Colon; Semicolon. — These signs mark the larger sec-
tions of a complete sentence that is not simple in its
structure.
The distinction between period and colon and between
colon and semicolon cannot be formulated precisely. It
is best learned from examples. Thus, in the proverb
quoted above:

A soft answer turneth away wrath : but grievous words stir up anger.
the Colon marks the balancing of the first clause by the
second. In the following passage :

The Greeks may be said to be the most artistic nation in the world,
in the sense that art covered so large a proportion of their whole per-
sonality : it is not surprising to find that they projected their sense of
art into morals. — Moulton : Shakespeare, p. 44.
the clause introduced by the colon is a corollary of the
preceding clause. It would have been better, however, to
connect the two more closely by means of then : " it is not
surprising, then, to find," etc.
The colon is now frequently used to introduce a direct
quotation, or a statement (of some length) in apposition or
in definition. E. g. :

Salarino adds: "I would it might prove the end of his losses." —
MOTJLTON : Shakespeare, p. 78.
Here the colon-clause is a direct quotation. In the fol-
lowing :

The title of the present study is a paradox : that Shakespeare makes
a plot more complex in order to make it more simple. — MouiTON :
Shakespeare, p. 74.
the colon-clause defines the paradox.
