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CHAP. II.—OF STYLE.

Style is the particular manner in which a person expresses his conceptions by means of language. It is different from mere words, and is not to be regulated altogether by rules of construction. some relation to the author's peculiar manner of thinking; and, being It always has that sort of expression which his thoughts most readily assume, sometimes partakes, 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. siderable diversity of style may be found in compositions all equally A conexcellent 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. learner has acquired such a knowledge of grammar as to be in some When the 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 he may, by a diligent perusal of the best authors, acquire that taste, sentiment, and command of language, 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. phrases, particular attention should be paid to purity, propriety, and With respect to words 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 formation of a good style.

I. PURITY.

Purity of style consists in the use of such words and phrases only as belong 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 unauthorised words: as, flutteration, judgematical, incumberment, connexity, eleclerized, 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 imposing the objects of parallel, and the media of comparison; can never expose 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.

"His

PRECEPT 4. Avoid the recurrence of words in different senses, or such a repetition of words as denotes paucity of language: as, 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, instead 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, "I 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 effect before the cause; as, "The scribes taught and studied the law of Moses."- They can neither return to nor leave their houses."

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 1 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, obtain 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 instead of pleasing the reader, 'erspicuity, being the most important property of language, and an exemption from the most embarrassing defects, seems even to rise to a degree of positive beauty. We are naturally pleased with a style that frees us from all 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."

Precept 2. In prose, avoid a poetical collocation of words.

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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 Q/or] 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 abruptness and want of connexion. 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 earlier introduced or altogether omitted.

CHAP. III.

OF THE SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS.

Obs. 1.—The Names of the letters are mostly framed with reference to their powers. Yet there is no letter of which the name is always identical with its power; for A, E, I, O, and U, are the only letters which can name themselves, and all these have other sounds than those which their names express. Letters, like all other things, must be learned and spoken of by their names, nor can they be spoken of otherwise; yet, as the simple characters are better known and more easily exhibited than their written names, the former are often substituted for the latter, and are read as the words for which they are assumed. Hence the orthography of these words has hitherto been left too much to mere fancy or caprice; so that many who think themselves well educated, would be puzzled to name on paper these simple elements of all learning.

Obs. 2.—The names of the letters are words of a very peculiar kind; being nouns that are at once both proper and common. For, in respect to rank, character, and design, each letter is a thing strictly individual and identical; yet, in another respect, it is a comprehensive sort, embracing individuals both various and numberless. The name of a letter, therefore, should always be written with a capital, as a proper noun; and should form the plural regularly, as an ordinary appellative. Thus : A, aes; Bee, Bees; Cee, Cees; Dee, Dees; E, Ees; Eff, Effs; Gee, Gees; Aitch, Aitches; I, Ies; Jay, Jays; Kay, Kays; Ell, Ells; Em, Ems; En, Ens; 0, Oes; Pee, Pees; Kue, Kues; Ar, Ars; Ess, Esses; Tee, Tees; U, Ues; Vee, Vees; Double-u, Double-ues; Ex, Exes; Wy, Wies; Zed, Zeds.

Obs. 3. The terms long and short, which are often used to denote certain vowel sounds, being also used with a different import, to distinguish the quantity of syllables, are frequently misunderstood: for which reason we have substituted for them the terms open and close— the former, to denote the sound usually given to a vowel when it forms or ends an accented syllable; as, 6a, be, bi, bo, bu, by—the latter, to denote the sound which the vowel commonly takes when closed by a consonant; as, ab, eb, ib, ob, ub.

A

The vowel A has four sounds properly its own:

1. The English, open, or long a; as in fame, favour, efficacious.

2. The French, close, or short a; as in bat, banner, balance.

3. The Italian, or middle a; as in far, father, aha, comma, scoria, sofa.

4. The Dutch, or broad a; as in wall, warm, water.