Young or inexperienced writers frequently abound with such expressions as horrible, shocking, most extraordinary, unparalleled, and similar words of great force. This is to waste strength on mere trifles. Strong expressions on every occasion betray ignorance both of literary propriety, and of the style adopted in well-educated society. Epithets are properly employed, first, when they explain a Metaphor, or, secondly, when they express something which, though implied in the subject, would not, perhaps, have occurred to the mind of the hearer, but which it is important to notice with a view to our present purpose. "Indeed, it will generally happen," observes Archbishop Whately, "that the epithets employed by a skilful orator, will be found to be, in fact, so many abridged arguments, the force of which is sufficiently conveyed by a mere hint. Thus, if any one should say, We ought to take warning from the bloody revolution of France,' the epithet would suggest one of the reasons for our being warned, and that, not less clearly, but perhaps more forcibly, than if the argument had been stated at length.” 6. a. Thirdly, Avoid a prolixity in narration, arising from the mention of unnecessary circumstances. Circumstances may be denominated unnecessary, either because not of such importance that the scope of the relation is affected by their being known, or, because they are implied in the other circumstances related. An error of the former kind belongs properly to the thought, of the latter, to the language. The first, when habitual, is termed loquacity, the second, verbosity. The following is an instance of the second; "On receiving this information, he arose, went out, mounted his horse, and rode to town." All is implied in saying, "On receiving this information, he rode to town." b. There are many sentences, however, which would not bear the omission of a single word consistently with perspicuity, and yet, the sense may be as clearly, and much more concisely expressed by using different words, and recasting the whole sentence. EXAMPLE. "A friend overrates the good actions of those to whom he is attached, and a man's wickedness is equally overstretched by his opponents." In this sentence, not one word could be omitted without sacrificing perspicuity, yet the whole would be more energetically, as well as more concisely expressed, by saying, "A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy, his crimes." c. In aiming at a Concise style, care must be taken lest we render it crowded. The frequent recurrence of ellipses, even when obscurity does not arise from them, gives to the composition the appearance of labour, which is offensive. We may, indeed, avoid enumerating every particular, but we should endeavour to suggest more than we express. It is recommended, also, in cases in which we wish a permanent impression to be made on the mind, first, to expand the sentiment that it may be distinctly understood, and afterwards compress the whole in one short, pithy sentence. The hearers will thus be struck by the forcibleness of the sentence which they will have been prepared to comprehend; they will understand the longer expression, and remember the shorter. The following extract from Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France," as quoted by Archbishop Whately, will serve to illustrate this Rule: "Power, of some kind or other, will survive the shock in which manners and opinions perish; and it will find other and worse means for its support. The usurpa tion which, in order to subvert ancient institutions, has destroyed ancient principles, will hold power by arts similar to those by which it has acquired it. When the old feudal and chivalrous spirit of fealty, which, by freeing kings from fear, freed both kings and subjects from the precaution of tyranny, shall be extinct in the minds of men, plots and assassinations will be anticipated by preventive murder and preventive confiscation; and that long roll of grim and bloody maxims, which form the political code of all power, not standing on its own honour, and the honour of those who are to obey it. Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle." It is proper here to observe, that Conciseness does not exclude true Copiousness of language,-a copiousness which consists not in stringing together a multitude of mere synonymes and circumlocutions, but, in employing a suitable expression for every different modification of thought. In this sense, therefore, the greater our command of language, the greater will be our conciseness. The Arrangement of Words. 7. a. The next thing conducive to the strength of a sentence is, the Arrangement of words. For, of two sentences, equally perspicuous, and consisting of the very same words, the one may be a feeble and languid, the other a striking and energetic expression, merely from the difference of arrangement. The established Syntactical order observed in the structure of sentences, or, as it is usually denominated the Natural order, is, in general, the most appropriate for subjects addressed solely to the understanding; but the Rhetorcial or Inverted order, is best adapted to subjects addressed to the passions and imaginations of men. EXAMPLE. Natural Order. Diana of the Ephesians is great, Rhetorical Order. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. From the preceding example it will be seen, that in the natural or syntactical order, the subject or nominative, as previously stated, is placed first, then the verb, and lastly, the object. The adjuncts, either of the subject, verb, or object, are placed in the clauses to which they respectively belong. This mode of construction prevails in our ordinary discourse. In the Rhetorical order, the predicate, for the sake of energy, frequently precedes the verb. In this arrangement, the principal object is, that the most important words shall be made to occupy that situation which shall produce the strongest impresssion. The subsequent remarks are intended to apply solely to the rhetorical construction. b. In the rhetorical arrangement of words in a sentence, the most important words should be placed in that situation in which they will make the strongest impression, and that is, generally, at the beginning of a sentence. Thus, when the cripple who sat begging at the beautiful gate of the temple, earnestly looked on Peter and John, expecting to receive something from them, he was told by Peter, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Here, the wishful look and expectation of the beggar, naturally led Peter to form a vivid conception of what was the object of the man's thoughts, and this conception as naturally displayed itself in the form of the declaration made by the apostle. Had he said, "I have no gold nor silver, but I give thee that which I have," the meaning would have been the same, but the expression would have been comparatively insipid. c. Sometimes, however, the important clause, in order to sustain the reader's attention, is reserved to the conclusion; as, "On whatever side we contemplate Homer, what principally strikes us, is his wonderful invention." d. But, in whatever situation the principal words may be placed, they must always stand clear and disentangled. Circumstances, necessarily connected with the principal object, should be so arranged as not to obscure or encumber that object. This is happily effected in the following quotation, in which the author is comparing the modern poets with the ancient. If, whilst they profess only to please, they secretly advise and give instruction, they may now, perhaps, as well as formerly, be esteemed with justice, the best and most honourable among authors." Here, the various qualifying circumstances are so judiciously arranged, as neither to weaken nor embarrass the meaning; while the principal object, the character of the poets, appears in its proper place, clear and detached. The following is a different arrangement:-"If, whilst they profess to please only, they advise and give instruction secretly, they may be esteemed the best and most honourable among authors, with justice, perhaps now, as well as formerly." Here, we have precisely the same words and the same sense, but, in consequence of the circumstances being so intermingled as to obscure the capital words, the whole becomes perplexed, and totally devoid of grace and strength. 8. a. Care must be taken in the application of relatives, copulatives, and all the particles employed for transition and connection. As a general Rule, it may be observed, that in the same sentence there should be as few connectives as possible. Some writers needlessly multiply demonstrative and relative particles, as in the following sentence; "There is nothing which disgusts us sooner than the empty pomp of language." In introducing a subject, or laying down a proposition, to which we demand particular attention, this sort of style is proper; but on common occasions, when no violation of any grammatical Rule will take place, we shall express ourselves more energetically by omitting the particles, thus, "Nothing disgusts us sooner than the empty pomp of language."-See Syntax, Rule 19, p. 105, Note 1. b. Conjunctions are omitted when the connection in thought is either very remote, or very close, and especially when, in the latter case, we wish to pass from object to object with great rapidity. Thus, the expression of Cæsar, "I came, I saw, I conquered," very properly denotes the celerity of his victorious career. By omitting the conjunctions, not only is vivacity increased, but sometimes a long sentence is advantageously broken into several smaller ones. "As the storm increased with the night, the sea was lashed into tremendous confusion, and there was a fearful, sullen sound of rushing waves and broken surges, while deep called unto deep." This sentence is better divided into several; thus, "The storm increased with the night. The sea was lashed into tremendous confusion. There was a fearful, sullen sound of rushing waves and broken surges. Deep called unto deep." c. On the other hand, when we are making some enumeration, in which we wish the objects should appear as distinct from one another as possible, and that the mind should rest, for a moment, on each object, copulatives may be multiplied with peculiar advantage. As, when an author says, "Such a man might fall a victim to power; but truth, and reason, and liberty, would fall with him." 1. Short conjunctions are generally preferable to long ones; for this reason, notwithstanding that, insomuch that, forasmuch as, furthermore, &c., are less frequently used at present than formerly. 2. We should, as much as possible, avoid combining conjunctions of the same class. Of this kind are, but however, and further, yet nevertheless, &c. 3. The words designed to mark the transition from one sentence to another are sometimes improperly employed. Thus, "By greatness I do not mean the bulk of any single object only, but the largeness of a whole view. Such are the prospects of an open champaign country, a vast uncultivated desert," &c. The word such signifies of that nature or quality, which necessarily presupposes some adjective or word descriptive of a quality going before, to which it refers. But, in the foregoing sentence, there is no such adjective. The author had spoken of greatness in the abstract only; and, therefore, such has no distinct antecedent to which it can be referred. The sentence would have been better introduced by saying, To this class belong, or, under this head are ranged, the prospects, &c. 9. A weaker assertion or proposition should never follow a stronger one; but when it can be accomplished without affectation, the sentence should grow in importance as it approaches the end. 1. EXAMPLE.-"If we rise yet higher," says Addison, "and consider the fixed stars as so many oceans of flame, that are each of them attended with a different set of planets; and still discover new firmaments and new lights, that are sunk further in those unfathomable depths of ether; we are lost in a labyrinth of suns and worlds, and confounded with the magnificence and immensity of nature." 2. When a sentence consists of two members, the longer should generally be the concluding one. Thus, to say, "When our passions have forsaken us, we flatter ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken them," is better than to say, "We flatter ourselves with the belief, that we have forsaken our passions, when they have forsaken us." 10. a. A sentence should not be concluded either with an adverb, a preposition, or any other inconsiderable word. Thus, it is better to say, "Avarice is a crime of which wise men are often guilty," than to say, "Avarice is a crime which wise men are often guilty of." 1. As the mind cannot avoid resting a little upon the word concluding the sentence, and as prepositions principally serve to point out the relation of other words, it is disagreeable to be left pausing on a word which of itself does not produce any important idea, or present any striking image to the imagination.-For the same reason, verbs which are compounded of one or more words and a preposition, are not considered as proper conclusions of a period; such as bring about, lay hold of, come over to, clear up, &c., instead of which, a simple verb, when it can be used, always terminates the sentence with more strength. 2. Also, the pronoun it should not, if possible, be placed at the close of a sentence; especially when joined with some preposition; as, with it, to it. Thus, the sentence, "I would humbly offer an amendment, that, instead of the word Christianity, may be put religion in general, which, I conceive, would much better answer all the good ends proposed by the projectors of it," would be better terminated, by saying, "proposed by its projectors." b. Besides particles and pronouns, any phrase expressing only a circumstance, should not be placed at the end of a sentence. VIOLATION OF THE RULE.-"Let me, therefore, conclude by repeating, that division has caused all the mischief which we lament; that union alone can retrieve it; and that a great advance towards this union, was the coalition of parties, so happily begun, so successfully carried on, and, of late, so unaccountably neglected; to say no worse." The phrase, "to say no worse," ought not to have concluded the sentence, but ought to have been inserted in its own member; thus, "and of late, to say no worse, so unaccountably neglected." c. When, however, the stress and significancy of a sentence principally depend upon certain particles, then, these particles must not be considered as mere circumstances, but must occupy a prominent situation in the sentence. EXAMPLE." In their prosperity, my friends shall never hear of me; in their adversity, always." Here, never and always, being emphatical words, are so placed as to make the strongest impression. 11. Antitheses, when judiciously and moderately employed, greatly contribute towards energy of expression; for every thing is rendered more striking by contrast. Truth becomes more evident when opposed to error, virtue to vice, knowledge to ignorance, &c. The following are two examples of the proper application of Antithesis. The subject of the first, is the steam engine; of the second, poetry. 1. "It can engrave a seal, and crush masses of obdurate metal before it; draw out, without breaking, a thread as fine as gossamer, and lift up a ship of war like a bauble in the air. It can embroider muslin and forge anchors-cut steel into ribands, and impel loaded vessels against the fury of the winds and waves." 2. "In the crowded city and howling wilderness; in the cultivated province and solitary isle; in the flowery lawn and craggy mountain; in the murmur of the rivulet and in the uproar of the ocean; in the radiance of summer and gloom of winter; in the thunder of heaven and in the whisper of the breeze; he still finds something to rouse or soothe his imagination; to draw forth his affection and employ his understanding." In the preceding Examples, there is not only an opposition of thought, but a proper balancing of the clauses. But this kind of writing must, as previously observed, be introduced with judgment and caution, otherwise, it may produce disgust instead of pleasure. 12. Climax is another figure of speech, which, when sparingly and judiciously introduced, contributes to energy of expression. It must never be introduced, however, except it is the evident result of an excited mind labouring to make a strong impression as to the importance of its subject. ELEGANCE OR HARMONY OF STYLE. Elegance or Harmony implies a smooth and easy flow of words in respect to the sound of the sentences. It requires that all coarse and homely expressions should be avoided, even at the expense of circumlocution. |