13. SYN, sym, syl,-together: as, syn-tax, a placing-together; sym-pathy, a suffering-together; syl-lable, what is taken together. IV. FRENCH PREFIXES. 1. A is a preposition of very frequent use in French, and generally means to. We have suggested that it is probably the same as the Anglo-Saxon prefix a. It is found in a few English compounds that are of French, and Lot of Saxon origin: as, a-dieu, to God; a-bout, to the end or turn. 2. DE,-of or from: as in de-mure, of manners; de-liver, to ease from or of 3. DEMI,-half: as, demi-man, half a man. 4. EN, em,-in, into, or upon: as, en-chain, to hold in chains; em-brace, to clasp in the arms; en-tomb, to put into a tomb; em-boss, to stud upon. Many words are yet wavering between the French and the Latin orthography of this prefix; as, embody or imbody, ensurance or insurance, ensnare or insnare. 5. SUR,-upon, over, or after: as, sur-name, a name upon a name; survey, to look over; sur-vive, to live after, to over-live, to out-live. APPENDIX III. (SYNTAX.) OF STYLE. Style is the particular manner in which a person expresses his co iceptions by means of language. It is different from mere words, and is not to be regulated altogether by rules of construction. It always has some relation to the author's peculiar manner of thinking; and, being that sort of expression which his thoughts most readily assume, sometimes parakes, not only of what is characteristic of the man, but even of national peculiarity. The words which an author employs, may be proper, and so constructed as to violate no rule of syntax; and yet his style may have great faults. To designate the general characters of style, such epithets as concise, diffuse, neat, negligent,-nervous, feeble,-simple, affected,-easy, stiff,perspicuous, obscure,-elegant, florid,-are employed. A considerable diversity of style, may be found in compositions all equally excellent in their kind. And, indeed, different subjects, as well as the different endowments by which genius is distinguished, require this diversity. But in forming his style, the learner should remember, that a negligent, feeble, affected, stiff, or obscure style, is always faulty; and that perspicuity, ease, simplicity, strength, and neatness, are qualities always to be aimed at. In order to acquire a good style, the frequent practice of composing is indispensably necessary. Without exercise and diligent attention, rules for the attainment of this object, will be of no avail. When the learner has acquired such a knowledge of grammar, as to be in some degree qualified for the undertaking, he should devote a stated portion of his time to composition. This exercise will bring the powers of his mind into requisition, in a way that is well calculated to strengthen them. And if he has opportunity for reading, he may, by a diligent perusal of the best authors, acquire both language, taste, and sentiment; which are the essential qualifications of a good writer. In regard to the qualities which constitute a good style, we can here offer no more than a few brief hints. With respect to words and phrases, particular attention should be paid to purity, propriety, and precision; and, with respect to sentences, to perspicuity, unity, and strength. Under each of these heads, we shall arrange in the form of short precepts a few of the most important directions for the forming of a good style. I. PURITY. Purity of style consists in the use of such words and phrases only, as be· long to the language which we write or speak. PRECEPT 1. Avoid the unnecessary use of foreign words or idioms: as, fraicheur, hauteur, delicatesse, politesse, noblesse; he repented himself; it serves to an excellent purpose. PRECEPT 2. Avoid obsolete or antiquated words: as, whilom, erewhile, whoso, albeit, moreover, aforetime, methinks. PRECEPT 3. Avoid strange or unauthorized words: as, flutteration, inspectator, judgematical, incumberment, connexity, electerized, martyrized. PRECEPT 4. Avoid bombast, or affectation of fine writing. It is ridiculous, however serious the subject: as, "Personifications, however rich the depictions, and unconstrained their latitude; analogies, however im posing the objects of parallel, and the media of comparison; can never ex pose the consequences of sin to the extent of fact, or the range of demonstration."-Anon. II. PROPRIETY. Propriety of language consists in the selection and right construction, of such words as the best usage has appropriated to those ideas which we intend to express by them. PRECEPT 1. Avoid low and provincial expressions: such as, says I thinks I to myself; to get into a scrape; stay here while I return. PRECEPT 2. In writing prose, avoid words and phrases that are merely poetical: such as, morn, eve, plaint, lone, amid, oft, steepy; what time the winds arise. PRECEPT 3. Avoid technical terms: except where they are necessary, in treating of a particular art or science. PRECEPT 4. Avoid the recurrence of words in different senses, or such a repetition of words as denote paucity of language: as, "His own reason might have suggested better reasons."-" Gregory favoured the undertaking, for no other reason than this; that the manager, in countenance, favoured his friend."-"I want to go and see what he wants." PRECEPT 5. Supply words that are wanting: thus, in stead of "This action increased his former services," say, "This action increased the merit of his former services." PRECEPT 6. Avoid equivocal or ambiguous expressions: as, "His memory shall be lost on the earth."-"I long since learned to like nothing but what you do." PRECEPT 7. Avoid unintelligible and inconsistent expressions: as, have observed that the superiority among these coffee-house politicians, proceeds from an opinion of gallantry and fashion "-"These words do not convey even an opaque idea of the author's meaning." PRECEPT 8. Observe the natural order of things or events, and do not put the cart before the horse: as, "The scribes taught and studied the law of Moses."-" 'They can neither return to nor leave their houses."—" He tumbled, head over heels, into the water.' III. PRECISION. Precision consists in avoiding all superfluous words, and adapting the expression exactly to the thought, so as to exhibit neither more nor less than is intended by the author. PRECEPT 1. Avoid a useless tautology, either of expression or sentiment: as in "return again; return back again; converse together; rise up; fall down; enter in; a mutual likeness to each other; the latter end; liquid streams; grateful thanks; the last of all; throughout the whole book; whenever I go, he always meets me there; for why; because why; from hence; where is he at? in there; nothing else but that; it is odious and hateful; his faithfulness and fidelity should be rewarded." PRECEPT 2. Observe the exact meaning of words accounted synonymous, and employ those which are the most suitable: as, "A diligent scholar may acquire knowledge, gain celebrity, cbtain rewards, win prizes, and get high honour, though he earn no money." These six verbs have nearly the same meaning, and yet they cannot well be changed. IV. PERSPICUITY. Perspicuity consists in freedom from obscurity or ambiguity. It is a quality so essential, in every kind of writing, that for the want of it, no merit can atone. Without this, the richest ornaments of style, only glimmer through the dark, and puzzle in stead of pleasing the reader. Perspi cuity, being the most important property of language, and an exemption from the most embarrassing defects, seems even to rise to a degree of posi tive beauty. We are naturally pleased with a style that frees us from al suspense in regard to the meaning; that carries us through the subject without embarrassment or confusion; and that always flows like a limpid stream, through which we can see to the very bottom. PRECEPT 1. Place adjectives, relative pronouns, participles, adverbs, and explanatory phrases, as near as possible to the words to which they relate, and in such a situation as the sense requires. The following sentences are deficient in perspicuity:-" Reverence is the veneration paid to superior sanctity, intermixed with a certain degree of awe." "The Romans understood liberty, at least, as well as we." Taste was never made to cater for vanity." 66 PRECEPT 2. In prose, avoid a poetic collocation of words. PRECEPT 3. Avoid faulty ellipses, and repeat all words necessary to preserve the sense. The following sentences require the words inserted in crotchets: "Restlessness of mind disqualifies us, both for the enjoyment of peace, and [for] the performance of our duty."-Murray's Key. "The Christian religion gives a more lovely character of God, than any [other] religion ever did."—Ibid. V. UNITY. Unity consists in keeping one object predominant throughout a sentence or paragraph. Every sentence, whether its parts be few or many, requires strict unity. PRECEPT 1. Avoid brokenness and hitching. The following example lacks the very quality of which it speaks: "But most of all, in a single sentence, is required the strictest unity. It may consist of parts, indeed, but these parts must be so closely bound together, as to make the impression upon the mind, of one object, not of many."-Murray's Grammar. PRECEPT 2. Treat different topics in separate paragraphs, and distinct sentiments in separate sentences. Error: "The two volumes are, indeed, intimately connected, and constitute one uniform system of English grammar."-Murray's Preface. PRECEPT 3. In the progress of a sentence, do not desert the principal subject in favour of adjuncts. Error: "To substantives belong gender, number, and case; and they are all of the third person when spoken of, and of the second when spoken to."-Murray's Grammar. PRECEPT 4. Do not introduce parentheses, except when a lively remark may be thrown in without diverting the mind too long from the principal subject. VI. STRENGTH. Strength consists in giving to the several words and members of a sentence, such an arrangement as shall bring out the sense to the best advantage and present every idea in its due importance. A concise style is the most favourable to strength. PRECEPT 1. Place the most important words in the situation in which they will make the strongest impression. PRECEPT 2. A weaker assertion should not follow a stronger; and when the sentence consists of two members, the longer should be the concluding one. PRECEPT 3. When things are to be compared or contrasted, their resemblance or opposition will be rendered more striking, if some resemblance in the language and construction, be preserved. PRECEPT 4. It is, in general, ungraceful to end a sentence with an adverb, a preposition, or any inconsiderable word or phrase, which may either be omitted or be introduced earlier. APPENDIX IV. (PROSODY.) OF POETIC DICTION. Poetry, (as defined by Dr. Blair) "is the language of passion, or of enlivened imagination, formed, most commonly, into regular numbers." The style of poetry differs, in many respects, from that which is commonly adopted in prose. Poetic diction abounds in bold figures of speech, and unusual collocations of words. A great part of the figures which have been treated of under the head of prosody, are purely poetical. The primary aim of a poet, is to please and to move; and, therefore, it is to the imagination, and the passions, that he speaks. He may, and he ought to have it in his view, to instruct and reform; but it is indirectly, and by pleasing and moving, that he accomplishes this end. The exterior and most obvious distinction of poetry, is versification: yet there are some forms of verse so loose and familiar, as to be hardly distinguishable from prose; and there is also a species of prose, so measured in its cadences, and so much raised in its tone, as to approach very nearly to poetical numbers. POETICAL PECULIARITIES. The following are some of the most striking peculiarities in which the poets indulge, and are indulged: 1. They very often omit the ARTICLES; as, "What dreadful pleasure! there to stand sublime, "Like shipwreck'd mariner on desert coast!"-Beattie. II. They abbreviate many NOUNS; as, amaze for amazement, acclaim for acclamation, consult for consullation, corse for corpse, eve or even for evening, fount for fountain, helm for helmet, lament for lamentation, morn for morning, plaint for complaint, targe for target, weal for wealth. III. They employ several nouns that are not used in prose; as, benison, boon, emprise, fane, guerdon, guise, ire, ken, lore, meed, sire, steed, welkin, yore. IV. They introduce the noun self after an other noun of the possessive case; as, 1. "Affliction's semblance bends not o'er thy tomb, Affliction's self deplores thy youthful doom."-Byron. 2. "Thoughtless of beauty, she was beauty's self."-Thomson. V. They place before the verb, words that usually come after it; and, af ter it, those that usually come before it: as, 1. "No jealousy their dawn of love o'ercast, Nor blasted were their wedded days with strife.”—Beattie. 2. "No hive hast thou of hoarded sweets." 3. "Thy chain a wretched weight shall prove."-Langhorne. |