something, was complied with, and produced a cordial reconcilement. an Though learn'd, well bred; and though well bred, sincere ; A fop is a risible character, in every one's view but his own. 、 An action that excites laughter, without any mixture of contempt, may be called a ridiculous action. It is difficult for him to speak three sentences together.essively By this expression, I do not intend what some persons annex to it. The negligence of timely precaution was the cause of this great loss. All the sophism which has been employed, cannot obscure so plain a truth. Disputing should always be so managed, as to remember that the only end of it is truth. My friend was so ill that he could not set up at all, but was obliged to lay continually in bed. A certain prince, it is said, when he invaded the Egyptians, placed, in the front of his army, a number of cats and other animals, which were worship ped by those people. A reverence for these phan toms, made the Egyptians lie down their arms, and become an easy conquest. The presence of the Deity, and the interest such an august cause is supposed to take in our concerns, is a source of consolation. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter set down among them. By the slavish disposition of the senate and people of Rome, under the emperours, the wit and eloquence of the age were wholly turned into panegyrick. To the The refreshment came in seasonably, before they were laid down to rest. We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. They shall flee as the eagle that hasteth to eat. The wicked fly when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. A creature of a more exalted kind Was wanting yet, and then was man design'd. He died with violence; for he was killed by a sword. He had scarcely taken the medicine, than he began to feel himself relieved. No place and no object appear to him void of beauty. ་; V When we fall into a person's conversation, the first thing we should consider, is, the intention of it. Galileo discovered the telescope; Hervey invented the circulation of the blood. Philip found an obstacle to the managing of the Athenians, from the nature of their dispositions ; but the eloquence of Demosthenes was the greatest difficulty in his designs. A hermit is rigorous in his life; a judge, austere in his sentences. A candid man avows his mistake, and is forgiven; a patriot acknowledges his opposition to a bad minister, and is applauded. We have enlarged our family and expenses; and increased our garden and fruit orchard. By proper reflection, we may be taught to mend what is erroneous and defective. The good man is not overcome by disappoint ment, when that which is mortal passes away; when that which is mutable, dies; and when that which he knew to be transient, begins to change. CHAPTER III. OF PRECISION. Precision is the third requisite of perspicuity with respect to words and phrases. (9) Itsignifies retrenching superfluities, and pruning the expres sion, so as to exhibit neither more nor less than an exact copy of the person's idea who uses it. The words used to express ideas may be faulty in three respects. 1st, They may not express the idea which the author intends, but some other which only resembles it; secondly, They may express that idea, but not fully and completely; thirdly, They may express it, together with something more than is intended. Preci sion stands opposed to these three faults, but chiefly to the last. Propriety implies a freedom from the two former faults. The words which are used may be proper; that is, they may express the idea intended, and they may express it fully; but to be precise, signifies that they express that idea and no more. (10.) The great source of a loose style in opposition to precision, is the injudicious use of the words termed synonymous. They are called synonymous, because they agree in expressing one principal idea; but, for the most part, if not always, they express it with some diversity in the circumstances. The following instances show a difference in the meaning of words reputed synonymous, and point out the use of attending, with care and strictness, to the exact import of words. Custom, habit.-Custom, respects the action; habit, the actor. By custom, we mean the frequent repetition of the same act; by habit, the effect which that repetition produces on the mind or body. By the custom of walking often in the streets, one acquires a habit of idleness. Pride, vanity.-Pride, makes us esteem ourselves; vanity,makes us desire the esteem of others. It is just to say, that a man is too proud to be vain. Haughtiness, disdain.-Haughtiness, is founded on the high opinion we entertain of ourselves; disdain, on the low opinion we have of others. Only, alone.-Only, imports that there is no other of the same kind; alone, imports being accompanied by no other. An only child, is one that has neither brother nor sister; a child alone, is one who is left by itself. There is a difference, therefore, in precise language, between these two phrases: "Virtue only makes us happy;" and "Virtue alone makes us happy." Wisdom, prudence.-Wisdom, leads us to speak and act what is most proper. Prudence, prevents our speaking or acting improperly. Entire, complete.-A thing is entire, by wanting none of its parts: complete, by wanting none of the appendages that belong R to it. A man may have an entire house to himself, and yet not have one complete apartment. Surprised, astonished, amazed, confounded.-I am surprised with what is new or unexpected; I am astonished at what is vast or great; I am amazed at what is incomprehensible; I am confounded by what is shocking or terrible. Tranquillity, peace, calm.-Tranquillity, respects a situation free from trouble, considered in itself; peace, the same situation with respect to any causes that might interrupt it; calm, with regard to a disturbed situation going before or following it. A good man enjoys tranquillity, in himself; peace, with others; and calm, after the storm. While we are attending to precision, we must be on our guard, lest, from the desire of pruning too closely, we retrench all copiousness. To unite copiousness and precision, to be full and easy, and at the same time correct and exact in the choice of every word, is, no doubt, one of the highest and most difficult at tainments in writing. This great politician desisted from, and renounced his designs, when he found them impracticable. He was of so high and independent a spirit, that he abhorred and detested being in debt. Though raised to an exalted station, she was a pattern of piety, virtue, and religion. The human body may be divided into the head, trunk, limbs, and vitals. His end soon approached; and he died with great courage and fortitude. He was a man of so much pride and vanity, that he despised the sentiments of others. Poverty induces and cherishes dependence; and dependence strengthens and increases corruption. This man, on all occasions, treated his inferiours with great haughtiness and disdain. There can be no regularity or order in the life and conduct of that man, who does not give and-allot a due share of his time, to retirement and reflection. Such equivocal and ambiguous expressions, mark a formed intention to deceive and abuse us. His cheerful, happy temper, remote from discontent, keeps up a kind of daylight in his mind, excludes every gloomy prospect, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity. PART II. Of Perspicuity and Accuracy of Expression, with respect to the Construction of Sentences. Sentences, in general, should neither be very long, nor very short long ones require close attention to make us clearly perceive the connexion of the several parts; and short ones are apt to break the sense, and weaken the connexion of thought, Yet occasionally they may both be used with force and propriety. A train of sentences, constructed in the same manner, and with the same number of members, should never be allowed to succeed one another. A long succession of either long or short sentences should also be avoided; for the ear tires of either of them when too long continued. Whereas, by a proper mixture of long and short periods, and of periods variously constructed, not only the ear is gratified; but animation and force are given to our style. We now proceed to consider the things most essential to an accurate and a perfect sentence. They appear to be the four follow. ing: 1. CLEARNESS. 2. UNITY. 3. STRENGTH. 4. A JU DICIOUS USE OF THE FIGURES OF SPEECH. CHAPTER I. OF THE CLEARNESS OF A SENTENCE. Purity, propriety, and precision, in words and phrases separately considered, have already been explained, and shown to be necessary to perspicuous and accurate writing. The just relation of sentences, and the parts of sentences, to one another, and the due arrangement of the whole, are the subjects which remain to be discussed. THE FIRST requisite of a perfect sentence is clearness. Whatever leaves the mind in any sort of suspense as to the meaning, ought to be avoided. Obscurity arises from two causes; either from a wrong choice of words, or a wrong arrangement of them. The choice of words and phrases, as far as regards perspicuity, has been already considered. The disposition of them comes now under consideration. The first thing to be studied here, is grammatical propriety. But as the grammar of our language is comparatively not extensive, there may be an obscure order of words, where there is no trans |