide si-gnore (gn = _ni_ in ‘mania’), trava-gliare (gli
= _lli_ in ‘William’), tra-scinare (sci = _shi_ in ‘shin’), i.e.
take over gn, gl, sci. In such a case as ‘all’ uomo’ Italians divide
‘al-l’ uomo’ when occasion arises.[48]
_Portuguese._—Divide se-nhor (nh = _ni_ in ‘mania’), bata-lha (lh =
_lli_ in ‘William’), i.e. take over nh, ll.
_Spanish._—Divide se-ñora (ñ = _ni_ in ‘mania’), maravi-lloso (ll =
_lli_ in ‘William’), i.e. take over ñ, ll.
III. For the division of French words, see p. 81; German, p. 90;
Latin, p. 95; and Greek, p. 97.
FOOTNOTES:
[46] I was once asked how I would carry out the rule that part
of the word left in one line should suggest what followed in the
next, in such a case as ‘disproportionableness’, which, according
to Sir James Murray, is one of the longest words in the English
language; or ‘incircumscriptibleness’, used by one Byfield, a
divine, in 1615, who wrote, ‘The immensity of Christ’s divine nature
hath ... incircumscriptibleness in respect of place’; or again,
‘antidisestablishmentarians’, quoted in the biography of Archbishop
Benson, where he says that ‘the Free Kirk of the North of Scotland
are strong antidisestablishmentarians’.—H. H.
[47] ‘Even the divisions noted as preferable are not free from
objection, and should be avoided when it is at all easy to do
so.’—H. B.
[48] Italians follow this rule, but it is better avoided in printing
Italian passages in English books.—H. H.
PUNCTUATION
The compositor is recommended to study attentively a good
treatise[49] on the whole subject. He will find some knowledge of
it to be indispensable if his work is to be done properly; for most
writers send in copy quite unprepared as regards punctuation, and
leave the compositor to put in the proper marks. ‘Punctuation is
an art nearly always left to the compositor, authors being almost
without exception either too busy or too careless to regard it.’[50]
Some authors rightly claim to have carefully prepared copy followed
absolutely; but such cases are rare, and the compositor can as a rule
only follow his copy exactly when setting up standard reprints. ‘The
first business of the compositor’ says Mr. De Vinne, ‘is to copy and
not to write. He is enjoined strictly to follow the copy and never to
change the punctuation of any author who is precise and systematic;
but he is also required to punctuate the writings of all authors who
are not careful, and to make written expression intelligible in the
proof.... It follows that compositors are inclined to neglect the
study of rules that cannot be generally applied.’[51]
It being admitted, then, that the compositor is to be held
responsible in most cases, he should remember that loose
punctuation,[52] especially in scientific and philosophical works,
is to be avoided.[53] We will again quote Mr. De Vinne: ‘Two systems
of punctuation are in use. One may be called the close or stiff,
and the other the open or easy system. For all ordinary descriptive
writing the open or easy system, which teaches that points be used
sparingly, is in most favor, but the close or stiff system cannot
be discarded.’[54] The compositor who desires to inform himself
as to the principles and theory of punctuation will find abundant
information in the works mentioned in the footnote on p. 55; in our
own booklet there is space only for a few cautions and a liberal
selection of examples; authority for the examples, when they are
taken from the works of other writers, being given in all cases.
_The Comma._
Commas should, as a rule, be inserted between adjectives preceding
and qualifying substantives, as—
An enterprising, ambitious man.
A gentle, amiable, harmless creature.
A cold, damp, badly lighted room.[55]
But where the last adjective is in closer relation to the substantive
than the preceding ones, omit the comma, as—
A distinguished foreign author.
The sailor was accompanied by a great rough Newfoundland dog.{55}
Where _and_ joins two single words or phrases the comma is usually
omitted; e.g.
The honourable and learned member.
But where more than two words or phrases occur together in a sequence
a comma should precede the final _and_; e.g.
A great, wise, and beneficent measure.
The following sentence, containing two conjunctive _and_’s, needs no
commas:
God is wise and righteous and faithful.{55}
Such words as moreover, however, &c., are usually followed by a
comma[56] when used at the opening of a sentence, or preceded and
followed by a comma when used in the middle of a sentence. For
instance:
In any case, however, the siphon may be filled.[57]
It is better to use the comma in such sentences as those that
immediately follow:
Truth ennobles man, and learning adorns him.[58]
The Parliament is not dissolved, but only prorogued.
The French having occupied Portugal, a British squadron, under
Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, sailed for Madeira.
I believed, and therefore I spoke.
The question is, Can it be performed?
My son, give me thy heart.
The Armada being thus happily defeated, the nation resounded with
shouts of joy.
Be assured, then, that order, frugality, and economy, are the
necessary supporters of every personal and private virtue.
Virtue is the highest proof of a superior understanding, and the
only basis of greatness.{58}
When a preposition assumes the character of an adverb, a comma should
follow it, to avoid awkwardness or ambiguity: ‘In the valley below,
the villages looked very small.’
_The Semicolon._
Instances in which the semicolon is appropriate:
Truth ennobles man; learning adorns him.
The temperate man’s pleasures are always durable, because they
are regular; and all his life is calm and serene, because it is
innocent.
Those faults which arise from the will are intolerable; for dull
and insipid is every performance where inclination bears no part.
Economy is no disgrace; for it is better to live on a little than
to outlive a great deal.
To err is human; to forgive, divine.[59]
Never speak concerning what you are ignorant of; speak little of
what you know; and whether you speak or say not a word, do it with
judgement.{59}
Semicolons divide the simple members of a compound sentence, and a
comma and dash come after the last sentence and before the general
conclusion:
To give an early preference to honour above gain, when they stand
in competition; to despise every advantage which cannot be attained
without dishonest arts; to brook no meanness, and stoop to no
dissimulation,—are the indications of a great mind, the presages
of future eminence and usefulness in life.[60]
_The Colon._
This point marks an abrupt pause before a further but connected
statement:
In business there is something more than barter, exchange, price,
payment: there is a sacred faith of man in man.
Study to acquire a habit of thinking: no study is more
important.[61]
Always remember the ancient maxim: Know thyself.
_The Period or Full Stop._
Examples of its ordinary use:
Fear God. Honour the King. Pray without ceasing.
There are thoughts and images flashing across the mind in its
highest moods, to which we give the name of inspiration. But whom
do we honour with this title of the inspired poet?
_The Note of Interrogation._
Examples of its ordinary use:
Shall little, haughty ignorance pronounce
His work unwise, of which the smallest part
Exceeds the narrow vision of the mind?
Was the prisoner alone when he was apprehended? Is he known to the
police? Has he any regular occupation? Where does he dwell? What is
his name?
What does the pedant mean?
Cases where the note of interrogation must not be used, the speaker
simply stating a fact:
The Cyprians asked me why I wept.
I was asked if I would stop for dinner.
_The Note of Exclamation._
Examples of its ordinary use:
Hail, source of Being! universal Soul!
How mischievous are the effects of war!
O excellent guardian of the sheep!—a wolf![62]
Alas for his poor family!
Alas, my noble boy! that thou shouldst die!
Ah me! she cried, and waved her lily hand.
O despiteful love! unconstant womankind!
_Marks of Parenthesis._
Examples:
I have seen charity (if charity it may be called) insult with an
air of pity.
Left now to himself (malice could not wish him a worse adviser), he
resolves on a desperate project.[63]
_The Bracket._
These marks are used chiefly to denote an interpolation or
explanation. For example:
Perhaps (alarming thought!), perhaps he [Death] aims
Ev’n now the fatal blow that ends my life.[64]
They [the Lilliputians] rose like one man.
_The Dash._
Em rules or dashes—in this and the next line an example is
given—are often used to show that words enclosed between them are to
be read parenthetically. Thus a verbal parenthesis may be shown by
punctuation in three ways: by em dashes, by ( ), or by commas.[65]
Omit the dash when a colon is used to preface a quotation or similar
matter, whether at the end of a break-line or not.
The dash is used to mark an interruption or breaking off in the
middle of a sentence.[66]
_Marks of Omission._
To mark omitted words three points ... (not asterisks) separated
by en quadrats are sufficient; and the practice should be uniform
throughout the work. Where full lines are required to mark a large
omission, real or imaginary, the spacing between the marks should
be increased; but the compositor should in this case also use full
points and not asterisks.
_Punctuation Marks generally._
The following summary is an attempt to define in few words the
meaning and use of punctuation marks (the capitals are only given for
emphasis):
A Period marks the end of a sentence.
A Colon is at the transition point of the sentence.
A Semicolon separates different statements.
A Comma separates clauses, phrases, and particles.
A Dash marks abruptness or irregularity.
An Exclamation marks surprise.
An Interrogation asks a question for answer.
An Apostrophe marks elisions or possessive case.
Quotation marks define quoted words.
Parentheses enclose interpolations in the sentence.
Brackets enclose irregularities in the sentence.[67]
_Quotation Marks, or ‘Inverted Commas’ (so-called)._
Omit quotation marks in poetry, as instructed on p. 45. Also omit
them in prose extracts broken off in smaller type, unless contrary
instructions are given.
Insert quotation marks in titles of essays: e.g. ‘Mr. Brock read a
paper on “Description in Poetry”.’ But omit quotation marks when the
subject of the paper is an author: e.g. ‘Professor Bradley read a
paper on Jane Austen.’
Single ‘quotes’ are to be used for the first quotation; then double
for a quotation within a quotation. If there should be yet another
quotation within the second quotation it is necessary to revert to
single quotation marks. Sometimes, as in the impossible example in
the footnote, quotation marks packed three deep must be omitted.
All signs of punctuation used with words in quotation marks must be
placed _according to the sense_. If an extract ends with a point,
then let that point be, as a rule,[68] included before the closing
quotation mark; but not otherwise. When there is one quotation within
another, and both end with the sentence, put the punctuation mark
before the first of the closing quotations. These are important
directions for the compositor to bear in mind; and he should examine
the examples which are given in the pages which follow:
‘The passing crowd’ is a phrase coined in the spirit of
indifference. Yet, to a man of what Plato calls ‘universal
sympathies’, and even to the plain, ordinary denizens of this
world, what can be more interesting than ‘the passing crowd’?[69]
If the physician sees you eat anything that is not good for your
body, to keep you from it he cries, ‘It is poison!’ If the divine
sees you do anything that is hurtful for your soul, he cries, ‘You
are lost!’[70]
‘Why does he use the word “poison”?’
But I boldly cried out, ‘Woe unto this city!’[71]
Alas, how few of them can say, ‘I have striven to the very
utmost’!{71}
Thus, notes of exclamation and interrogation are sometimes included
in and sometimes follow quotation marks, as in the sentences above,
according to whether their application is merely to the words quoted
or to the whole sentence of which they form a part. The sentence-stop
must be omitted after ? or !, even when the ? or ! precedes the
closing ‘quotes’.