Dickens derived his mirth from the old giants of English fun. Mr. Squeers and Sam Weller, Mrs. Gamp and all the Pickwickians, Dowler and John Browdie, will live while there is a laugh among us.
Take the indignation of Alceste, the self-deception of Tartufe, the blasphemy of Don Juan—who beside Moliere ever combined such humor, such wit, such irrepressible mirth?
NAMES OF VESSELS
Quote-marks are used by some writers to inclose the names of vessels, but others put the words in italic. There may be occasions for which it is expedient to distinguish the names of vessels from the places that gave them name, to prevent confusion in the mind of the reader, but these occasions are rare. This extract from Bigelow[1] should be enough to show that quote-marks for this purpose are not needed in ordinary descriptions.
A collision took place on the Sound on Friday night between the steamers Stonington and Narragansett. The Narragansett soon began to sink, and immediately took fire. The steamer City of New York sent boats to their assistance, and took a large number of passengers off the vessel. During Saturday the steamer Relief, of the Coast Wrecking Company, arrived at the scene of the disaster. The schooner Report still lies alongside. A metallic life-boat was picked up about five miles from the wreck, containing a number of life-preservers marked "Narragansett."
- ↑ Punctuation, and Other Typographical Matters, p. 41.
