towards rising in the world, or which puts men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally possessed by the dullest sort of people, is, and in common language, called discretion; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which," &c. By the insertion of, and is, in place of, which is, he has not only clogged the sentence, but even made it ungrammatical. 167. But, in the next place, it is worthy of observation, that though the natural use of the conjunction, and, be to join objects, and thereby make their connection more close; yet, in fact, by dropping the conjunction, we often mark a closer connection, a quicker succession of objects than when it is inserted between them. Illus. 1. Longinus makes this remark; which, from many instances, appears to be just: "Veni, vidi, vicit," expresses with more spirit the rapidity and quick succession of conquest, than if connecting participles had been used. 2. So, in the following description of a rout in Caesar's Commentaries, the omission of the connective participle gives great force to the sentence: "Nostri, emissis pilis, gladiis rem gerunt; repente post tergum equitatus cernitur; cohortes aliæ appropinquant. Hostes terga; vertunt; fugientibus equites occurrunt; fit magna cædest." Bell. Gall. 1. 7. 168. On the other hand, when we seek to prevent a quick transition from one object to another-when we are making some enumeration in which we wish that the objects should appear as distinct from each other as possible, and that the mind should rest, for a moment, on each object by itself, copulatives may be multiplied with peculiar advantage and grace. Illus. As when Lord Bolingbroke says, "Such a man might fall a victim of power; but truth, and reason, and liberty, would fall with him." In the same manner, Cæsar describes an engagement with the Nervii: "His equitibus facile pulsis ac proturbatis, incredibile ce * Essay on the Fates of Clergymen. : "I came, I saw, I conquered." "Our men, after having discharged their javelins, attack with sword in hand of a sudden the cavalry made their appearance behind; other bodies of men are seen drawing near; the enemies turn their backs; the horse meet them in their flight; a great slaughter ensues." eritate ad flumen decurrerunt; ut pene uno tempore, et ad sylvas et in flumime, et jam in manibus nostris, hostes viderentur*." Bell. Gall. 1. 2. Here, although he is describing a quick succession of events, yet as it is his intention to shew in how many places the enemy seemed to be at one time, the copulative is very happily redoubled, in order to paint more strongly the distinction of these several places. Scholia. This attention to the several cases, when it is proper to omit, and when to redouble the copulative, is of considerable importance to all who study eloquence. For it is a remarkable peculiarity in language, that the omission of a connecting particle should sometimes serve to make objects appear more closely connected; and that the repetition of it should distinguish and separate them in some measure from each other. Hence, the omission of it is used to denote rapidity; and the repetition of it is designed to retard and to aggravate. The reason seems to be, that, in the former case, the mind is supposed to be hurried through a quick succession of objects, withont gaining leisure to point out their connection; it drops the copulatives in its hurry; and crowds the whole series together, as if the objects were but one. Whereas, when we enumerate, with a view to aggravate, the mind is supposed to proceed with a more slow and solemn pace; it marks fully the relation of each object tothat which succeeds it; and by joining them together with several copulatives, makes us perceive, that the objects, though connected, are yet, in themselves, distinct; that they are many, not one. Observe, for instance, in the following enumeration, made by the apostle Paul, what additional weight and distinctness are given to each particular by the repetition of a conjunction. "I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Godt." So much with regard to the use of copulatives. 169. A third rule for promoting the strength of a sentence, is, to dispose of the capital word, or words, in that place of the sentence, where it or they will make the fullest impression. Illus. Every one must see, that there are in every sentence such capital words, on which the meaning principally rests; and it is equally plain, that these words should possess a conspicuous and distinguished place. But that place of the sentence where they will make the best figure, whether the beginning or the end, or some * "The enemy, having easily beat off and scattered this body of horse, ran down with incredible celerity to the river, so that, almost at one moment of time, they appeared to be in the woods, and in the river, and in the midst of our troops." + Rom. viii. 38, 39. times even the middle, cannot perhaps be ascertained by any precise rule. This must vary with the nature of the sentence. 170. Perspicuity must ever be studied in the first place, and the nature of our language allows no great liberty in the choice of collocation. For the most part, with us, the important words are placed in the beginning of the sentence. Illus. "The pleasures of the imagination, taken in their full extent, are not so gross as those of sense, nor so refined as those of the understanding." And this, indeed, seems the most plain and natural order, to place that in the front which is the chief object of the proposition we are laying down. Sometimes, however, when we intend to give weight to a sentence, it is of advantage to suspend the meaning for a little, and then bring it out full at the close: Thus," says Pope," on whatever side we contemplate Homer, what principally strikes us, is his wonderful inventiont." 171. The Greek and Latin writers had a considerable advantage above us, in this part of style. By the great liberty of inversion, which their languages permitted, they could choose the most advantageous situation for every word; and had it thereby in their power to give their sentences more force. Obs. Milton, in his prose works, and some other of our old Euglish writers, endeavour to imitate them in this. But the forced constructions which they have employed, produced obscurity; and the genius of our language, as it is now written and spoken, will not admit such liberties. Gordon, who followed this inverted style, in his translation of Tacitus, has, sometimes, done such violence to the language, as even to appear ridiculous; as in this expression: "Into this hole thrust themselves, three Roman senators." He has franslated so simple a phrase as, " Nullum eâ tempestate bellum," by "War at that time there was none." 172. However, within certain bounds, and to a limited degree, our language does admit of inversions; and they are practised with success by the best writers. We shall just glance at one example here, as inversion will be treated subsequently to harmony. (See Chapter X.) Illus. Pope, speaking of homer, says, "The praise of judgment Virgil has justly contested with him, but his invention remains yet unrivalled." It is evident, that, in order to give the sentence its due force, by contrasting properly the two capital words, “judgment and invention," this is a happier arrangement than if he had followed the natural order, which was, "Virgil has justly crested with him the praise of judgment, but his invention remains yet unrivalled." Obs. Some writers practise this degree of inversion, which our language bears, much more than others; Lord Shaftesbury, for instance, much more than Mr. Addison; and to this sort of arrangement, is owing, in a great measure, that appearance of strength, dignity, and varied harmony, which Lord Shaftesbury's style possesses. 173. But whether we practise inversion or not, and in whatever part of the sentence we dispose of the capital words, it is always a point of great moment, that these capital words shall stand clear and disentangled from any other words that would clog them. Illus. Thus when there are any circumstances of time, place, or other limitations, which the principal object of our sentence requires to have connected with it, we must take especial care to dispose of them, so as not to cloud that principal object, nor to bury it under a lead of circumstances. Example. Lord Shaftesbury, speaking of modern poets, as compared with the ancient, says: "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." This is a well constructed sentence. It contains a great many circumstances and adverbs, necessary to qualify the meaning; only, secretly, now, perhaps, as well, formerly, with justice; yet these are placed with so much art, as neither to embarrass nor weaken the sentence; while that which is the capital object in it, viz. "Poets being justly esteemed the best and most honourable among authors," comes out in the conclusion clear and detached, and possesses its proper place. 174. A fourth rule for constructing sentences with proper strength, is, to make the members of them go on rising and growing in their importance above one another. Illus. This sort of arrangement is called a climax, and is always considered as a beauty in composition. From what cause it pleases, is abundantly evident. In all things, we naturally love to ascend to what is more and more beautiful, rather than to follow the retrograde order. Having had once some considerable object set before us, it is, with pain, we are pulled back to attend to an inferior circumstance. "Care must be taken that our composition shall not fall off, and that a weaker expression shall not follow one of more strength; as if, after sacrilege, we should bring in theft; or, having mentioned a robbery, we should subjoin petulence. Sentences ought always to rise and grow*." 2. Of this beauty, in the construction of sentences, the orations of Cicero furnish many examples. His pompous manner naturally led him to study it; and, generally in order to render the climax perfect, he makes both the sense and the sound rise together, with a very magnificent swell. 3. The following instance, from Lord Bolingbroke, is beautiful: "This decency, this grace, this propriety of manners to character, is so essential to princes in particular, that, whenever it is neglected, their virtues lose a great degree of lusture, and their defects acquire much aggravation. Nay, more; by neglecting this decency and this grace, and for want of a sufficient regard to appearances, even their virtues may betray them into failings, their failings into vices, and their vices into habits unworthy of princes, and unworthy of ment."" 175. This sort of full and oratorial climax, can neither be always obtained, nor ought it to be always sought after. Only some kinds of writing admit such sentences; and to study them too frequently, especially if the subject do not require much pomp, is affected and disagreeable. But when sentences are approaching to a climax, the following is a general rule which we ought to study. Illus. 1. A weaker assertion or proposition should never come after a stronger one‡; and when our sentence consists of two members, the longest should, generally, be the concluding one. There is a two-fold reason for this last direction. Periods thus divided, are pronounced more easily; and the shortest member being placed first, we carry it more readily on our memory as we proceed to the Second, and see the connection of the two more clearly. Thus, to say, "when our passions have forsaken us, we flatter ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken them," is both more graceful and more clear, than to begin with the longest part of the proposi tion, and say: "We flatter ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken our passions, when they have forsaken us. 99 2. In general, it is always aggreeable to find a sentence rising up "Cavendum est ne decrescat oratio, et fortiori subjungatur aliquid infirmius; sicut, sacrilegio, fur; aut latroni petulans. Augeri enim debent sententiæ et insurgere." Quinctilian. + Idea of a Patriot King. "Ne decrescat oratio, et ne fortiori subjungatur aliquid infirmius." Quinctilian |