sounds represented by words in the same sentence; and second, of the sound and the sense. Every word in a sentence may be melodious, and yet the sentence may be unharmonious, if it be badly arranged. 52. Office or rank may be the recompense of intrigue, vcrsatility, or flattery.- Unharmonious. Rank or office may be the recompense of flattery, versatility, or intrigue.Euphonious. c. Euphony is also opposed to monotony; hence, too many words, accented alike, or of the same length, or having like parts, must not come in succession. 53. No man may put off the law of God. Better say, No man may escape from God's law. 54. The king was needy, fearful, and feeble. The king was feeble, timid, and destitute. 55. It was my intent to present my bill for payment of the rent. I intended to present my bill for the rent. 56. And an enormous serpent lay dead on the floor. And a serpent of enormous size lay dead on the floor. d. Euphony requires variety; hence, a proper mixture of short and long words and sentences should follow in an agreeable succession; and every period should close with a graceful conclusion, called a cadence. e. The chief beauty of harmony in language is that wherein the sound is suited to the sense. Calm and gentle emotions are best expressed in smooth, flowing words; while harsh and angry feelings are best expressed in harshly sounding words, and rough sentences. 57. 58. "Heaven opened wide Her ever-enduring gates, harmonious sound, On golden hinges turning." "On a sudden, open fly, With impetuous recoil, and jarring sound, The infernal doors; and on their hinges grate 59. "When Ajax strives some rock's huge weight to throw, The line too labors, and the words move slow; Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er the unbending corn and skims along the main." 60. "Soft is the strain, when Zephyr gently blows, And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows; The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar." f. No definite rules for suiting sound and sense can be given. In this matter, the student must be guided by observation and taste. 14. Unity of composition refers to the singleness or simplicity of the construction of the sentences, as opposed to looseness, and to complexity. It may be considered; first, in reference to the Unity of subjects; and second, in reference to Unity of periods. First. The Unity of Subjects is preserved, when the General or Leading subject of the narration is the subiect of those sentences, in which it is used as a producer, or as a receiver. 61. After William had read the newspaper, he began to write a letter, but was interrupted by the noise. This is a compound contracted sentence, in which William is the Leading subJect; and is the subject, expressed in the first clause, personated in the second, and understood in the third; hence, in this example, the unity of the subject is Freserved. See the following, in which the Unity is violated; After William had read the newspaper, a letter was begun by him, but the noise disturbed him. 62. Wolfe ascended the Heights of Abraham, where Montcalm met him. A battle was fought. Wolfe was slain, and they slew Montcalm also. This example has no Unity, save that, which exists in the thought. Compare it with the following; Wolfe ascended the Heights of Abraham, where he was met by Montcalm A battle ensued, in which both were slain. Exception. Antithetical propositions are made more striking by violating the Unity of the Subjects; because, for the sake of harmony, antithesis in thought should be expressed by a verbal antithesis. 63. "We have met the enemy, and they are ours." We personates the producer, and they the receiver. By using them as subjects, we make an antithesis in the expression, and so add force to it. We have met the enemy, and have taken them, is unique, but too tame. Second. The Unity of Periods consists in putting such sentences only into a period as properly belong to it. a. The Unity of the period is often violated by crowding into it a sentence, which is so unconnected, that it should be in a distinct period. 64. He describes, not to the eye alone, but to the other senses, and to the whole man; for he puts his heart into his subject, writes as he feels, and humanizes whatever he touches. By putting for between these two periods, we make the second a sub-joined sentence of the first, to which it has nothing but a general relation. 65. Virtuous men are always the most happy. [but] Vice strews the path of her followers with thorns. b. The Unity of a period is often violated by the introduction of a parenthesis. The parenthesis should be used very sparingly. It may be the offspring of a quick and lively imagination; but, as a general rule, it betokens a want of close thought. The use of the parenthesis is much less general now than formerly. 66. "The quicksilver mines of Idria, in Austria (which were discovered in 1797, by a peasant, who, catching some water from a spring, found the tub so heavy that he could not move it, and the bottom covered with a shining substance, which turned out to be mercury) yield, every year, over three hundred thousand pounds of that valuable metal.”" Corrected. The quicksilver mines of Idria, in Austria, yield every year, over three hundred thousand pounds of that valuable metal. They were discovered in 1797, &c. 15. Ornament is that property of style, which renders the narration more attractive and pleasing. (See p. 464, §1.) a. Ornament depends in part on those elements of perspicuity, which we have just described as Harmony and as Unity; but more especially does it depend on the use of Figurative Language. (See Chap. VI.) b. Perspicuity is the natural result of a clear and definite knowledge of our subject, and of the nature and uses of lan guage; ornament is the result of feeling, or sympathy with our subject. c. When the narrator seeks to convince and influence us by appealing to our reason, he is said to be intellectual in his style or manner of appealing; but when he appeals to feelings or sympathies, he is said to be feeling or emotional in his style. FORMATION OF A GOOD STYLE. 1. THE Formation of a Good Style requires several things on the part of the speaker, or writer. FIRST. Clear ideas of the subject; a definite knowledge of its parts and of their relations to each other; of its origin; its uses; &c. In Book First, we have shown the origin of knowledge; its different kinds; the modes of acquiring and of using it, in a general manner. Now, if we wish to discuss any particular subject, we must first gain a knowledge of it, and the more definite our knowledge of it, the more perspicuous our style will be; while the more our feelings are enlisted in it, the more ornamental our style will be. (See above, c.) SECOND. A familiar knowledge of the nature and uses of sentential language in its Logical, Rhetorical, and Grammatical relations. This includes all that has previously been given in relation to thought, and to thought-language. In point of fact, it is in itself the whole science and art of Composition. THIRD. The habit of composing frequently both orally and in writing. Practice makes perfect. One, who would speak well, must practise speaking; First, to become familiar with the attitudes, gestures, utterances, and cadences, which speakers use. For this purpose, the compositions of others may be employed. Second, in order to become familiar with the sound of his own language and voice; -"to see how it sounds." For this purpose he must use his own compositions. One, who would become an expert writer, must write and revise very carefully. After writing a composition, lay it aside until it is no longer familiar, then re-write, criticise, and improve it. Do this especially with reference to the great principles, concerning which the public mind, especially in our country, is almost always excited, and in a little time you will be able to speak and to write well concerning them. The greatest difficulty in public speaking is found in stating the principles involved properly, and in their proper order. Prepare yourselves carefully in regard to the principles, which you intend to discuss. The illustrations will need but little attention comparatively. When, for the first time, an idea is clearly perceived, we should be careful to state it several times to ourselves, varying the words each time. This will give us a twofold advantage; first, it will enable us to perceive the idea itself more clearly, and thus make us independent of certain set words, in which to express it; and second, it will enable us to vary our style to suit the different occasions, or intellects, with reference to which a change of style may be demanded. At least, we should be able to define our ideas both synthetically and analytically. "I enjoin, that such as are beginning the practice of composition, write slowly, and with anxious deliberation. Their great object at first should be, to write as well as possible; practice will enable them to write speedily. By degrees, matter will offer itself still more readily; words will be at hand; composition will flow; every thing, as in the arrangement of a well-ordered family, will present itself in its proper place. The sum of the whole is this; by hasty composition, we shall never acquire the art of composing well; by writing well, we shall come to write speedily."— Quintilian. FOURTH. The style must be adapted to the subject, to the occasion, and to the capacity of the hearers. a. In Book First, we have shown that the Synthetic is the mode, in which instruction should be addressed to beginners, and the Analytic, the mode suited for an advanced course. This furnishes a good hint to the writer or speaker [teacher], as to the order of presenting thoughts. "Nothing merits the name of eloquent or beautiful, which is not suited to the occasion, and to the persons to whom it is addressed. It is to the last degree awkward and absurd, to attempt a poetical, florid style, on occasions when it should be our business only to argue and to reason; or to speak with elaborate pomp of expression before persons, who comprehend |