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in his proposal, too, for correcting the English language: where, in place of a sentence, he has given a loose dissertation upon several subjects. Speaking of the progress of our language, after the time of Cromwell: To this succeeded,' says he, 'that licentiousness which entered with the restoration, and from infecting our religion and morals, fell to corrupt our language; which last was not likely to be much improved by those, who at that time made up the court of king Charles the Second; either such as had followed him in his banishment, or who had been altogether conversant in the dialect of these fanatic times; or young men who had been educated in the same country; so that the court, which used to be the standard of correctness and propriety of speech, was then, and I think has ever since continued, the worst school in England for that accomplishment; and so will remain, till better care be taken in the education of our nobility, that they may set out into the world with some foundation of literature, in order to qualify them for patterns of politeness.'--How many different facts, reasonings, and observations, are here presented to the mind at once! and yet so linked together by the author, that they all make parts of a sentence, which admits of no greater division in pointing, than a semicolon between any of its members? Having mentioned pointing, I shall here take notice, that it is in vain to propose, by arbitrary punctuation, to amend the defects of a sentence, to correct its ambiguity, or to prevent its confusion. For commas, colons, and points, do not make the proper divisions of thought; but only serve to mark those which arise from the tenour of the author's expression; and, therefore, they are proper or not, just according as they correspond to the natural division of the sense. When they are inserted in wrong places, they deserve, and will meet with, no regard.

I proceed to a third rule, for preserving the unity of sentences, which is, to keep clear of all parentheses in the middle of them On some occasions, these may have a spirited appearance; as prompted by a certain vivacity of thought, which can glance happily aside, as it is going along. But, for the most part, their effect is extremely bad; being a sort of wheels within wheels; sentences in the midst of sentences; the perplexed method of disposing of some thought, which a writer wants art to introduce in its proper place It were needless to give many instances, as they occur so ofter among incorrect writers. I shall produce one from Lord Bolingbroke; the rapidity of whose genius, and manner of writing, betrays him frequently into inaccuracies of this sort. It is in the introduction to his idea of a patriot king, where he writes thus: 'It seems to me, that, in order to maintain the system of the world, at a certain point, far below that of ideal perfection, (for we are made capable of conceiving what we are incapable of attaining) but, however, sufficient, upon the whole, to constitute a state easy and happy, or, at the worst, tolerable; I say, it seems to me, that the Author of Nature has thought fit to mingle, from time to time, among the societies of men, a few, and but a few, of those on whom he is graciously pleased to

bestow a larger pcrtion of the ethereal spirit, than is given, in the ordinary course of his government, to the sons of men.' A very bad sentence this; into which, by the help of a parenthesis, and other interjected circumstances, his lordship had contrived to thrust so many things, that he is forced to begin the construction again with the phrase, I say: which, whenever it occurs, may be always assumed as a sure mark of a clumsy, ill-constructed sentence; excusable in speaking, where the greatest accuracy is not expected, but in polished writing, unpardonable.

I shall add only one rule more for the unity of a sentence, which is, to bring it always to a full and perfect close. Every thing that one, should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. I need not take notice, that an unfinished sentence is no sentence at all, according to any grammatical rule. But very often we meet with sentences that are, so to speak, more than finished. When we have arrived at what we expected was to be the conclusion, when we have come to the word on which the mind is naturally led, by what went before, to rest; unexpectedly, some circumstance pops out which ought to have been omitted, or to have been disposed of elsewhere; but which is left lagging behind, like a tail adjected to the sentence; somewhat that, as Mr. Pope describes the Alexandrian line,

"Like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along."

All these adjections to the proper close, disfigure a sentence extremely. They give it a lame, ungraceful air, and, in particular, they break its unity. Dean Swift, for instance, in his Letter to a Young Clergyman, speaking of Cicero's writings, expresses himself thus: With these writings, young divines are more conversant than with those of Demosthenes, who, by many degrees, excelled the other; at least as an orator.' Here the natural close of the sentence is at these words, 'excelled the other.' These words conclude the proposition; we look for no more; and the circumstance added, at least as an orator,' comes in with a very halting pace. How much more compact would the sentence have been, if turned thus: 'With these writings, young divines are more conversant than with those of Demosthenes, who, by many degrees, as an orator at least, excelled the other.' In the following sentence, from Sir William Temple, the adjection to the sentence is altogether foreign to it. Speaking of Burnet's Theory of the Earth, and Fontenelle's Plurality of Worlds: "The first,' says he, 'could not end his learned treatise without a panegyric of modern learning, in comparison of the ancient; and the other, falls so grossly into the censure of the old poetry, and preference of the new, that I could not read either of these strains without some indignation; which no quality among men is so apt to raise in me as self-sufficiency.' The word 'indig nation,' concluded the sentence; the last member, which no quality among men is so apt to raise in me as self-sufficiency,' is a proposition altogether new, added after the proper close.

QUESTIONS.

1

In the last lecture, what was consi- causes does ambiguity arise? How far dered the fundamental quality of style? has the choice of words been conside To what, did what was said of this ed; and of what is our author now to chiefly relate? From words, to what treat? What is the first thing, here, to does our author next proceed; and be studied? But as the grammar of our why does he purpose treating it fully? language is not extensive, what folBesides perspicuity, into what does our lows? In what manner cannot the re author purpose to inquire; and why? lation of words in English be pointed Farther than what, is it not easy to out; and how only is it ascertained? give an exact definition of a sentence? Hence, what is a capital rule in the arWhat is Aristotle's definition? Why rangement of sentences; and of it, does this admit of great latitude? What what is observed? What, therefore, is the first variety that occurs in the will be necessary? In the position of consideration of sentences? What can- adverbs, what is remarked? What not be ascertained by any definite mea- example is given from Mr. Addison; sure? At the same time, what is obvi- and what remarks are made upon it? ous? Of sentences immoderately long, What example is given from Lord what is observed? To what must re- Shaftsbury? What does it literally imgard be had, in discourses that are to port; and what should he have said? be spoken? What is the effect of using What example is given from Dean long periods in compositions, where Swift? Of what different senses are pronunciation has no place; and why? these words capable What will they, At the same time, what is remarked of in the first case, signify; and what, in short sentences? With regard to the the second? If this last was Dean length and construction of sentences, Swift's meaning, how might the ambiwhat distinction do French critics guity been avoided? Of such adverbs, make? What is the style periodique; as, only, wholly, and at least, what is and what is said of it? Repeat the ex- observed and hence, what habit do ample from Sir William Temple's let- we acquire? How should adverbs, in ter to Lady Essex. Who abounds with writing, be connected with the words sentences of this kind? What is the which they qualify? On the interposistyle coupe? Repeat the example from tion of a circumstance in the middle of Pope's preface to his works. Whose a sentence, what is observed? What method of writing is this; and what instance of a violation of this direction subjects does it suit? What air do is given from Lord Bolingbroke? Here, these styles respectively give to com- about what are we left at loss? If the position; and what follows? Why is it latter was intended to be the meaning, necessary, in almost every kind of com- how should the sentence have been arposition, to intermix them? How does ranged? But, in the proper disposition Cicero describe these two kinds of of what, is still more attention required? style? Where must this variety be Why can we not be too accurate and studied, besides in the succession of precise here? What may be the effect long and short sentences; and why? of a small error? Where the meaning What remark follows? In this article, is intelligible, yet where these relative who has shown great art? What was particles are out of place, what do we observed of his style, in the last lec- always find To illustrate this remark, ture? But, what has he studied more what example is given from Mr. Addithan any other English author; and son? How would the construction here, why? From these general observations, evidently be mended? Repeat the seno what do we now descend? On what, tence in its improved form. Repeat the in every kind of composition, does much next example from Mr. Addison. What depend; and why? By giving atten- is remarked on the position of the word tion to the rules which relate to this which, in this sentence? What violapart of style, what shall we acquire; tion of the same direction is quoted and what follows? What are the four from Bishop Sherlock's sermons? properties, which are most essential to What are the remarks upon it; and a perfect sentence? In the first of how should it have been arranged? these, what ought, with the greatest Where is an inaccuracy of the same care, to be avoided? From what two kind found, in the writings of Dear

Swift? Repeat the passage. What is When one arrives at the end of such a remarked upon it; and how should it puzzled sentence, at what is he surhave been arranged? What passage is prised? Who affords us the next exgiven from a letter to a member of par-ample; and where is it found? Reliament; what remarks are made upon peat it. What are the remarks of our it; and by what arrangement might it author upon it? Where did Shaftesbube amended? ry's strength lay? From whom is the

What is the natural close of this sentence; and why? How should it have been arranged? What instance of the same fault is given from Sir William Temple? What word properly closes the sentence; and of the last member, what is remarked?

To make what rule understood, are the next instance taken; and where is it instances already given considered suffi- found? Repeat it. What is said of this cient? Why have these three cases been passage? Of arbitrary punctuation, mentioned? With regard to relatives, what is remarked? To what rule does what is further observed? Of what one's our author next proceed? When may particularly; and when? Repeat the these have a spirited appearance? example to illustrate this remark, quoted But, why is their effect, for the most from Archbishop Tillotson. Of it, what part, extremely bad? From whom is is observed? When we find these per- the instance to illustrate this rule sonal pronouns crowded too fast upon taken; and what is said of his genius? us, what is the consequence? What Repeat the passage. Of this sentence, instances of ambiguity arising from what is remarked? To the use of what faulty arrangement, are given by phrase was he, consequently, forced; Quintilian, in the Latin language? and what is said of it? To preserve the What is the effect of having the rela- unity of a sentence, what is the last tion of every word and member of a rule given? What should every thing sentence marked in the most proper and that is one, have? Of what is it unnecesdistinct manner? To what does our sary to take notice? When is a senauthor next proceed; what is said of tence, so to speak, more than finished? it; and why is some degree of it re- What is the effect of these adjectives quired in every composition? There to the proper close? What air do they must always be what; and what must give it? What instance of a violation reign? This shall afterwards be shown of this rule is given from Dean Swift? to hold in what kinds of composition? Where is it, most of all, required; and why? When a sentence consists of different parts, how closely must these parts be bound together? In order to preserve this unity of a sentence, what is the first rule to be observed? What remarks follow; and what example is given to illustrate them? Of this sentence, what is remarked; and how may it be restored to its proper unity? Writers, who transgress this rule, for the most part, transgress what other? What is the effect of its violation? Than to err thus, what is a safer extreme? What is the first example given to justify what is now said? What remarks are made on it? Repeat the passage from Middleton's Life of Cicero. What is its principal | object; and what farther is remarked upon it? What example is given from Plutarch? Of this passage, what is observed; and in it what are found? What authors are apt to be faulty in this article? Of Lord Clarendon's sentences, what is observed? In later and more correct writers, what do we find? What instance is given from Sir William Temple's Essay upon Poetry?

Sentences.

ANALYSIS.

1. The definition of a sentence.
2. The distinction of long and
short sentences.

3. Clearness and precision.

A. In the position of adverbs.
B. In the interposition of sen-

tences.

c. In the proper disposition of relatives.

4. Unity.

A. The scene should not be changed.

B. Distinct subjects should not be introduced into the same gentence.

c. Parentheses in the middle of

sentences should be avoided. D. Sentences should be brought to a full and perfect close.

LECTURE XII.

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES.

HAVING treated of perspicuity and unity, as necessary to be studi ed in the structure of sentences, I proceed to the third quality of a correct sentence, which I termed strength. By this, I mean, such a disposition of the several words and members, as shall bring out the sense to the best advantage; as shall render the impression, which the period is designed to make, most full and complete; and give every word, and every member, their due weight and force. The two former qualities of perspicuity and unity, are, no doubt, absolutely necessary to the production of this effect; but more is still requisite. For a sentence may be clear enough; it may also be compact enough, in all its parts, or have the requisite unity; and yet by some unfavourable circumstance in the structure, it may fail in that strength or liveliness of impression, which a more happy arrangement would have produced.

The first rule which I shall give, for promoting the strength of a sentence,is, to divest it of all redundant words. These may, sometimes, be consistent with a considerable degree both of clearness and unity; but they are always enfeebling. They make the sentence move along tardy and encumbered:

Est brevitate opus, ut currat sententia, non se
Impediat verbis, lassas onerantibus aures.*

It is a general maxim, that any words which do not add some importance to the meaning of a sentence, always spoil it. They can not be superfluous, without being hurtful. Obstat,' says Quintillan, 'quicquid non adjuvat.' All that can be easily supplied in the mind, is better left out in the expression. Thus: 'Content with deserving a triumph, he refused the honour of it,' is better language than to say, 'Being content with deserving a triumph, he refused the honour of it.' I consider it, therefore, as one of the most useful exercises of correction, upon reviewing what we have written or composed, to contract that round-about method of expression, and to lop off those useless excrescences which are commonly found in a first draught. Here a severe eye should be employed; and we shall always find our sentences acquire more vigour and energy when thus retrenched: provided always that we run not into the extreme of pruning so very close, as to give a hardness and dryness to style. For here, as in all other things, there is a due medium. Some regard, though not the principal, must be had to fulness and swelling of sound. Some leaves must be left to surround and shelter the fruit. As sentences should be cleared of redundant words, so also of redundant members. As every word ought to present a new idca,

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