DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING A PROPER STYLE. 119

Having explained the different characters of style, we shall conclude our observations with a few directions for attaining a good style in general.

The first direction is, study clear ideas of the subject, on which you are to write or speak. What we conceive clearly and feel strongly, we naturally express with clearness and strength. We should therefore think closely on the subject till we have attained a full and distinct view of the matter which we are to clothe in words; till we become warm and interested in it; then, and then only, shall we find expression begin to flow.

Secondly, to the acquisition of a good style, frequency of composing is indispensably necessary. But it is not every kind of composing that will improve style. By a careless and hasty habit of writing, a bad style will be acquired; more trouble will afterwards be necessary to unlearn faults, than to become acquainted with the rudiments of composition. In the beginning therefore we ought to write slowly and with much care. Facility and speed are the fruit of practice. We must be cautious, however, not to retard the course of thought, nor cool the ardour of imagination, by pausing too long on every word. On certain occasions a glow of composition must be kept up, if we hope to express ourselves happily, though at the expense of some inaccuracies. A more severe examination must be the work of correction. What we have written should be laid by some time, till the ardour of composition be past; till partiality for our expressions be weakened, and the expressions themselves be forgotten; and then reviewing our work

What is the first direction for attaining a good style?

What is the second direction ?-How may a bad style be acquired? What will be the result?-How ought we to write in the beginning?-What is the fruit of practice?-Of what must we be cautious? What must we do to discover imperfections in what we have written?

with a cool and critical eye as if it were the performance of another, we shall discover many imper fections which at first escaped us.

Thirdly, acquaintance with the style of the best authors is peculiarly requisite. Hence a just taste will be formed, and a copious fund of words supplied on every subject. No exercise perhaps will be found more useful for acquiring a proper style, than translating some passage from an eminent author into our own words. Thus to take for instance, a page of one of Addison's Spectators, and read it attentively two or three times till we are in full possession of the thoughts it contains; then to lay aside the book; to endeavour to write out the passage from memory as well as we can; and then to compare what we have written with the style of the author. Such an exercise will show us our defects; will teach us to correct them; and from the variety of expression which it will exhibit, will conduct us to that which is most beautiful.

Fourthly, caution must be used against servile imitation of any author whatever. Desire of imitating hampers genius, and generally produces stiffness of expression. They, who follow an author closely, commonly copy his faults as well as his beauties. No one will ever become a good writer or speaker, who has not some confidence in his own genius. We ought carefully to avoid using any author's peculiar phrases, and of transcribing passages from him. Such a habit will be fatal to all genuine composition. It is much better to have something of our own, though of

What is the third direction ?-Hence what will follow ?-What exercise is recommended for acquiring a proper style ?-What will be the benefit we shall derive from such an exercise?

What is the fourth direction?-What effect does desire of imitation have?-Said of those who follow an author closely ?-Who will not become a good writer or speaker ?--What ought we carefully to avaid?-What will be the result of such a habit ?-What is much better?

moderate beauty, than to shine in borrowed ornaments, which will at last betray the poverty of our genius.

Fifthly, always adapt your style to the subject and likewise to the capacity of your hearers, if you are to speak in public. To attempt a poetical style, when it should be our business only to reason, is in the highest degree awkward and absurd. To speak with elaborate pomp of words before those who cannot comprehend them, is equally ridiculous. When we are to write or speak, we should previously fix in our minds a clear idea of the end aimed at; keep this steadily in view, and adapt our style to it.

Lastly, let not attention to style engross us so much, as to prevent a higher degree of attention to the thoughts. This rule is more necessary, since the present taste of the age is directed more to style than thought. It is much more easy to dress up trifling and common thoughts with some beauty of expression, than to afford a fund of vigorous, ingenious, and useful sentiments. The latter requires genius; the former may be attained by industry. Hence the crowd

of writers who are rich in style, but poor in sentiment. Custom obliges us to be attentive to the ornaments of style, if we wish our labours to be read and admired. But he is a contemptible writer, who looks not beyond the dress of language; who lays not the chief stress upon his matter, and employs not such ornaments of style, to recommend it, as are manly, not foppish.

What is the fifth direction?-What is in the highest degree awkward and absurd ?-What is equally ridiculous ?-When we are to write or speak, what should we do?

What is the last direction ?--Why is this rule necessary ?-It is much easier to do what ?-Than what ?-What does the latter require ?-How may the former be attained ?-Hence what?What does custom oblige us to be ?-Who is a contemptible writer ?

LECTURE XX.

CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF MR. ADDISON'S STYLE IN No. 411 OF THE SPECTATOR.

HAVING fully insisted on the subject of language, we shall now commence a critical analysis of the style of some good author. This will suggest observations, which we have not hitherto had occasion to make, and will show in a practical light the use of those which have been made.

Mr. Addison, though one of the most beautiful writers in our language, is not the most correct; a circumstance which makes his composition a proper subject of criticism. We proceed therefore to examine No. 411, the first of his celebrated essays on the pleasures of the imagination, in the sixth volume of the Spectator. It begins thus:

Our sight is the most perfect, and most delightful of all our senses.

This sentence is clear, precise, and simple. The author in a few plain words lays down the proposition which he is going to illustrate. A first sentence should seldom be long, and never intricate.

as

He might have said, our sight is the most perfect and the most delightful. But in omitting to repeat the particle the, he has been more judicious; for, between perfect and delightful there is no contrast, such a repetition is unnecessary. He proceeds:

It fills the mind with the largest variety of ideas, converses with its

What is the subject of this lecture?

What shall we now commence ?-What will this suggest? What is said of Mr. Addison as a writer?-We proceed there fore to what?-Cite the sentence.

What is said of this sentence?

How might he have said?-Said of the omission of the article the?-How does he proceed?

objects at the greatest distance, and continues the longest in action, without being tired or satiated with its proper enjoyments.

This sentence is remarkably harmonious, and well constructed. It is entirely perspicuous. It is loaded with no unnecessary words. That quality of a good sentence, which we termed its unity, is here perfectly preserved. The members of it also grow, and rise above each other in sound, till it is conducted to one of the most harmonious closes which our language admits. It is moreover figurative without being too much so for the subject. There is no fault in it whatever, except this, the epithet large, which he applies to variety, is more commonly applied to extent than to number. It is plain, however, that he employed it to avoid the repetition of the word great, which occurs immediately afterward.

The sense of feeling can, indeed, give us a notion of extension, shape, and all other ideas that enter at the eye, except colours; but at the same time, it is very much straitened and confined in its operations, to the number, bulk, and distance of its particular objects.

But is not every sense confined as much as the sense of feeling, to the number, bulk, and distance of its own objects? The turn of expression is also very inaccurate, requiring the two words with regard, to be inserted after the word operations, in order to make the sense clear and intelligible. The epithet particular seems to be used instead of peculiar; but these words, though often confounded, are of very different import. Particular is opposed to general; peculiar stands opposed to what is possessed in common with others.

Our sight seems designed to supply all these defects, and may be considered as a most delicate and diffusive kind of touch, that spreads itself over an infinite multitude of bodies, comprehends the largest figures, and brings into our reach some of the most remote parts of the

universe.

What is said of this sentence?

Cite the next sentence.-Said of it?

Cite the next.-Said of it?