AND PUNCTUATION FAMILIARLY EXPLAINED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE For the Use of the Artisan and Mechanic. BY JUSTIN BRENAN. FOURTEENTH EDITION. LONDON: VIRTUE BROTHERS & CO., 1, AMEN CORNER, NOTICE FROM THE PUBLISHERS. FROM the numerous inquiries for BRENAN'S "COMPOSITION AND PUNCTUATION," the publishers are induced to issue a new edition. The eleventh and last, though an unusually large impression of it was thrown off, has been long since exhausted, and is now completely out of print. The present edition has the advantage of being superintended by the author, who has carefully revised it throughout, and made numerous additions and alterations that much enhance its utility. Yet, though the work now contains more matter than hitherto, the publishers, yielding to the prevalent desire for cheapness, have considerably reduced the price; and they feel confident, therefore, that this edition, so greatly improved, will be very acceptable to all who need assistance in unambitious composition, or in serviceable punctuation. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. "We have read this little book with much satisfaction; something of the kind has been long wanted, and the want is now very ingeniously supplied. My object,' says the author, 'is to instruct those who know how to read and write, but who are unacquainted with grammar. I propose, strange as it may appear, to show such persons how they may compose sentences, of which they may not, at least, be ashamed, and, how they may express meaning intelligibly, without exciting a laugh at their expense.' This object Mr. Brenan has attained in a simple and agreeable manner; and we, therefore, confidently recommend his book to those whose early education has been neglected, and who are now afraid to enter upon all the difficulties of grammar. We shall ourselves present copies of it to several mechanics and others, in whose progress we take an interest."-Edinburgh Literary Journal. "We have been somewhat tardy in doing justice to Mr. Breran's excellent little work on 'Composition and Punctuation,' which is replete with sound common sense; we recommend it most cordially to the consideration of our readers."-New Monthly Magazine. "The plain, straightforward manner in which Mr. Brenan explains his views is highly to be commended, and we are satisfied that the best informed scholars will find something in his book to merit perusal. There are some other branches of the subject which we should willingly notice, if our space permitted; but, as we have touched the most important, we leave the rest in the hands of the readers."—Atlas. 7 Correction of parenthetical sample in page 17 Long sentences-specimen of a good one from Robertson Murray-a long-winded specimen from himself, contrasted with his own example from Swift |