The Voyage of Life. Self flatter d unexperienc'd high in hope When young with sanguine cheer and streamers gay We cut our cable launch into the world And fondly dream each wind and star our friend All in some darling enterprize embark d But where is he can fathom its event Some steer aright but the black blast blows hard With swelling sails make good the promis d port PART V. EXERCISES TO PROMOTE PERSPICUOUS AND ACCURATE WRITING. First, with respect to single words and phrases. CHAP. I. Containing violations of the Rules of Purity. We should be employed dailily in doing good. He is no way thy inferior; and, in this instance, is no ways to blame. The assistance was welcome, and timely afforded. For want of employment, he stroamed idly about the fields. We ought to live soberly, righteously, and godlily in the world. He was long indisposed, and at length died of the hyp. That word follows the general rule, and takes the penult accent. He was an extra genius, and attracted much attention. The hauteur of Florio was very disgracious, and disgusted both his friends and strangers. He charged me with want of resolution, in the which he was greatly mistaken. They have manifested great candidness in all the trans action. The naturalness of the thought greatly recommended it. The importance, as well as the authenticalness of the books, has been clearly displayed. It is difficult to discover the spirit and întendment of some laws. The disposition which he exhibited, was both unnatu ral and incomfortable. His natural severity rendered him a very impopular speaker. The disquietness of his mind, made his station and wealth far from being enviable. I received the gift with pleasure, but I shall now gladlier resign it. These are the things highliest important to the growing age. It grieveth me to look over so many blank leaves, in the book of my life. It repenteth me that I have so long walked in the paths of folly. Methinks I am not mistaken in an opinion, which I have so well considered. They thought it an important subject, and the question was strenuously debated pro and con. Thy speech bewrayeth thee; for thou art a Gallilean. Let us not give too hasty credit to stories which may injure our neighbour; peradventure they are the offspring of calumny, or misapprehension. The gardens were void of simplicity and elegance; and exhibited much that was glaring and bizarre. CHAP. II. Containing violations of the Rules of Propriety. SECT. I. Avoid low expressions. I HAD as lief do it myself, as persuade another to do it. Of the justness of his measures he convinced his opponent by dint of argument. He is not a whit better than those he so liberally condemns. He stands upon security, and will not liberate him till it be obtained. The meaning of the phrase, as I take it, is very differ ent from the common acceptation. The favourable moment should be embraced; for he does not hold long in one mind. He exposed himself so much amongst the people, that he had like to have gotten one or two broken heads. He was very dexterous in smelling out the views and designs of others. If his education was but a little taken care of, he might be very useful amongst his neighbours. He might have perceived, with half an eye, the diffi. culties to which his conduct exposed him. If I happen to have a little leisure upon my hands tomorrow, I intend to pay them a short visit. This performance is much at one with the other. The scene was new, and he was seized with wonderment at all he saw. SECT. 2. Supply words that are wanting. Let us consider the works of nature and art, with proper attention. He is engaged in a treatise on the interests of the soul and body. Some productions of nature rise in value, according as they more or less resemble those of art. The Latin tongue, in its purity, was never in this island. For some centuries, there was a constant intercourse between France and England, by the dominions we possessed there, and the conquests we made. He is impressed with a true sense of that function, when chosen from a regard to the interests of piety and virtue. The wise and foolish, the virtuous and the vile, the learned and ignorant, the temperate and profligate, must often, like the wheat and tares, be blended together. SECT. 3. In the same sentence, be careful not to use the same word too frequently, nor in different senses. An eloquent speaker may give more, but cannot give more convincing arguments, than this plain man offered. They were persons of very moderate intellects, even before they were impaired by their passions. True wit is nature dressed to advantage; and yet some works have more wit than does them good. M The sharks, who prey upon the inadvertency of young heirs, are more pardonable than those, who trespass upon the good opinion of those, who treat them with great confidence and respect. Honour teaches us properly to respect ourselves, and to violate no right or privilege of our neighbour: it leads us to support the feeble, to relieve the distressed, and to scorn to be governed by degrading and injurious passions and yet we see honour is the motive which urges the destroyer to take the life of his friend. He will be always with you, to support and comfort you, and in some measure to succeed your labours; and he will also be with all his faithful ministers, who shall succeed you in his service. SECT. 4. Avoid the injudicious use of technical terms. * Most of our hands were asleep in their births, when the vessel shipped a sea, that carried away our pinnace and birnacle. Our dead-lights were in, or we should have filled. The main mast was so sprung, that we were obliged to fish it, and bear away for Lisbon. The book is very neatly printed; the scale-boarding is ample and regular, and the register exact. SECT. 5. Avoid equivocal or ambiguous words. When our friendship is considered, how is it possible that I should not grieve for his loss? The eagle killed the hen, and eat her in her own nest. It may be justly said, that no laws are better than the English. The pretenders to polish and refine the English language have chiefly multiplied abuses and absurdities. * The examples under this section, and perhaps a few others in different parts of the book, may be too difficult for learners to correct without assistance; but as some illustration of the rules to which they relate, was requisite, they could not properly be omitt d. By an attentive perusal of them, and a subseques application to the Teacher, or to the Ke, the schol will perceive the nature of the rule, and the mode in waich similar errors may be rectified. |