last note in the opposite uneven page; by which means the order of the references would appear at one view, and any irregularity in them rectified without much trouble. Instead of letters, whether capital or lower-case, figures are used in the same manner, and also with equal propriety; for the one as well as the other are of like signification, when used for the same purpose-but the references which look the neatest, besides being the most proper, are superior letters, or else superior figures; for both were originally contrived and intended to be employed in matter that is explained by notes, whether by way of annotations, quotations, citations, or otherwise. Nevertheless, we observe that superior letters are not used upon every occasion, but chiefly in large and lasting works, which have sometimes more than one sort of notes, and therefore require different references; in which case not only superior letters, but also such marks are used as never were designed to serve for references. Another reason why superior letters are not used upon all occasions, is, that they are often objected to by gentlemen who choose to read copious notes first, and then refer to the text, where they fancy superior letters not conspicuous enough to be readily discovered. And, indeed, superiors of the smallest size are not only inconvenient to the reader, but also troublesome to the pressman, who is ambitious to make them come off clear, notwithstanding their disadvantageous situation. But, to abide by the title of this article, what are called references by printers, are the following: Asterisk* - Parallel.. The above are the names and figures which founders reckon among the points, and are denomi nated references by printers; these characters were designed to serve for other purposes than those to which they have been applied, as will appear from their respective functions. 1. The Asterisk is the chief of the references, and presents itself most readily to the eye, on account of having its figure on the top, and leaving a blank below, which makes it a superior. In Roman church-books, the Asterisk divides each verse of a psalm into two parts; and marks where the responses begin: which in our Common Prayer Books is done by placing a colon between the two parts of each verse. They are sometimes used to supply the name of a person that chooses to pass anonymous. They also denote an omission, or an hiatus, by loss of original copy; in which case the number of asterisks are multiplied according to the largeness of the chasm; and not only whole lines, but frequently whole pages, are left blank, and marked with lines of stars. In satyrizing persons in pamphlets and public papers, the asterisk is of great service; for it is but putting the first letter of a person's name, with some asterisks after it, and ill-natured people think they may characterize, and even libel, their betters, without restriction. Metal Rules also serve for the above purposes as well as Asterisks. 2. The Dagger, originally termed the Obelisk, or Long Cross, is frequently used in Roman Catholic church-books, prayers of exorcism, at the benediction of bread, water, and fruit, and upon other occasions, where the priest is to make the sign of the cross; but it must be observed, that the long cross is not used in books of the said kind, unless for want of square crosses, (, which are the proper symbols for the before-mentioned purposes; and are used besides in the Pope's briefs, and in mandates of archbishops and bishops, who put it immediately before the signature of their names. But the square cross is not reckoned among references of which we are speaking; whereas, the long cross answers several purposes; for, besides serving instead of a square cross, it also answers for a signature to matter that has been either omitted, or else added, and which is intercalated after the work is gone beyond the proper place for it. But the chief use which is made of the dagger, is by way of reference, where it serves in a double capacity, viz. the right way, and inverted. 3. The Double Dagger is a mark crowded in to make one of the improper references. 4. The Parallel is another sign which serves for a reference, and is fit to be used either for side or bottom notes. 5. The sign which implies the word Section, is a sort likewise seldom employed, because in a work which is divided into chapters, articles, paragraphs, sections, or any other parts, they are commonly put in lines by themselves, either in large capitals, small capitals, or Italic, according to the size of the work. But the sign of section is sometimes used in Latin notes, and particularly such as are collected from foreign books, which generally abound with citations, because their introduction induces the reader to account his author very learned. 6. The Paragraph is a mark which formerly was prefixed to such matter as authors designed to distinguish from the mean contents of their works; and which was to give the reader an item of some particular subject. At present, paragraphs are seen only in Bibles, where they shew the parts into which a chapter is divided, and where its contents change. In Common Prayer Books, paragraphs are put before the matter that directs the order of the Service, and which is called the Rubric; because those lines were formerly printed in red. Otherwise it is a useless sort, and unfit to serve for a reference, as long as there are others which have not that antique appearance. Thus we have shewn, that the symbols which are used as references, were designed for quite different purposes. We are therefore of opinion, that it would not have been one of the least improvements, had some other marks been devised which should have appeared in a more becoming shape than the above references, and more perspicuous than superiors of the least size. * LOWER-CASE SORT3. HAVING already considered the lower-case alphabet, it will be unnecessary to dwell long on this head, we shall therefore merely notice those sorts which have not been already treated on. Those termed lower-case sorts are, the small letters of the alphabet, double letters, points, the crotchet and parenthesis, spaces and quadrats. Of these i, v, x, 1, c, are numeral letters, and are generally used in notes; the d, or m, seldom appear in lower-case numerals, though their power is not inferior in calculation to capitals, as they are governed by the same rules. * It will be seen by the scheme of the old cases, that the small k, sb, sk, and st, (when long s's where used,) heid situations in the upper-case; but, according to our improved scale, the above are abolished, as well as the transposition of some others into the lower-case, in order to admit room for many additional and useful sorts. POINTS. THEY consist of a comma, semicolon, colon, period or full-point, note of interrogation and note of admi ration. Points are not of equal antiquity with printing, though, not long after its invention, the necessity of introducing stops or pauses in sentences, for the guidance of the reader, brought forward the colon and full-point, the two first invented. In process of time, the comma was added to the infant punctuation, which then had no other figure than a perpendicular line, proportionable to the body of the letter; these three points were the only ones used till the close of the fifteenth century, when Aldus Manutius, a man eminent for the restoration of learning, among other improvements in the art of printing, corrected and enlarged the punctuation, by giving a better shape to the comma, adding the semicolon, and assigning to the former points a more proper place; the comma denoting the smaller pause, the semicolon next, then the colon, and the full-point terminating the sentence. The notes of interrogation and admiration were not introduced till many years after. These points are allowed to answer all the purposes of punctuation, though some pedantic persons have suggested the propriety of increasing them, by having one below the comma, and another between the comma and semicolon. So far are we from imagining that such an introduction will meet with encouragement, that we confidently expect to see the present number diminished, by the total exclusion of the colon, a point long since considered unnecessary, and now but seldom used. Perhaps there never existed on any subject, among men of learning, a greater difference of |