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HARVARD COL£EGE
LIBRARY .-

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TO

YOUNG

WRITE RS.
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THE BEQUBST OP _

EVERT JANSEN WENDELL
CLASS OP t 882

OF NEW YORK

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BY A

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PRESIDENT OF A COLLEGE.

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PUBLISIIED BY T!IE

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"AMERICAN COi)I:\10~ SCHOOL L":\IO:\,,;
N'o. 123 Fulum-;;treet.

1838.

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tt:\Kli l.ttD COLLfot L.ISRARY
fKUM

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THE BEQUEST Of
~Y£RT JANSEN WENDHL.

PREFACE.

UHIS

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rro be able to compose with ease and accuIn the Clerk's Office of the District ourt 0
Dis trict of N Ew Y onK.

racy,

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attainment of the highest importance.

It was for the purpose of facilitating tLis obj ect,

that the present Catechism was drawn np.
How far it may contribute to this en,}, it is for
those who make trial of it to judg-1; ; but no
pains have been spared to gi vc it 11 ll the sim-

plicity and interest that a production so eiemcntary can admit.

All the

lead[n~

facts

principles connected with the snhjcct: !

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studiously collected, and presented i11 as
and succinct a form, as could

within such limits.

\~·1:ll

<tL · 1

h<:cn

rc~1 ilar

l>c done

It is hoped it will prnn) a.

usefu i manual to such persons as llav~ gained a
knowledge of English Grammar, but wish ~;till
T'1erc.r !.· Rrl"d, T'rintf!n

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farther to extend their acquaintance with language, and to give effect to their previous attainments by tryincr
..
o their skill in C omposit10n.
The work is peculiarly well adapted to the use

COMPOSITION.

of academies and elementary schools, and is one

of the series of" Useful School Books," publish-

.eel by the "American Common School Union."

· 1. CoMPOSITION is but little attended to in
our elementary schools. Scholars arc seldom
required to combine and arrange their ideas;
and they rarely put their knowlcdg<: of any
subject in the form of a written 1an~ua.2"C .
2. This is one of the deficiencies in the present systen1s of teaching. The re arc ~cvi;rnl
reasons for this. To compose well is not a
necessary qualification in the teacher, under the
present system of inspection.
3. In ninety-nine cases out of one hundred,
the inspectors nev~r inquire or ascertain if the
candidate can think naturally and conn ectedly
on any one suhject, or clothe his thoughts with
language which is appropriate and grammatical ; and the consequence is, but few teachers
compose with ease and correctness.
4. What they perform imperfectly and with
difficulty, they will not feel disposed (and if they
do, would be unable) to teach others. Hence
the art of composing is of very little importance
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iu the estimation of the teacher, and entirely disregarded by the scholar.
5. Parents are i1ot in the habit of composing7
and take no pains to have their children taught
the art. They arc pleased when it is discovered
that their child writes a good letter ; but the
means of ensuring this excellence they disregard.

They struggle with the vacant, unc1iscipli~cd
mind, till they become exhausted, and then give
up in despair.
l l. " 'rhey feel that their lnbon r has been
·
fruitless an d weansome,
a nd arc hcartih:J g1itd
to escape, wishing never to resume tllc task

an nn-

6. They seem to forget that the ability of
expressing their thoughts with readin ess and
perspicuity, is acquired only by long practict:
and right instn1ction .
7. '"l'hey do not sec that an apprenticeship in
tliis is as 11cccssary ;is in any thiug else; nor
d o Uwy pcrcciyc wl1at would give their children
this desirable qnalilication.
8 . '~ Tl ic ::--':l iolars suppose composition a
myskry : :--:1.1u 11 ·tlii11'._( tl 1;1 t drn·s n nt lH'IUll!...; to
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l/wsr: wl10 1W.\'C ~rcat
a ·w onderful ;.:c11ius.')

tltwm 1 but to

9. T/J(·y lnok upon it as imrossihJ,~ that they
sl101tld lea rn t!l write; auci wl rnt th ey n ~ ~a.nl
so iii r lwyo11rl t lwi r rc0ch, th<'y make uo cff;nts
to 0Litcu1i.

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karning and

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stndv for which scholars
us1w.11y }1;1n· ':11d1 ;rn nhl1nrr(·ncc, ;1nc1 wl1icl1
they make snch cJforts to slum, a..s composition.
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b~ .produ~e d, they. put obstarl(~s in the way

1
11e1tner

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patience nor p erseverance can
o\·crco1llc ; ;u1d, ttfl cr rcpeatt-cl ('llurts. tlH·\· cou;:.;ider cornposi!ion to he soinetliin~· ,that. some

gifted Jew 011ly have executed li~r a sort of
~ mag H.:al and supernatural po\vcr.
lG. "111 other arts, it js n snal to h0rrin for
., ~~ .:W; the ::>.ake of practice, witli tl1c casieq; l)ut' tlic
If -- · reverse tak es p bce in icarn iu g- tl in art oC corn-· -. -. posiug. The scholar has rt harder task assi2nr·d
hi m, and one in which he is less I ikc l v [o ~s 1w cced, tl1an hA w ill mee t with in th e act~ial L 11 si.
ness of ti l~ - '"I1he scholars choose such su bj r>cts,
._ . thaL they Know not what to say or h ow to say it.
11. " T hey select subjects about which they
have scnrcely any information; aud no interest ;
concerning wli1cl1 they know l ~ tt.le, and care
still less.
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18. "On real occas10ns of after-life, for which
h~s school exe rcises were designed to prepare
111 r11 , he will Jii)(l that he writes both better and
\~ith more fa cility than on the artijicic';l occas10n, ws 1t u1a y he c; dlc<l, of compos ing a dccla-

mntion.

And he will discover that he lrns bef'tt
ath.~mpting to learn th<: easier by practi::-ing the
harder.

19. "Duti what is ~worse, it will lll'kn kipren
that snch e x ercises will have i<Jrrncd a h;t\11t ()f
Rtring-ing- together empty con11no11pl<tc1·:-: ;111 ( l
vnp i<l declamations; of multiplying w<lrd..; , nmi
spreading- out the matter thi11; of coinp(hi11'! in
a stiff, artificit..1.l, and frigid rnatl!HT : ;111d t ktt
this habit will more or less clinu
tltrut1 ·"••lt
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~ to one w ho has hecn thus trailled, and \vill
'·infoct all his futnre con1pn~itioils.
20. "The only ·prevcnti\'C o f these c\·i! s is
• a most scrupulous care in the scl(·ctHHl ui' slil-fi
~u~jects for exercises as arc likely to lie interesting to the pupil, and on whi ch he has, or
may, (with pleasure, and without much toil,)
acquire sufficient information.
21. "Such sn bjects wili of course vary, nccording to the learner's age and iritdlcctnal
advancement; bnt they had hetter be TiLther
below than much above him.
22. "Compositions on such snbjccts, and in a
ee, natural, and simple style: may be thought
erile by those who practice the opposit0 mode
teaching; but you will see a picture of the
riter himself; hoyish, indeed, it may be, in
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promise or man ood ;
boy should be.
23. " In education, we should consider what
is bccorning and appropriate in each period of
life.
24. '" rTst, subjects for compos1t10n should
be drawn from the studies the pupil is engaged
in; relating, for instance, to the charac ters or
inridents of any history he may be reading.
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"And the teacher should fregucnt!y recall to his own mi.\ _d these two considerations :
first, that since the benefit proposed docs not
consist in the intrinsic value of the composition,
but in th e exercise of the pup il's mind, it matters not how jnsignificant the subject may be,
if it will but interest him, and hereby afford
him ~ucli r:xerci~f~.

27. "And, secondly, that the younger and
more backward each scholar is, the more unfit
will he be for abstract speculations, and the
less remote must be the subject proposed, from
those individual objects and occurrences which
al ways form the first beginning of the furniture
oft

l3y collcctin!:;
scholars woul d be
ideas
taught to think. They would be tan ~lit to
think patiently and correctly, :.rnd to confine the
action of the mind to one subject
29. This exercise would supply the greatest
deficiency in our systems of ed ucation, viz. the
want of clear, connected· thought.
30. It would· do more; it would show the
scholar how much he knew of the subj cet he
had been studying. Scholars arc generally
very much deceived as to the real amount of
their knowledge, thinking they know much
more than they actually do.
31. After they have read a book, or fini shed
a study, a few general ideas or prnm]n ent outlines may be remember ed , and with th ese the
scholar supposes he has mastered th e whole.

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32. But when he is required to communicate his knn\vlccl:_;·c, or arranc;c it in a cnrnpo~itinn, hP linds that lie has in reality hnt Ycry
little to sLty; and this little is tolJ in a very
awkwan l, rn1intclli _~iblc rniu1ncr.
:33. \V lien the book is laid aside, he fi·cis
himself unable to p;o alo1tc ). and, as respects
intelligence~ fo r pract ical purposes. he is no
more improved thaJJ before he read tlic honk.
:)4. B11t if sclwlars were in the l!itl>it of composiw:::; they u:o11ld lhink 1r!tui they rcurL; and,
by wri ting· their tfiougllts, they wou l<l !mow
how m11ch they have learned by rending .
:35. Pn1ctice in composition wil I give S('holars
the power of expressing themselves with case

as scholars imagine. He who can talk, car 1
write; and if he can talk cornTtly : he can
wrik corr('cfiy. Crn11positin11 is Jli)tii111:_: n 1orc
than wri tten con\'Cr~:<tt101i.
3~1. Aml yd _ 1 J1"n~ s<~C'll !;ids \Vlin \i:nnld
contJ11nc a narr<tLin\ or a ckkiti11~· ::pc1;r:f1: 1; Jr
a half hour or more, but 110t he ahlc in t lie
s~inc tinH~ to pllt tlin ·c se11tr1H·1·s 11J1< 111 p<t ;H~r.
Ji tl1cy IJad l>t>'ll t<u1~-l1t ,,-J1;L1 <·1inqJ11:,1t;1•1i :...;,
a11d liad practiscJ it: writiug \Vl)ttld lH '. ;_:i:.., ca'y
as speak i ll'r.

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:-kl . \V1~ ~·ddorn find one, even nmong the
n1ost learned, wlio possCS5;CS this faculty; aml
the reason is, they have not been i11 tl1e l1abit
- of arra11ging their knmvlccl~c, and clothmg it
with expressive lang·nngc.
~i7. Let all, then, who would learn to think,
and would ascertain how mnch they really
know, and have tlic power oC imparting knowkd .~e to other.", p~i~' close attention tn the cxcr·
ciscs in cn1nnnsition.
38. To write a comnosition is not ~o difficult
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10. Tltcrc is nn mys1rTy in co11q1n<..: Jt ion ;
there is nothin~· in it tn tortur<' tl1c i:1ii1d: ir is
easy, and <.ts simple as cnu-..-1·rs;1t1r11;: <.ttid <tli
may lea r11 tn wrirc \\"Ili1 litl'ilJtr and :tc!'ur;1n·.
] ,ct tl ltTc l1c tlw ri _gJ it k i11d n( i;racticc, awl a11,y
Ollt'. will soon pu.,scss t11c al1ilit\·.
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ij 1. 1;!ih,e. "teacher should require everv scholu;t,,1:\vct,fo·can-r -~d ai d \Vrite, io produce "a com~p~~tifo:f:f"'B.:ve-r·y - week. +le s!Hlttlcl Sl' f '. ! Ji ;1 t filC
pr<'ipcr sn1>.iccts wcr1~ s<'lt•1·1ccl, a11d 1/1;1t tl1c
sci10l<irs had sniLLble assista1I<'c. TIJI' 1·11 n1;11•sitiou:" sl10nld he lw11<lcd tn tltc tcac1u·r: for ex;_1111 in: tl in 11 <rn d <•1 >r r cc t i 1 ll l.
'12. ik :-;l1011lcl <..:O p1lit1t 011t tile dr·fi·r·t~~ !hat
the ~cltol;irs 1vould )>l'l'C <' i\'e and av1':d tiw rn.
After tl1e compo::::itio11:-; J1a ve been corrected: r l l''
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teacher may allot a certain _hour, or half of a.
day in a week, for r~ading the1n publicly to the
school.
.
43. He need not mention the writer's name,
nor make public the corrections he has made.
This exercise, if judiciously conducted, may
be made pleasing to the teaeher, and highly
beneficial to the scholar.

A HELP
TO

YOUNG

WRITERS.

CHAPTER I.

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Of La·n guage, and its Origin .

.

Q. By what is a man chiefly distinguished

from the brute creation ?
A. By his powers of reasoning, and his
great susceptibility of improvemen t.
Q. On what do these mainly depend?
A. On his being farther distinguished by the
use of speech or language?
Q. What do you understand by speech or
language?
A. Those sounds of the human voice by
which we express our thoughts or ideas.
Q. What is supposed to have been the origin of language?
A. It is supposed by some to be the fruit of
human invention ; but the more common opi-

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pion is, that it was a Divine gift, bestowed up_o n man at his creation.
Q. Under what aspects may language be
considered ?
A. It may be vie\ved either as spoken or
written.
Q . \Vhat is the chief difference between
these two?
A. Langua~e, as spoken, con~titutcs the immediate signs of our ideas; but, as written, it
forms merely the signs of spoken language.
Q. In what does a knowledge of written
language consist?
A. In being able to convert it into spoken
lanaua"e,
so as to know the ideas which it is
0
;::,
intended to represent.
Q. Is written of as high antiquity as spoken
language?
A. That can hardly be supposed; as men
would no doubt long enjoy the power of speech,
before they would attempt giving permanency
to their thoughts by means of writing:

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CHAPTER II.

Of Alphabetic lVriting.

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Q. What is the simplest and most effectual
1neans of preserving our thoughts?
A. The adoption of certain signs to represent
the various sounds of the human voice .
Q. What nam_c is given to this method of
preserving and tra11smitting thought?
A. It is called alphabetic writing, and, next
to reason and speech, is one of the greatest
blessings that mankind possess. ·
Q. Is any thing known with certainty respecting the origin of alphabetic wrjting.
A. The remoteness of its origin had caused
it to be buried in great obscurity, and many
have even doubted its being a human invention.
Q. What alphabet is supposed to be the
inost ancient?
A. The Hebrew, or Samaritan. which. was
the same as the Phamician.
Q. What chiefly gives rise to this supposition ,
A. Its havinO'
o been the source whence almost all known alphabets have been derived.

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19

Q. How did this alphabet find its way tQ
other countries?
A. It was, about 1000 years before Christ,
imported into Greece by on·e Cadmus, a Phmnician; from Greece it passed into Italy; and
from Italy it has spread over the _most of the
civilized world.
Q. \Vas there ever any other mode of trnnsmittincr
thoucrht
besides that of Alphabetic wrib
0
ting?
A. Yes ; there preva iled, at one ti me, picture and symbolic writ.ing,-the latter cnlled
hieroglyphics.
Q. In what did picture writing consist ?
A. In drawing a picture resembling the object respecting which some information was to
pe i mpnrted ; as two men with drawn daggers,
to denote a battle.
Q. In what did symbolic writing, or hieroglyphics, consist?
· A. In making one thing serve to represent
another ; ns, an eye to denote knmcledge ; and
a circle to denote eternity.
Q. By whom have these two methods of
writing been chiefly practised?
A. Picture writing has been practised by
inany rude nations, but particularly by the

:M exicans prior to the discovery of America ;
und hieroglyphics . principally by the ancient
Egyptians.

CHAPTER III.
Of the Materials anciently used

·iri

JVri-

ting, o/c.
\.Yhat was for some time the pcc:uliar
character of writing'!
A. It was for a long time a species of engraving, and "\Vas executed chiefly on pillars and
tablets of stone.
Q. \i\That substances came n ext.into use?
A. Thin p}ates of the softer metals, such as
lead ; and then, as writing became more comm ·) n, lighter substances, as the leaves and \Jark
of certain trees; or thin boards covered with wax.
Q . \Vhat proof is there of the bark of trees
having been thus u sed?
A. The same word which, in many languages, denotes a book, is also used to denote a
tree, or the bark of a tree; as, libcr, in Latin,
which m eans either bark or a book.
Q. What was the next step in the progress
of writing?
Q.

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A. T~e invention of a substance called papy.
rus, w1uch was prepared from a recd of the
~amc n ame, tl1;1t grew in ~reat abundance on
t he bani\s of the Nile .
~

ternately; and, at lengt h, the more conv<'nirnt
mode, which at present pn~\·ails, of \\·riti ng
soi el y Crom left to ri ,'...;ht.
Ct \Vlrnt name was g-ivcn to this mnd1• nC
'vriting from right to left, and from !cit to ri'!ht,
al ten wtc-ly ?
A. ft wa~~ called bo!fstro1du:rlon: liec:1 11c.:1' it
rescm1dcd the t11 rnin o] oxen at tlH~ end ofth1~
ri(}gc::-; in the operation of pl uugltin'.!.

Q. \V cw not the skins of anirnah often used
for 1,vriii11 r
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. A . Y :s : :u id it wns dnring a great scar ci ty
ol. the } ,,2,·ypl !:Ill p apyrus that the importa nt art
of rna!rn1g· :-:k ins in to parcl11ucut was discO\'crcd .
U. \Vlicre and a1Jont what time did thi s happen?
A . In the city of Pcr(/;i,mus · but at what
.
.
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time 1s rather uncertain.
Cl. 1Iow iong did parchment and papyrus
contirmc principally in u se?
A. D own to the fourte('nt h centnrv, wlien
the ~uperinr sill 1su111 c 1~ ot' p:q H'T wns in.ve nted.
Q. In what manner did the ancients chic.fly
write their letters?

_A. The Assyrians, the Phmnicians, and the
Hebrews, wrote from right to left, as did also
the Gn~eks for some time.
Q . Did the Greeks abandon this plan all at
once'?
. A. No; they first adopted the plan of wriimg from right to left, and from left to right, al:..

1. ;

CHAPTEH 1\'.

Of the Scarcity of .Books in former

t imr.<:.

Q. vVere books al ways as ahnndant as they

are at present'~
A. Far from it; fo r, at no very rcmotr~ pr:riod, they were so scarce as to be in the r1;1 nr1s
of only the 'vcalthy and the no1Jle, and a n 'ry
few volumes would have brought a price cq 1w I
to the purchase of a good estate.
Q. To what wa~ t1ie scarc ity of book~ in
ancient times to be ascribed?
A. 'To the grerrt lahonr and expr·w:e nf copying or transcribing them, w h id1 rendered
.P very copy almost as costly as the first.

upI

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Q. \Vltat was tile consequence of tliis scar-

CHAPTER V.

city '.l

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A. A .~rcat <.lciicicncy of karl!ing among- all
c:'-ccpt. tlie wealthier classes of rnciety, as
no others possessed thr means of purchasing
hooks.
Q~ Tn ·\.vi iat is the great alnmdancc of books
now owin~?
A. To the 1nv(;ntion of printing, which happened early in the fittecnth century.
Q. 1.V11erc and by whom did this take
pbcc?
A. The cities of S trasburg, Baarlcm, and
J\'ientz, have all preforred their claim to this disti11 .~u ishcd Jinn our; and Coster, Fa11st us,
~choeft('.r. :i11d Guttrrnbcrg, have all been n~­
rned as tlil' i11n'ntnrs.
Q. \Vhat i:; t! 1c cnnse of snch nncertainty?
A. It proh:thly is: tlwt tli~ inventor in this
C<.'tsc.' as in manv. others.. has been frequent! y
confounded \Vi1h the ]rnprovcr.
Q. vVhat benefits has the invention of printin g- produced ·J
A . Jt h:is multiplied books, cheapened knowlcd::;-(:, anu given an entirelv new aspect to
::;ocicty.

DJ Comp os it ion.

-

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Q . vVhat do you under~tand hy tlw t('rm
Composition, as applied tt) language?
,
A. Such selection aud arrangemc11 t nf wonJ:c:~
in speech or writing, as render tl1en1_tit tu express to others our thoughts or opm10Hs 11 pon
any subject.
<J,. Is the term ever employed in any other
sense?
A. It is frequently used in rcforcn cr' i i ) mu.::;ic, painting, and architcr::ture, as we] l as 'Niltincr or discourse.
0
Q. vVhat is the origin and strict meani ng oi
the word?
A. It is formed from the two I ,atin \\'ord~,
con, together, and posito, a placing; <tnd liter<tlly
means a placing together.
Q. How cor~es it from this deflnit ion to po~ ­
sess its present signification ?
A. Because in composition we pl<"1CP words
together for the purpose of expres:; 1n ~ (lUr
thoucrhts
aml idcn.s.
t:>
Q. Is composition an important ac qmrcment?

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A. Perhaps the most so of any, as upon it
mainly depend the sprcri_d of knowledge and
the cnlighkuing of the world .
({. l las it any oth er ad v;rnta~cs '!
A. It is a source of very refined plea~nrc,
and of much mental improvement, to those who
pra~tice

.1 9J~

it.
Q .. "\Vhat arc the chief requisites for attuinin o- accnracv m cn ni r)o:-;i tinn !
::-i
A . A thorough knowlcd~c of grammar, and
of the siguiiicution of words, with a constant
perusal of the best authors.
Q . How are these best attained 'J
A . By close study <lnd application, but: particularly, by constant attention to the manner
of expressing our ide~s, whether in speaking
or writing.
Q. \Vhat ctfoct has close attention to one's
manneT of speaking and writing upon his own
mi n d?
A. lt tends to prod11cc c1osc ancl accurate
thinking-, for thought and speech nmtuall y assist each ether.
Q. \rVhat arc the rcqms1tes for attaining
g reat cmiueuce in composition'!
A . Next to study, already mentioned, the
greatest requisites are, genius and taste.

CHAPTER VI.
Of Gem:us.
Q . vVhat d o vo u mean hv G en ins?
i

i

-

-

A. Some considerable dcgrcl: of me ntal su periority, or a person of distingu ished talents .
Q. Can you recollect any otlic r s iguificntinr:

that it has?
A. It is frequently used to d eno te a p articn lar bias or bent of the nun d to warcb ~lll)' p11rsuit, art, or scie nce ; as) when w e sa y, :-: ucli <.
one has a genius fo r music, for pain ti::;: f(H
mathematics: &c.
Q. But what is the strict import of the

term'!
A. \Vhen properly applied, it deno tes that
particular faculty or the mind, by whic l1 Cl rna n
is ern1bled to invent, or discover, o r at least produce, something new.
Q. Can vou mention a ny \vhorn vou wo11 ld
consider men of genius iu this sense of the
term '?
A. Archimedc ~, Newton, Frank lin, nnd \Vatt,
w ere me n of th:s chts ~ ; b<'cau sc they w 1..~ rc distingmslied bot h for thei r iavent \o ns and di:::>J

covenes.

•

-

26

27

Q. vVhen is it that an author may be considered a man of gen ius?
A. When he produces new trains of thought, or some original piece oI composition.
Q. What do you mean by original compo·
sition?
A. Composition which combines the distin~
guished quality of great excellence, with its not
being an imitation of any previous production.
Q. Are these qualities very common?
A. Far from it; as it is only once or so in an age that they inake th~ir appearance.
Q. Can you mention any authors whose
writinO's
o entitle them to be called men of genius?
A. Homer and Virgil in ancient, and Shak·
spea.rc, JYiilton, Bacon, and Johnson, in rnore
modern times.

Q. W hat is the chi·_ef peculiarity of this fa-

culty?
.
A. Its great susceptibility of impr?vement,
when regularly and judiciously exer~1sed . .
Q. W-hat are the chief means of unprovmg
1. t 'l
·A. The study of the best authors, m~d attention to <:ill the finest . models and specnuens of

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CHAPTER VII.

OJ Taste.
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Q . \Vhat do you n1c:u1 by Taste '!
A. That faculty hy which wc are enabled
to perceive and relish the bea.utics of composit10n.

composition.
. .
,.,
Q . \Vhat arc the chief characteristics of taste ;-A. Delicacy and correctness ; .the one, h~w­
ever, to a certain degree in1ply111g the ot.i1cr2
thouO'h not precisely the sam e.
Q~ In what does delicacy of taste chiefly
'

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co11s1st .
·
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A. In a quick and accurate perccpt1011 o ;11
· .... b cau f ie•s of anvJ r)erthc fi ncr and less obvious
formancc.
. .
Q. In what docs correctness consist?
A. In a ready dctccti.on of false ornamr)nt,
and a due appreciation of all the more substanti<Ll qn;11ities of a hterary ·work.
.
. 1
Q . Arc bnth attrihutahk to 1hc snn1c so11:ce)
A. lkl icacy of tlistc is chid1y found1 ·ll on
- ' "'n t'(' 1r1e
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Q . Is tru:;te ever employed upon any thing
besides Jar igw.lgc?
A. Yes; it mu.y be cmployccl upon all sorts
of o1>jects, wl1ethcr the product of nature or of
a rt.

Q. "\Vitli what sorl of objects is taste chiefly
convcL-><:wL '!

A . rrhose chiefly which are distinguishc~
for their uc:.i.uty or su1>limity.

Q . On what does sublimity chiefly

depend '~

A. On a perception of im1m:nse ex tent, vrtst
rnaguituch·, or of g-rcat powe r and energy.
Q. Can you gi \'e an example of objects rc m[!..rkablc for sublimity'!
A. .'\ c!ou<li 1;ss, or a starry sky, a tronlJlcJ
ocean, a rnajestic rive r, a foaming cataract, or
a crrcat and lofty mountain.
Q. \V liat Jo you mt:an by beauty ot lan~

guage 'J
CaAPTER VIII

Of Beauty and Sublimity.

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(.1,. \\That do yon uml.erstand by Beauty?
A. That qnaiity possessed by such objects
as may be coutcmpl atcd with a high degree of
sai isCact io11.
CL Ancl on what docs beauty in an object
c11icfiy dcpeJJd J
A. 0 11 shape, co1our, or a perception of iitrh·ss and utility
Cl. vV hat is Snhl im ity?
A . That quality in objects which, when they
arc f'.nntcrnp1atcd, excites in the mind sentinwnts of aw1· and ~-0·1.111dcnr.

A. 'That poli shed ckgancc which it possesses, \.\· hen it may 1Je r1:ad or liste1wJ to with a
high degree
pl('as urc 11 nJ satis t"action .
·Q. A;Hl w h at is sublimity in langua!!C '?
A. That ci ual it y which languag-c possesses,
when it excites in tlie mind of the rc;~dc'r or
hea re r , gnrnd and cxalte<l notions uf the u1),iccts

or

dcscrihecl.
Q . \V!iat sort of lan!:!:uagc may 1)t~ said t1) h ,~
most m accordance ·with correct taste !
A. That i11 w h ich bcant y and su bl irni t y :1 :-e
bo th conspicuous , tlie 1mc quality se rvrng LU
shed 1llst re upon the other.
:~-

30

31
est vigour of n1ind, or of highest incnta.1 cu lti-

CHAPTER IX.

vation.
Q . Can you state the diiforcnce between

Of Style and Idioni.
Cl. \V1rnt do yoa understand by Style as applied to writing ?
A. 'The particular manner in which a writer
or speaker expresses his thoughts and sentirnents by inean::-: of la.nguag-c.
Q. From what is the word style derived?
A. From the Latin wor<l stylus, a pointed
steel instrumrmt, with which the ancients used
to write upon their waxen boards and tablets.
Q. Is there much diversity of style among
rncn '!
/\. Very great ; as almost every speaker and
writer has a manner of speaking and writing
of his O\Vn, thongh in some this is more marked and peculia.r than in others.
Ct On what does this diversity of style de, n
pcnu !:
A. Partly on mental constitution ; partly on
thP nature and quality of t he education which
a per:-;on may have received.
Ct \\ho arc the men that are most distinguisLcd by peculiarity of style?
A. rrhosc generally of greatest genius, great-.

style and idiom?
A. Style is characteristic of different \Vritcrs;
idiom of <liiforcnt Jan~·nagcs: hence we speak
of the style of Addisou, but of the idiom of the
English language.
Q. vVhat do you consider, then, the true import of idiom ?
A. That peculiarity in the mode of expression, and nrran~enicut of words, which distin-

i

guishes one languag<' frnm another.
Q. Do laugnngcs diikr much ia point of
idiom?
A. Vcry considerably ; modes of expression
µnd arrangement appearing quite proper 1n
one, which would be harsh and uncouth in
another.

CHAPTER X.

Of Different Kinds of Style.
Q. Can you mention .:ny of the different
qualities of style?

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pie style'?
A. Simple style is that in which there is little apparent la1)rnir, arnl no attempt nt any
thing but to be understood.
({.. ..\nd wh<1t Ju yo Lt llll':t11 by a UlH'id sty It~ 7
A. ~tyle in which there is g reat profu s ion
of ornament, and an obvions desire to produce
dfoct.
Q.. vVha.t have you to say of the concise

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Q . Are

style?
A. It is the style which a writer or speaker
uses w h o expresses himsc1f in a fow words.
Q. A nd what of the uiff11sc?
A. Diffuse stvle is that which persons employ w ho express themsel ves very fully, and

dwell long on the same thoughts or sentiments.

which w r~ rcqnirc to s;w:1k nr wrik .l
Q. \ V-lrnt dn yon nu·an hy a natnrnl stvl e ?
A .. A
str!c in accurdnncc wit;t tli1: Ja11;~ru acre
.
.
-,
lll wluc11 a pC'rs uil sr.1·;1l\s or \\·rite .<.: , :i: td wdi
a<lapted to the~ suhjcct 11f wl1i1·!1 l tc tn ·ats .
Q. \Vliat is a ho 11 il::1sti(·. stvlu '?
A . A style in whi c h ~ rcat s-wel Jin~ w orJs are
empl oyed to express col!lmo n thoui.!_·hts an cl sentiments .
'·

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Q. \Vhcn slwulJ one kind of style be used
in preference t n ilt1n ::H·r?
A. Tl1at dcpe11ds ('lllirdy upon the nature of
the subject, as we! l as the occasion on which a
person may be cal led to spl'ak or write.

CHAP TEH \:.!.

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auy rnnn· q11alities of style?
A. Yes; lmt jt is i111pn-.;sJlil e t11 c1111 .111erate
them all, f()l" tlwy an_; ;1s di \-('rsili ~_:u :.i.s tlic characters o( 111(·11·s 111i11c[<, ~111\l llw ocTrL<.:i ous on

A. 'l'hc strong, the w eak, the s impl t', tho
tior:<l, the con c ise~, the di tl'usc.
'1.. \Vlrn.t do you m ean by a strong or vigo~
mus s1yl< ~ '!
A. A stvle
that n:akcs a nnwcrfrd
i n11nvssion
.
I
upon the mincl of the hearer or reader.
Q. Aud what by a. weak or feeble styk '?
J\. A style 11iat is destituk 01· forc0, and prodncc~s little effect upon the rcaJ L' r or IH«Hr'r.
Q. Can you express your opinion of a sim-

OJ

Pcrspic11i.'y.

Q. \Vhat do you concei vc to h<'. the g-reatest
ex<.:elleuce of style to whatever class it IJ~lon<rs?
A . Pe rspicuity, or tllat ciuality w hich enables
us to sec at once into an author"s rneanrng,

'

·_,,:·.·

and renders it irnpossilJle for us to misurn1er·~t;---t1 ; d it .
l--{. \Vhat quality stands l1CXt to perspicuity

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,\. Ornament, or e;egance, which, .JO!llcd
with perspicuity, 1()n11s the liighest cxccllcuce
that ;.:;tv1c can posst-:ss '?
Cl.
hat reuuers perspicuity so essential jq

\v

style'!

J\ . The ci rcunistancc of its being necessary
that composition shon lJ be easily understood ;
for \Yithout this no other quality is of a11y val 11 ('.
Q. On what doc:s perspicuity depend?
A. O n thL: choice of words ancl t}1c strllcture
of ::;u1tc11ces.

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c11 icC things to he attcrnleJ.
to in tlw d1d icc ut" words 'J
A. Purity, pni/H·ict y: and prccisiori.
q ___ \Vhat do you unJcrslallcl lJy t l:c strnc1nrc oC scntcnci·s !
Q. \Vhat are tlw

S11cl1 an nrr<rng«~1nC'nt of the dill{~rcnt
words and members as is lx·st fitted to express
A.

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the meaning intended to be C'JnvcyeJ..

-- -

CHAPTER XII.

111 IlllJltlrtance:
...,.,.

...

Pllrity.

u.

\\'hat do you nwa11 liy Purify nr :<\'JC)
A. 'i'Lc nsc· ot" s11cl1 \Vords and rnodl's (i;· expression as arc perfectly English, and warrnn t ~d by gnnd a n tliority.
Cl. \Vlrnt Jo yon consi(kr ;1 vio1atin n nf p:irity '!
A. 'The nsc of such words as ;1rr· f'Jtlwr fr1rcign to the b.n<::naQT·, or hctvc hccorm: ;1n ti nuak<l hv di"11s1._
Q. Cau you give an example of tllf~ violatiori
oC purity in respc('t of f~>rCi'.._'.·ll words i
A. Praic/tr:ur, for coolness ; fou![uc, for
turbulence; politesse, for pol itencss,-ari:; examples of F'rcnch words, used instead oC Eng~
hsh.
Q. Can vou ~1ve an cxmnnlc of rli1~ l:ittf>T
:-;pccies of Yiolation of pnri ty?
A . !J,,ltest, for comrnai id ; rrs( ri-1r fornw'rk:
and sith, fnr sincr)-arc 110 w nf tl ti'; cla~.<;,
thoug h they wern once in CtHnrnou- u se .
Q. )Y}wt is tbc standard of pnrity 7
A. 'l'ltc practice and authority of the best
spen kers und \itritcrs.
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Q. Arn words mnclt suhjc~ct to cha11ge '?
A. Almost ns mnch so as any thin~ connect<'cl with hnman ;-lffo irs.
(-{. In what manner do they sufl(:>,r these
'
'l.
cnang<'s
A. On some occasions they change their
si'.;nilication: ;:to;:;, (r; t 011cr~ ~~i~·nificd to !tinder j
on others thC'V ctrnp rrnt ot' use; or bcc;1rnc obsolete; as , slro-nl:, wl1iclt 011cc was used instead

of :-;1 rnck .
({,. \V hat dnP' pi i ri ty o( cnnstruction denote?
A. T'iie arrau~·iug- aucl placin~.:; of words in a
senti~nci~ acenrdin ~· to Ll1e Euglish idiom or
rrnxl (' nC cx pressi,lU.
O.. C;~n yon 1~·i\· (~ ":1y examples of tlic violation ot" tliis Jlli11ciplr~?
A. "Ile will /"f'/1('111 liim..'.·c(f of such conduct,'' is a F'n·ncli, 1101. an E11glish mode of ex-

ing violations of 1111rity .l I le ::-;trnanwd idly
abo11t tlic fields. Lle was ccrtttinlv an extrn, ·r1:11rns. Tiley ' .slimv1~d too 111.ucli J1i1uku r. ]'1c
is <1. very irnrnrm !;11· :-;pc<tk1·r.
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,

CHAP TER XIII.

( )_f Propriety.

prcso.;1n11.

,, .·.

({. Ho w would von correct this?
A. Dy loa\·in:_; en( t]i1~ w11rd !1imse~f
Q. Arc a.I\. writer~; alike rr~stricte<l in the use

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A . ' '. r111llC .'llllS(•t
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. '
.
lore;·' here t11c word lore is an ant11t11:1t1•1l 1F11rd
dc11uti11~ learn i rig-, and woll ld. hard t y h1~ tuic~
rated jn any tlti11g bllt poetry.
.
<J. \\ill ynu c11d1·;n-onr to corr1·ct the follow-

of words?
A. All write~·s u.rc restricted to a ce rtain de-

.·->-".

up~]
:·-<.,..:·-';' ~

g-rce ; but poets t<tke, aml rue allowed, n1uch
g-reatl'f libertv than nrose writers .
Q . Can you g1'.·\; an cx:unplc?
..__,

•

l

({. \\.li;1t do von mean liy Pruprii;ty a;.; ;1p-

plied to style'! .
A. ' l'lw sclcctJon r;f snch words :is ;m· ;H'>t
adapted to express the rnca11jug il1tcmb1 to be
con \'1 '.ft'.<l.

Cl. \\"li;it is the first rule tn be observed with
regarJ to propriety?
A. Avoid :::;11<J1 words .1JH1 cxpr1_::-:o..;i•)ll" <J.'-:, ;u·;
,1

1
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38
low and vuigar, .or tend to excite mean col1ceptions ; as, to see a thin'g with lwlf an eye;
to get into a scrape j which .should be, to see a
thing at a glance ; t6 get -·into a di ,fficulty .
Q. \'Vhat is the second rule?
A. In writing prose, wi:; should reject such
words as belong entirely to the province of poetry ; as, 11wrn, for morning ~ eve, for evening;
lone, for lonely.
Q. What is the rule next to be observed?
A. We should Rv~oid technical terms, or terms
peculiar to some particular art or profession,
unless when writing to persons who understand
them ; as, we tacked to the larboard ). we may
construct the shelves without hajfets.
Q. vVhat is the next rule?
A. It is, riot to use the same word too often,
or in ditforent senses; a.s, "The king communicated his intention to the minister, who disclosed it to the secretary, 11Jw made it known
to the public." "His own reasons might have
suggested better reasons.''
Q, Ho'v would you rectify these sentences?
A. rrlnts ; " The king communicated his intention to the minister, the minister ·disclosed
it to the secretary, and the secretary made it

i

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known to the public:' " H is own judgment
n1ight have suggested better reasons.:'
Q. \ Yhat is the nex t ru le to be att.en<lcJ to ?
A. All words that arc necessary to complete
the sense ou g ht to be su pplied ; thus, instead
of" T his llction increased his fo rmer services ;:'
we should say, "This action increased the merit
of his former services."
Q. \Vlrnt rnle have you next to give '?
A. Avoid all equivocal or ambiguous exp ressions.
Q. vVhat do you n1ean by equivocal or ambig uo us ex pressions?
A. Such expressions as arc ei ther susceptible
of a double or a doubtful me;nincr.
;::::.
Q. Can yon give an example of this ?
A. "I cannot find one of my boo ks; " \Vhich
may mean, either that there is one of my boo ks
which I cannot find, or that I can find none of
them nt all.
Q . H<1Te you any further rul e to give?
A. One, and but one; avoid uni-ntc lligihlc
and inconsistent words and phrases ; a~, " I
have but an opaque idea of th e subjec t."
Q. \V hat word ought to be used ins tead of
opaque in this case?
A. The word confused or indistinct, wh ich

signifies not clear, ·w hil,e opaque meails not fit
to be seen through ..
Q. Can you point out the errors, and make
the necessary corrections, .i n the following .sen~

tences? I had as lief say a thing ·after him. as
after another. I need s·a y no nYore concerning
the drift of these letters. vVhat is it but a sort
of rack that forces men to say what they have
no mind to? These persons know not what
to make of themselves. Our rfriend does .not
hold long in one mind.
A. I should like as well to say a thing after
him as after another.-- I need say no 1nore concerning the purport of these letters. vVhat is
it but a sort of rack that forces men to say
what they wish to conceal, or do not wish to
communicate? These persons know not how
to employ their time. Our friend does not con.
tinue long in one opinion.

CHAPTER XIV.

OJ Precision.
Q. What do yon mean by the term Precision?
A. l'hc using of no more words to convey
our meaning than the sense absolutely requires.

41
Q. To what does precision stand opposed?
A. To that looseness and vagueness of style
which arise fro1n too great a multiplicity of
words.
·
Q. vVhat mostly tends to produce precision?
A. Clear and accurate thinkiug.
Q. What is the evil of employing too many
words to express an 1.dea ?..
A. It distracts the attention of the reader or
hearer, and prevents him from form~11g a ~or­
rect conception of the imbject under d1scuss10n.
Q. Is want of prcc~sion a common error'!
A. Perhaps the most so of any that can be
named ; as many, not content wi_t~ one wor<l
to express an idea,.are apt to subjoin a~10 ther,
which, conceiving it to be of the same import,
will, .they thi~h., make the thought much
plainer.
,
. .
.
Q. What is the best ineans of avoidmg tlus
error?
A. To select the word that exactly expresses
the idea intended to be communicated, and to
use that and no other for the purpose.
Q. When is precision most apt to be violated 1
A. In the use of what are called synonymous
terms, or words which are considered of the
same signification.

4*

47

4G
Q. \VhQt may the meaning of the sentence
be according to tlic present arrangement .l
A. \Vhy, that the search was confined to the
sea-~hore1 whereas, it is ii~tended to be stated
that the stone was found on the sea-shore.
Q. Can you give the sentence in a corrected

form'!

t1p trensnrcs, from which nothing can

bnt the goud pro\·iJcncc of God. \\ e slrnli nnw
en<leavou r, \Vi th clearness aud precision, to describe the provinces once united under their
sway. The minister \vho grows less by his elevation, like a little statue on a mighty pedestal,
will al wavs have his jcalousv strong abuut him.
A. It is folly to pretend, by heaping np treasures, to arm ourselves against the ucci<lc11ts
lifo, from which nothing can protect 11s but tlie
good providence of God. \Ve sba.l l end ea vol! r
to describe, with clearness arnl precision, the
prnvinf'.es once rn1ited llf Hler their swa~-. The
minister wlio, like a little statw~ (lll a rnighty
pedestal, grows less by his e levation , will al way5
have his jealonsy strong about l1i1n.
"'

A. " A great stone that I happened, after a
long search, to find by the sea-shore, served me
for an anc,hor."

Q. 1Vhat is the most general rule upon the

subject of arrangement?
.
A . Words should be so placed ns to preserve
a proper connexion in the thoughts for which
they stand, and which they are intended to con~
vey.
-=
~

protect us

L

.,

\,._

or

l.{. Is there any more particular rn[c?

A. All rclnt i 7e and connective words sho1dd
be S? placed a.5 to indicate at once what they
conned and to what they refr:r.

Q. \Vhat will be the couscl111cncc of improoer
1
position ?
A . It will obscure-the sense, and prodnce confusion in the mi11d of the reader or hearer.
Q . \Vill you endeavour to correct the follow.

ing :)Clltenccs? lt is folly to pretend to arm our.
sel \'Cs against tliP accidents of life, by heaping-

CHAPTER XVIL

OJ Unity.
Q.. '\Vhat do you mean by the Unity of a sen-

tence 'l..
A. Closeness and compactness of arra11u-emcnt, and the restriction of the sentence to one
leading idea.
~

48

49

Q. \Vhen is unity most apt to be v10lated?

and received by them with the greatest kind-

A. 'Vhen· the sentence is long, and crowded

ness."

with a number of qualifyi~g clauses, among
which there is no very close connexion.
Q . What, for the sake of ui;t~ty, should there
be in every sentence?
A. One principal object of thought, which
should never be obscured, nor concealed from
view.
Q. What is the first rule then for preserving
unity?
A. Never, if possiblei during the course of a
senten ce, to chan g e the scene o r the a e lor.
Q. Uan you exemplify the violation of this
rule '!
A. :'After we c;irnc to <mehor, they put me
nn sl1ur1·, \VlllTc· i \\'it'-' Wt · l c<1m1~d Ly al l 111y
friend s) who rcc<~ iv ed me with the greatest
ki ll d lll'SS .:

1

U.. What is frmlty in tltis'.'e11tcncc'!

~~~
_,
.~
-!)
·~

A. A frequent change of sn bjcct, as we1 tltey ,
I, who, which are all uomina.tives to di1forcnt
Ycrhs, <rnJ, therefr>rc, tend t1> distract the atten-

I.,

tion.

Ct. Can you give it in a corrected form?
A. " After \VC came tn ancLor 7 I was put on

shore; \vherc I w<.ts welcomed hy all my friends,

Q. What is the next rule for obtaining unity?

A. It is 7 n ever to crowd into one se ntence
things so unconnected that they would bear to
be di vidcd into different sentences.
Q . Can you give an example '!
A. "Virtuous men are al ways the most happy; but vice sttows the path of her votaries
with· thorns."
Q. How vvoul<l you correct this sentence?
A. By makin g eac h 11H~ rnl wr a ~eparatc ~f'll­
:' V ir tttmts nwu an~ alwit\'S
tlic nu •st
J
Vice s t ro w s th e pat Ii of her follo\\:ers

.t. l'nc"
· 't '-'
~·
v '
l

J

h appy.

.

)

with thorns."

\Vliat is tlw next rnl1~ 11tHl <T tltis 1wa<l !
A. lt is tn avoid all 11111tcc1·ssarypare1itlicsl's,
crnd snclt members as interrupt the natural train
of th on n-ht which a sentence sltoul<l exh llJi t.
(1.

~

(l.

Are parentheses a1 ways improper?

A. By no means ; fo r they sometimes gi vc
elegance and vivacity to a se11tenc(~ .
TtH~Y ·
shoul<l, however, be nsed vc~ry ~parin;; l y; ~;s
they k1HI, when improperly intrudttced, tu Ling
and cm1Jarrass a sentence.
Q. Arc parentheses as much in use as they
once were'!

5

51

50

A. No; for by modern writers they are most-

thence to the island of .lE;,,·in:-i. r\cvcr delay
till to-morrow wh at reason and conscience tell
you ou~ht to be perfo rmed to-day. To-morrow
is not yours ; aud though you should live to
enjoy it, you must not overload it with a burden not its own .

ly laid aside; but old writers were in general
very profuse in the use of them.
Q. How may long and awkward parentheses be avoided 'J
A. Either by entirely rejecting them, or, if
what they contain be necessary to the sense; hy
putting them into a separate sentence.
Q. Can you give an example of the right use
of par en theses !

CHAPTER XVlII.

Of S,'trcn!.rth.

A. " The biiss of m a n , (could pridP that ble"Ssing- find,)

Is

not to act or think beyond nrnnkind.;

(,..{. \'Vil! you endeavour to correct the fl1llowing- scutences, in which unity has been neglected.'l A short time alter this injury, he came to
himself; and the next day th ey put him on
board a ship which conveyed him tirst to Corinth, and thence to the island of .lEgina.Ncver delay till to-010rrnw, (fo r to~morrow is
not yours; and though yon should live to enjoy it, you must not overload it with a burden
not its own,) what reason and conscience tell
you ought to be performed to-day.
A. A short time after this injury, he came to
himself ; and being the next day put on board
a ship, he was conveyed first to Corinth, and

l
t

T
I

l

!

Q. \Vhat do yon me;rn 1ly tltc Stren:;-th of a
scnknce?
A. Tlic power which it poss(•sscs of n1aking
a deep illlpre...;sion npo11 t l:l~ tui ml.
Q. \Vhat is the first reriuisite for ol>tai11i11g
strength?
A. It is to avoid all tautolO!.!:V, ;111cl ;1tlrnit into a sentence no words and members lmt stich
as thP, sense absolntelv requires.
(~. \Vlrnt am I to nndcrstnnd by tattt()lo~y ,~
A. The application of s<~vcral words to express the sam~ illea ,-a pr;1r.ticc which has, at
all times, an cnfocbl 111g etll·Ct.
Q. Can you give an cx,u1q1lr-, of ta11tology?
A. "They retnrncd back again to the same
.
city from wlJl'nce t Iicy c;u1w 1·ort f t. "

52

53

Q. '\Vhat words are here redundant?.
A. Bock, again, same, from , an<l forth, the

,.
::.·-1:'; - -.. .-

~"¥<~~

meaning of all which is implied in the other
words of the sentence.
>. Q. "\Vhat is the next rule for promoting the
strength of [), sentence']
A. To dispose of the principal words and
members in such a manner that they will pro~
dnce the greatest possible effect upon the mind
of the reader or hearer.
Q. Whq,t must we often do to accomplish
this 'l
A. We m.ust frequently give the words an ar~
rangement different from that which they usu,.
ally possess ; as, '~ Great is Diana of the Ephe..
sians," which gives much more spirit to the
sentiment, than, "Diann of the Ephesians is
great.''
._,
Q . What do yon call the placing of words
out ,,f !lwir 11; L1u ra ! n rdn !
;\.Inversion or transposition, "·hirh, when jn dicionsly done, <:ontrihllfP,s hoth to the strength
a 1Hl clc.2"ancc nC a s1'n U ·1H'.r• .
Q. vVhat is your next remark on the snhject
of strength?
A. l t i~, that a weak assertion should never
-

""'

.· t,,-::.i 'F'
'
·,
~~ :
,.

. ·;

l1failil' ":'··.~~

':·,M
;.~,,.,~

.

>

i

f

'
r.

follow a stronger ; nor a shorter rnemLcr one of
greater 1cngt1 i.
Q. Can you give an illustration of this principle?
A. " vVhen our passions h~ve forsaken us,
we flatter ourselves with the belief that we h ave
forsaken them," is a better arrangement than,
"We flatter ourselves with the belief that we
have forsaken our passions, when they have
forsaken us."
Q . vVhat is your nex t observation on the
strength of sentences 'l
A. It is, to avoid, if ~s ib1e, concluding
them with any short, trifling, or unemphatic
word.
Q. What are the words which you would
include in this class 'l
A. Some of the pronouns, several of the adverbs, and most of the prepositions.
q _. \\' ill you exe mpl ify ·wll<tl ;/ on li ; L\' •,'. ~::1ted '!
A. "Avarice is a crime which wise men arc
often guilty of/' is less fu rc ib1t: a11 d di::nificd
than "Avarice is a crime of which \vise men
arc often guilty."
Q . \V lrnt have you further to ob::;erve on
this topic 'l
5*

-

.......
........

...

\~Itll

1 •

~

I

~_

-

take not he is improved both in knowkdgc an d
1
Lehaviour. These two lJnys ap\H: ar c(1ual in

. ~ · It is, that when two thm,gs are contrasted

one another for the purpose of cxprcssincr
c1ther resemblance or opposition, a similar r;_
s:mblance should be observed in tbe construe·
t1011 of the sentence.
Q. Upon what prin ciple is this rule founded?
A. Upon the principle that, when we find a
corresp~n~ence among objects, we naturally ex~
pcct a s1m1lar correspondence among the words
by which they arc denoted.
Q. Will you give an example of this?
A. "The idle never make so much improve·
~ent as diligent persons," should be, "The
l~l~ n ever make so much improvement as the
dili ge nt.:'
~- .can you correct the following sentence81
It is .six year~ ago since I paid a visit to my .
relat10ns. 'I he rcn.so n why he acted in the
lrlJJl.lil_'r h
c·l;· l \ \'l'.:--: 1 1 1i:11y:111f
"''
1 comp letely
.. .. ' . . , "','\~
cx1l 1.1 1111 d .
it t 1111:--:taJ..:(~ twi, l tliink he is im:::ovcd both jn kn0\\'1f'dg-c and behaviour.
'hc_'.se two boys appear 1n lie tH)tli ec11rnl in capacity.
,A .. j t is six ye:us since I p;tid a v1s1t to my
re1at1uns. rrhe rea~;on he nctcd in the manner
be <l1tl. \Vas never fully explained. If I nus-

--- ....

'~;,:.

capacity.

CHAPTER XIX.

Of Harmony.
Q. Can you mention any thing

bcsicl c~ per·

spicuity, that gives peculiar grace to composition?

A. A smooth a.nd easy flow of the words and

members of sentences, and a freedom from all
harshness and uncouthness of sound.
Q . vVhat q{u1lity of style docs this constitute?
A. That which is usually denominated Jfar-

mony or Melody.

Cl. Dll these two terms i111p1y c:-::ac1\y tl1

'. 'i.

;,i: ·

T-

1
'

same i<lea?
A. T\ot prec isely ; melody <le11ntPs a s1H'c1·s1
sion of p1c::tsing smiruls; hanH011y, tli<; ;i:;r '.Cn1ent that one sound has \;;' lJ. anotlicr.
Q.. Is hn.nT10ny nn 1rnportitut q u ;i Ii t y of sty id
A. lt is certrt1n1y of less couseqnL~llcc . tliail
perspicuity; yet still it i:~ a singulur cxcclkncr~,

69

58
Q, \vl1at have you further to observe on this
head?
A. Words resembling each other in the sound
of any of their letters or syllables, as well as
such as arc <lifticult to pronounce in succession,
should never stnnd in immediate connexion.
Q. Can you give a ny illustration of this '!
A. A true w1ion; an illd11lgc11t ]Jarcut, a
cruel destroyer, are for less harmonious than a
true friendship a kind parent, a cruel Joe.
Q. Have you any thing further to remark?
A. That a sentence mpy not be harsh, and,
consequently, of difficult pronunciation, the
several members of which it is composed should
neither be too long, nor disprop~rtionate to each
other.
Q. In what sort of composition ought harmony to be most carefully studied?
.,A. In the composition of verse, one of the
c:1ief cxccltc11ci"" o( \\·l 1i c h cu11sists in its bciug
mns1cal.

Q . \ Vhat p <1rt ()[ a

sh ou ld we be
the inost carc fnl to n1ak( ' Ji :1n 111n1io11s?
A. _'rlie close ; for it is to this part that the
:-;1' 1i tc rl<' c

attention of the read Ar or henrcr is generally
lllost attracted.

Q. 'Vhn.t name is commonly given to a
·z
graceful conclusion of a sentence . " , .
A. It is commonly styled a cadence'. and
was by the ancients considered an essential re·
quisite in every well constn~cted sentence. .
Q. What is faulty in pomt of harmony 111
the followin<T sentence :-"And an enormous
0
serpent lay dead
on the fl oor 'Z''
.,
A. It is the circumstance of the three ~yll~- '
bles, and, an, en, which are so much alike m
sound, following each other; without any other

word intervening.
Q. How might it be corrected ?
.
A. Thus, "And a serpent of enormous size

lay dead on the floor."
CHAPTER XX.

Of Sound as suited to the Sense.
Q. "'\Vhat is considered the h ighest species
of ornament arising from harrn011y Ill co1npo-

sition '!
A. That which consists

lll

an adaptation of

the sound to the sense.
.
Q. By wh om is this quality of st yle cluefiy
exhibited 'J

61

60

A. By all ?tu princj pal poets ; though

oi1t

b_est_prose writers also abound in beauties of a
samlar kind ; as there is generally some correspondence bctwen the fiow and modulation of
th e language, and the nature and character of
the thoughts and sentiments expressed.
.
Q. vV hen can the sound most readily be
made an echo to the sense?
A. In cases in which sound or motion come
t? be described ; though calm and gentle emot10ns may be always exp ressed to most advantage by, s~nooth and gentle language ; while
h~ush _feelmgs and rugged sentiments, naturally'
g1 ve nse to harsh and rugged diction.
_Q. Can yon give an example of the sound
bemg an echo to the sense?
A. The following may all be considered ex.nmplcs of this : -

~ 'Ill!

~

1 11:

j, l i : i
:tiJ :!

I·;

ifll!i

~

I:•

"A ncl'dl,'ss ;\lc:xnndr in " i·nd-; tl1c son""
Tl1«t. ., l i k c ,1· \\01,..c,1
· , ,.1 .i.1 .-, n, 1"1"
,,
· •."1, ,, w lr:n,'ih alonO'"
dr:t •.> its
0
•
" Tl
• ~1 imp_
•
"'
. Ic. '_v a:cs IJC Jlln1_
cl tlw w:1vcs before,
~1de:t0llmg, foaming high , and tumbling on the shore."
\V itn many a weary step, aud rnuny a groan
"?,~) the hig-h hill he heaves a huge round stone;'
.~, li e h:1 g-e round stone, resulting- with a bound
J. llumlcrs unpetuous cl:;wn, an d :m10kc0 ;:ilD11g-,tl1c ground.,,
, _ - - On a suddw open fly,
,
'V1th impetuous recoil a nd jarring- sound .

The infernal doors, and on their hin ges grate

Harsh thunder ."

Q. Is the correspondence between sense and
sound always real?
A. In some cases it may be partly or wholly
fanciful, and in others it depends altogether
upon the manner of reading; but still the examples given are sufficient to show that such
correspondence does often, and to a considerable extent, exist.
Q. "\Vho have been n1ost distinguished for
attention to harmonious composition ·~
A. The Greeks and RomLtns among the ancients, and the Italians and French among the
inoderns.
Q. '\Vhat tended to promote the study of harmonious composition among the ancients ?
A. Partly their own fine inusical taste, and
part1 y the highly n1clodions and flexible chn.ractcr of their lancrnacrc.
'.""'
0
Q . Has this stndy never been carri~d to excess?
A. Frequently; an<l. it is alw ays so, \Vl1c11
sense is, in the least Jcgrcc; ~acrificccl to ~onnd.
't:J
,,l _,·1"'1
, , i1I ..
J
Q. Do not strc1irrtli
and liarmo11 y 0(r~"11

go together ?
6

,
63

62

A. Language taken in its comrno.n and ~rdi­
nary signification; as, I am fond ot s11nslunc;
this is a sweet e'l.:ening.
Q. And what by figurative language?
A Lano-ua(J'c used in such a way as to excite ideas ~r f;elinas widely different from those
which it would ;roduce, if employed in its
common and ordinary acceptation ; as, " Reaso.n
is the sunshine of the soul ;" " Our friend is
now in the evening of life."
Q. What is the meaning of sunshine and evening in these examples?
A. The one implies that reason has the same
effect upon the soul that sunshine h~s ~pon the
earth; the other, that period wpen hfe is draw-

A. For the most part they do; and it fre ..
quelltly happens that a sentence is weak or
obscure in exact proportion to its want of har..
mony.
Q. Can you give any example of this?
A. ':'This is a mystery which we firmly believe the truth of, and we humbly adore the
depth of;'' is neither so strong nor so harmonious as, "This is a mystery, the truth of which
we firmly believe, and the depth of which we
humbly adore."

CHAPTER XXI.

ing to a close.
Q. On what is figurative languag~ .founde~?
A. On some resemblance or opposition wluch
one thing is supposed to bear to another.

Of .r-,igurat'ive Language.

h .~.~~ = ==

~~ .~t ~

~

!J -

tiv<~

:r;; ;;:
i -:: ~

~

~

1 1!

'

:s .~~ - '

~
!!

i!IP ~ l!B
lliii· Jt IA!

n.

Wh<tt constitutes th<~ cl 11 d d1il~·rt·11<T ln:tween literal aucl (i_g urati\·e Li 11 '.:;nnge '!
A
Literal
1anrrna
..a...
.
::::i
orre is the langua~e chietly

L:rngnage.

(-!. In how many ditforent

!II

~; -; l~

....

Q. What do you consider the next. important
reqnisite of a perspicuous and elegant style?
A. A j11dic.ion::-; use of wltat is called Fignraway~

may 1an-

~

~
.
of 3ciencc
and, reason
;

··••·JU"'fJ"f>
g • ·. . ., l u.u..._
L'-=- - ·1 th,,
• ·-lan crua<rc m·incipa11y of passion and imag-ina-

g na.Q·e be ernp1oved?

~

·__:

...&..

..;

A. Chiefly two; the one literal, the other

fl !.!ltro 1-i·re.
Q . \Vlmt do you understand by litPral lanu-uaCTe
'J
:::i
t:>

o

t

'

0

r1· · ·1•r·1t.1\''-'

1

t

tion.
Q . By whom is tig·11rative language useJ m

. r~J;:
'

: /-"~'\~~

l~~jt'f!~

-'"'-:-:-·~~

!1:"'1tfif~ ·
1

greatcq p rofnsi on '!

-~-;~~
'

~ . ·t~!~

.---:-~

~(Lfil?1

64

65

A. By rude and savage nations, whose stock
of words is remarkably scanty; and by all prrsons,. '~hethe~ savag_e or civilized, who possess
\qrnck :1.nd ~1 vely fancy.
. Q. "\V hat Is the most fertile source of figurntive language?

A. The application of words that denote sensibl~ objects, for the purpose of expressina the

var10us qualities and operations of the mi~d.
. Q. What, therefore, is the general character
of lan~a~e used to denote mental objects?
A. It Is In general highly ti.o-urative · thouo-h
to thi.s circumstance we ares;; acctisto~ed as~o
pass It over almost unnoticed.
Q. _C an you give examples of this?
. A. A cl~ar head, a hard heart, a piercing
JU?gment; inflamed by passion, puffed up with
pnde, melted into grief, are all examples of this,
and yet so common that we hardly regard them
as figures of speech.
Q. What advantage does lanauao-e
derive
0
0
froin its figurative application?
~· By its figurative use it is rendered more
var.1ed and copious, more sprightly and ener..
get1c.
4

Q. How does it produce these effects 1

t

l

'

I

A. By giving to a single word the power of
expressing more th a n one: thoug-l1t or idea.
Q. Can you give an example to this effect?
A. " \Vhen we dip too dc('p in pleasure, we
stir up a sediment that renders it impure and
noxious," is a sentiment which could not he expressed either so briefly or so forcibly by any
literal language that we co11 Id use.
Q. When is figurati \'e language improper?
A \Vhen it is either unnatural or far-fetched,
~
. used with too great profusion, or not cal cu lated to deepen the impression intended to be
made.
Q Is figurative language all of one c1rn.racter '!
A. Far from it; but, though exceedingly
diversified, it may all be classed under certain
heads, called figures of speech.
Q. \Vhat, then, are the principal figures of
speech?
A. Simile, Metaphor, Allegory, Personification, Apostrophe, Metonymy, Synecdoche, Climax, Antithesis, Hyperbole, Irony, Interrogation, Exclamation, Vision, and Alliteration.
6*

66

67
Q. Do we never compare things of the same

CHAPTER XXII.

Of Simile.
Q. W:hat do you understand by Comparison -or Simile?
A. That figure of speech by which we liken
one thing to another, either for the purpose of
informing the judgment, or of pl easing the fancy.
Q. Can you give an example of this figure'!
A. "A virtuous man, slandered by evil
tongues, is like a diamond obscured by smoke."
"And, as n bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies,
He tried teach art, reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brigh t.er worlds, nnd led th~ wny."

Q. \Vhat is the foundation of this figure 1

A. Analogy, or resemblance, either in character or effect.
Q. From what sonrcc, th en, must similes be
drawn?
A. From objects which arc of a<lifferent class,
bnt yet possess some ci nnlity in common with
those to be explained or ii t 11stratcd.
Q. Why do we not compare things of the
same ki11cl?
A. Because the resemblance is then too close
and obvious to admit of comparison.

class?
A. We compare things of the same class, for
the purpose of marking their difference; ~ut
those of a different class, with a view to pomt
out their resemblance.
Q. What rules have you to give for the use
of this figure?
A. "\Vhen used for the purpose of illustration,
it should always be taken from something .that
is better known than the thing to be explained.
,. Q. Can you give any example of this?
A. " As a river pours its waters to the sea,
whence its spring was supplied ; so the heart
of a grateful man delights ,to return a Lcncfit
. d"'
receive
/.
Q. What is the rule respecting similes when
used for embellishment as well as illustration'?
A. They onght always to ?e d educed frm!1
objects that are dignified and nnportant, or sucn
as mav be contemplated with pleasure.
J
l . 'l
Q. Can you give any examples oi t us.
1

A. " As in the hollow breast of Apcnninc,
Beneath the shelter of encircl ing hills,
.
A my rtle rises, far from human eye,
And breathes its balmy fragrance o'er the wild:
So flourished, blooming, and unseen by all,
The sweet Lavinia."

68
Q. By what terms are comparisons general-

. Q. O n what is it found ed ?
A. Like the simil e, it is fo unf1ed altogether
upon resemblance, and is m erely a comparison
in an abridged form.
Q. Can you illustrate this difference by ex-

ly introduced?
A. By the words like, thus, as, or so.
Q . vVhat then do you deem a perfect simile?
A. One that both illustrates and ennobles a
subject ; though it cannot be said to be misapplied, should it do only the one.
Q. "\\That sort of comparisons shou ld we
avoid?
A. Such as have no tendency either to explain or beautify; and, therefore, neither convey knowledge, nor excite new and pleasing
trains of thought.

0
•

taphors?
A. Not to use them too profusely, an d let the m
be such as accord with the natural train of the

CHAPTER XXIII.

OJ JYletaphor.
Q. \Vh at do you n nd erstand by a Metaphor?
A. A conqi~msnn 11t whidt tlic words deno'· '~· ~

"

I illll

~ ~'~

I :iii

i nl1l

ting the sirnil itmlc :tr('. ~11ppn'ssed: :is," I will
he to her a w all of tire ;1 ' that is, "as a wall of
fire. "
Q. In whllt respect, then , docs it differ from
a ~i mil e '?
A. l n its greater brevity and force, and in its
he mg a mnc h bolder and more striking fi gure.

ample 7
A. When I say of a minister, "He upholds
'the state, like a pillar that supports an edifice(
I make a comparison; but when I say, "He is
the pillar of the state," I then use a m etaphor.
Q. vVhat is the first rule for the use of me-

!

••
.

:;

t
l

'
I
'

i
)

thoughts.
Q. vVhat is the next?
A. Care should be taken that the resemblan ce
upon which the figures are founded be clear
and perspicuous, and the m etaphors drawn
from snch olJjccts as are easily nndcrstond .
(l. On what is this rule foullllcd !
A . On the <'1rcnmstance t h at if a w o rd is uuintel \ igihk in a 1itera1 1 it rnnst l>c much more so
in a metaplwricLll sense.
Cl. \Vhat is the next rule'?
A. Metaph or ical and literal language should
ncYN he .inmhled and mix~d together.

•
70

71

Q. Can you illustrate this by example?
CHAPTER XXIV.

A. "To thee the world its present homage puys
The harvest early, but vwt'llre the praise,''

is a mixed metaphor ; for harvest is figurative,
but praise is literal, in its meaning.
Q. What would it require to be to make it
accurate?
A. "The harvest early, but mature the frnit,"; •
which would probably have been the word used,
had it suited the poet's rhyme.
Q. What further have you to remark respecting the use of metaphors?
A. \Ve should neither pursue them too for,
nor use, for the same object, two metaphors that
are inconsistent with each other.
Q. Can you give any example of the latter
part of the rule ?
A.

1
'

I bridl,e in my struggling muse with pain,
That longs to la'llnck into n. bolder strain."

Q. vVhat js the error here ?
A. The muse is first compared to a horse
held in by a bridle, that it may not launch,
action which properly belongs to a ship ; and
then it is to launch, not into water, but into &
strain or singing, which, being literal, produces
4 strange jumble of figures, altogether incom..
patible wit.h correct wrjting,

a1;

OJ Allegory.
Q. "\V hat is an Allegory ?

I

II
I
~

I
i

'I
i

I

l
~

A. A sort of protracted or extended meta. .
phor, in which one thing is made to represent
another that possesses certain points of resemblance.
Q. Is there no other difference between a
metaphor and an allegory than that of their
length?
A. The chief difference, besides their length,
is, that the inetaphor, being always joined
with some word that explains it, is more easily
understood than the alleg-ory, which requires
more thoucrht
and reiiection to perceive the
b
connexion between what is said and what is
intended.
Q. "\Vhat species of writing may be included
under this figure ?
A. Parables and fables, in which, under certain similitudes, religious and moral instruction
is often conveyed.
Q. Among whom did this st yle of writing
most prevail?
A. Among the ancients, tlwugh many mocl·

''. '

72

i·y

:4,~,-· _-:_ :_'...._

-. -·

~

i-~ ~
-- :

·~

·~/'.l--~

'·

/:._·k~J

.,.-,..~

::-:t-...,.:

\-,:;£..

%~~·;~

;1 . ~~~~: ·~ H

73

ern writers have used it wit.h goo<l dfrct ; nnd
it is a rnodc of i11c11ka1 in ~· trnth very rn11(·h rn
sorted tu even in tlie ~cripttir(·s.
Q. \\That is the chief Ji rectio11 for the use of
ti1 is figure?
.A. T11e great rcc;ui~it( ~ lll tl lt~ llSl~
Uus ii~
ure is to make it lin:'ly auu iukrcsti11g·) it11d pwscn'C ~proper disti11ctio11 bctwci·n the llg11ra·
ti ve expression and the literal si~n iflcatinn.

or

Q. ls ma langnn;;-0 fo\·ou r;ih]1: lt) 1!1(' nsc of
this Ji:. :;u n' !
A. 'l'l 1cre is nnnc 11tnre so, ;111d l1c·11Cl', 111
p art, its pccu]i;tr Jit1wss iiH· p(>•:try .
. (}
' 'I \) \\'li;ti i-.; this f,-) lw :1'••:1·il11·i1 !
·X•
;\ . 'i' u 1l 1t: tfr, 11111 · 1i ()11 c1t' ~ 1 111 I1· r 111 I : w :· i :~ l 1
nouns, hL:i11:..:· in
JS

oC in;uiilll;:tc

XX V.

Of Pcrsrmijin1tiun.
Q. ·vv'lwt do you mean by \~rsoniticalwn '!
r·
1
L
f n I l. 1..
A. '111ll.ll lltrUte
DV WfllCil We il.Ltf]iill .!_; 1 (07
"'"'
.
~.;ex, rnld <ictiou, lo i 11a11i111<ttc hc~ings.
By what is this fignre promptcll?
A. E ither 1Jy tlw excrcis(~ nC an acti\'e 1rnn<r;-1-, .-1~t'1. crn
or intense ll'C'lin,r,_ a11cl arises from a
.__,1
~crtain proneness in tl w lnlm<tll rnirnl to iu~
vest ali surrounding oojects with life an<l acti·
vity.
Q.. \Vh<tt effoct li;i,s it npon style?
A. 1t tends both to en liven and to embellish
it ' heincr
,-..,, when .;, ndiciously used, one of its
greatest ornament~.
t

•

(l.
i(,

~ ~-4 i2~Wiiiii

! --

-.-.

_.._ _

w ]1 ;ll <tdr;1:11i1'...'.·c d1ws tl1is '..'.i\·,, 11s !

A. \\ l11l1· \\·c . 1>:1
CIIAPTEI~

'

-

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t

..!.- •

•

:-:l

\1.·J1icl1

th(~ CilS1: ill 11lillJY ()lfwr lt11J _'...'.'llil'._'.I ' '.

Cl. A11d

·-··•·;,
-'.;·';.

F~ _:~- .

not

<uT1JrcL11wc \\·11!1 11;tt11n' ,

1lr (l111;1r~· 1l1· 1·;i·•i1111".

11ll j1 ·1 ~t..; ;1s d1·:--.ti1 11t, ·

() t.

:-:1 · \:

:--;,,.. 1:-:
\\•·; in·

c11ablc·d) \\'ltt'll 1h1· ()( '1';1 <-., i(n1 r1·i;1111:· .-, 11; l:> (I: '!
nil\· !ht ·trt hy :q:p1 · !lali( ~iJ ~: ]'''Cttli;:r 1111 11 :1li " '1 1 r
J; ·:11a!t's.
ti
l' Lll1 t11<..~ same iwt be 11n11r: 111 <·\-1·r .\ · j;' l; I.'-"'-•

°!
A. j\n; for in most

Fllil':-,1' ( :
.-,

l a11~11a1~·,·~; t l11'.

!2·c·1 1d1 'r

1:-i

invari:1l 1l)r liX('<I, ;rn<l c:111nnt l1<: cl1;1ll'.:·1'.d ;1t il1"

will ll!. LL1· \'. riLt·r !
Q. (' ;111 y()n 1. l '111~; 1r ;1t 1' \\-il; i.1 y·1q l 11 I ,· l ',· \' ·' . I, ,· l ', ' I •~
by cxa111 pie !
A. in spcal<iw;- nf the ~;rrn : nn r:orn1nnn rw(':rs1on we ~<1y. it lL,l'S, or it s1·!-.;: !1111, 1l1 1·;ts<'> t 1l
l - ,• I
µTeater i1101neut, we <.t:::cnue t0 it t 1e .tttlil:ul 1.-:
n
.
.
.
I .
.,
0 I~ a rn;t1t'. ·, ·t1 1d
- 11~"'
,,_ hc <t:-.; Tlunn-.:na 111 J11:-: :-) 1·: 1!

-

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--:-:---:"

-~---::-

-x=·~,-~

J·~f~

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>./ill~
~-:Et~f~
·~ +·:.~~

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75

74
"But yonder comes the powerful king of day,
R ejoicin g in the east. The lessening cloud,
The kindling azure, and the mountain's brow·
Illumed with fluid gold, kis near approach
Betoken glad. Lo! now, apparent all,
A slnnt the dew-bright earth and coloured air,
H e looks in boundless majesty abroad;
And s heds th e shining day, that burnished plays,
On rocks, and h ills, and towers, and wandering streams,.
Hig-h gl eamin g from afar."

Q. In what species of writinoo does this

'.

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'fl/ :
'

I

CHAPTER XXVI.

OJ Apostrophe.
Q. What do yon mean by an Apostrophe ?
A. A sudden address or appeal to a dead
or absent person, as jf he were alive or present, and could he:ir what was spoken.
Q. What is the character of this figure '!
A. It is the boldest and most striking of
all the figures of speech, and is al ways a
token of great fervour of mind.
Q. Can you give an example ·t
A. One of the most striking is that of
David lamenting the death of his son Absa..
lorn : " And the king was much moved, and
went up ro the chamber over the gate, and
wept; and as he went, thus he said, 0 my son
Absalom ! my son, my son Absalom ! would to
G od I had died for thee, 0 Absalom, my son,
my son!"
Q. Is this figure ever used in referenc e to
inanimate objects ?
A. Frequently ; and when so employed it is
always blended with personification; we first
personify, and then apostrophise.
Q. Cnn yon give un example of this ?

fio-0

ure chiefly abound ?
A. It is used very frequently, and al ways
with great propriety, in the Scriptures; and it
often appears in the works of our best poets and
orators.
Q. Will you give an example from the Scriptures?
A. "\Vhen Israel went out of Egypt, the
house of Jacob from a people of strange language ; the sea saw it, and fl ed; Jordan was
driven back! the mountains skipped like rams,
and the little hills like lambs."
Q. When may this figure be said to be abused 1
A. vVhen the actions ascribed to inanimate
objects are unnatural, vulgar, or indelicate ; or
when the figure is so overstrained as to be
either ridiculous or unintelligible.

J

77

76
A. "yc mountains of Gilboa let there b
·b
'
c no
cw, 1rn1t er l_ct ther.c be rain upon you, nor
fi~lds o~ offenngs; for there the ~h iel<l of th1,
n11ghty is vilely cast away tlic shi nltl )f. S· I
as th
l l
'
.., i ..__ ( u 1 '
ou~ l ie had n o ~ been anointed with oil. ,,
Q. vV11cn may this fiaure
LY' S"l.d to l
.
o
>O llllpropcrly applied?

d

v

"

J·s d 1.'c I\.el l ou t
· A.
h \ Vhcn the ob-Jiect ad<lrcs"·e<l
·"
~n t e garb of flowery language, or loaded with
any sort of studied ornament.
Q. What is faulty in this 1
A. It is contrary to nature . 1I'.01· tl1 · .. fi b ·
' (
is 1gurc
cmg the product of highly-excited feeliwr'
must never appear as the result of ar t or Jabou~:
Q. Is there any other error counccted with
the use of this figure '!
, ~- yes ; there is that of extending it too for
wlu~b~ mu.st, on all occasions, destroy its clfoct:
as g1v1~g ~t the appearance of beino- stu<lie<l
0
and art1ficial,

CHAPTER

xxvn.

Of ll!fetonyrm y and Synecdoc!ze.

my~·

vVhat do you understand by Mctony.

A. That figure of speech by which we put
the cause for the effect, or the effect for the
cause; the container for the thing contained, or
the sign for the thing signified.
Q. Can you give an example of each of
these?
A. "I am reading Milton ;" " Gray hairs
should be respected;" " The kettle is boiling;"
"He has at last assumed the sceptre."
Q. Can you explain the figures here used ?A. Milton is taken for his 1Vorks, which is
the cause for the effect; gray ha irs for old ag e,
which is the effect for the cause; the 1-:cttlc for
the water in it, which i.s the container for the
thing contained ; and the sceptre, for king ly
power, which is the sign for the thing signified.
Q. And what do you mean by Synccdoche?
A. That figure by which
put the whole
for a part, or a part for the whole; a genus for
a species, or a species for a genus ; or any thing
less, or any thing more, for the precise object
,meant.
Q. Can you give exan1ples of this ?
A. "A fleet of twenty sail." "All hands were
at work." " This dome protects me." "Man
gains his bread by the sweat of his brow."
Q. In what sense are all these terms taken ?
7*

we

l, .
L·
; !'
I".
l«-

78

79

A . Sail is taken frlr sh ir.: ; dom r fi1r /wusr ;
haJtds for 11wn; awl hrc([rL ti >l' 111/ tlu• nN ~H 11 .
TIC$' Of 11· 1r;,
. t « • :w Ii ,.. , , ,.
G •~, a
p r u 11111H '1 tr i 1a r I 11
lwiu~ Liken ii)r tli(' \vl111i (·.
p.x.. '11n \V JIlle 11~·11 l'i._' ls syncc·d11tJ11• n:;..--.! ; ;
1
liccl '!
·

they are ab1e to do ; if wh:-it they arc a11c t0
dci, they <larc <lo; i f what they dare Jo, _tl u·y
real Iv. execute:, ;:md iC what they exccntc 1s no
\\Ta\! ()ii; •lJSi\"l' t1) VCll! .. ,
.
(1, \Vii; tt is tlic \'kU"::i.cti ·r nf t11is !i'..2,"1Hc?
/\.. Jt is cxtn · nwl~· ln~;111tit"111; ;1u(t wl H:n pr 11pcrly man;1~(·d, is 1:akt1 iat 1· d til 1_t1 a~\.1 ~ a 1'°,\\·1·rful j 11 1prcssin t1 t1pott tlie rni11 cl nt tlw rcaon or

,.

1

,;

rl

'

1·

t

.

.

lo me nny111y: li11 ·y 1H· 1 11~~ ri::iir• .... ;· .1
si1i1 jlar J.;iml; merely 1;it11Jdcd tqH 11 1 d11;; .r, ii! r···
1t.

l.:1tinus.

CHAPTEH XXYHI.

OJ Cli111r 1.1: rnu l f,'lllr 11/ f' rr1 /ion.
(1. \Vhnt dn you mf':-in hy a Cl in1~1x?
A. A. series
mcn1lwrs ir; a !"'f'lll(•t)('I', rnd1
.
.
ns111g Ill rrnporL1n <' C' ahov1~ thr> on1· wli1cli !'recedes it~ frnm tlit ~ 1ir;--;1 to tl1c ]; 1st.

or

(.{ . \Vi 1en may a clim;1x be consid1~n·d
l>e::;t constructed '!-

[L'-'

A. vVlicn the last id ea of the former mnnbc r becomes the 1irst or the latter, and so nn fo
th e end of the series.
Cl. Cau yon give an example of this ti!:;nr·· '!
/L "\Vllat hope is there rcma.ininrr of liberty
.
.
.
.
:--,
-'
11 wl1atcvcr is their pleasure, it is lawfu l for
tl w w to do j if what i~. lJ. w fril for them tl) do,
.('

)

hearer.
(.l. Bv whom is it c11ietly 11sL~d '?
A . Cl.1idlv l1v orcLtors, tlw11~h ntlier \i:rit•:rs
also frcq111·n.tly ;1\·ai l t11(:l1J.'-'1:h···s of ih 11s1'.
Cl. \Vh;it is l ':nmrn~rati1H1 '!
A. A series ofparti<'nlars nwrc ly, wi tliont 1l1at
arll.cln <ll incrcG..c;e in pnint of irnportancc, wl1ich
ilic climax exhibits, and iwccssaril y implies.
Q. Ca11 yon ~i\'t • a11 c>::all11d1: 'J
A. " vV(~ arc a ll p romp ted by the sanic motives, all decei vcd 1>y tlic same !'a1 lacii·s, all
animated hy hope, ohstrncted by <.Linger, ('!1tanglcd liy -de sire, aJl(l seduced hy p1,~asu ri ·."
ll. Are n ot climax aud enumcratiott P:':r·r i
conjoined together?
A. There is, in almost every series, a ,£;rca.ter or less degree of incrcast: of force Gml 1111·
portance, and so for the two coincide.

~:· ~. '1

~~~~

82
Q. On what is it founded ?
~- On that propensity iu human nnturo
which prompts, either to extol or vilify hcron<l
~e~sure whatever excites admiration or crcnte~
d1slike.
Q. o.f what then is it generally the r snit 1

A. _Eit?er of strong passion, or of w nut of
due discrimination.
Q. Is this ~ common figure of speech 1
A: Very common in the conversation of both
pass10nate and ignorant people; and it is frequently to be found in the compositions of all
bombastic writers.
Q. Is it then a figure always to be avoided 1
Ad. ~y no means ; it may be, and oficn is,
use with excellent effect, especially when it is
the spontaneous result of stron()" foeli.nob
:-::>"
Q. Can you give an example of thi~ kind 1
A. "ThP-y were swifter than eaO"les
· they
0
'
were stronger that lions."
'Q. What do you mean by Irony?
A. The expression of strong reproof or censure under the appearance of praise.
Q. Ho\v then must the true meaninO" be
0
known?
·A._ By the circumstances of the speaker in
relatwn to the object that he means to censure.

83
Q. What end does Irony serve ?
A. It often gives greater poignancy to reproof,
as it is generally calcnlated to bring ridicule
upon the object to which it is applied.
Q. How is it best applied ?
A. In reproving folly or vice ; for, as applied
to persons, it more frequently produces irritation
than amendment.
Q. Can you give an example of this figure?
A. In saying of a very impudent fellow, "A
person of his distinguished modesty could surely not be guilty of such a deed,'' would be an
instance of strong irony, in which is said the
very opposite of what is intended.
Q. What is the rule for the use of hyperbole
and ironv?
A. To. use them as sparingly as possible, as
a frequent or improper use of either is al ways
a great blemish in composition.

CHAPTER :X:XXI.

Of Interrogation and Exclamation.
Q. What do you mean by Interrogation?
A. Such a form of speech as serves to ask a.
question.

85

84
Q. Is interrogation always used

fi n

ly?
A. No; it is never so used wh n
!o _make inquiry about any thing of
is ignorant.
Q. When may it be said to t ll ~
tively?
A. When so used, that, nndcr the npp< r nc
of a question, it serves the purpose of tr, n
declaration.
Q. Can you exemplify this '1
A. " Canst thou by searching- fi d ou t f;od J
~anst thou find out the Almighty unto
n;
t10n ?"
Q. What is implied in these qn <'~tiorur .
~- ~ str~ng_ declaration that the Sup~
Being is quite incomprehensible, and cannot be
found out.
Q. Is this a common figure ?
A. Very much so ; and is often the stron t
mode of reasoning, as implying the a~ nc f
~11 doubt respecting the object of the intcrrog:it10n.
. Q . vVhat do you understand by ExcJama.

t10n?
A. A mode of expression which exhibitl
great emotion of mind.

Q. By what is it gen er ally produced 1

A. By the deep· or lively sense which we
have of the greatness or importance of any
object.

Q. In what does it differ from interroga·

tion?

A. Chiefly

its hein:g the language of pas·
sion and emotion ; while interrogation is prin·
cipally that of reason aud judgment
Q, Can you give an example of this figure?
A. "Oh ! the depth of the riches, both of
the wisd01n and the knowledge of God! l low
unsearchable are his jnclgmcnts, and h is wa.y::i
past finding out!"
Q. Is this figure ever combined with any
iii

oti 1.er?
A. It is often combined with climax, a~ it t the
following example :-"What a piece of work is
man! how noble in reason! how infinite in
faculties! in action, how like an angel ! m apprehension, how like u god !"

CHAPTER XXXII.

, Of Vision and J1llitcration.
Q. What do you 1nean by Vision 1
0

11 ~·
I

j'K

=~

86

87

A. 'l.,hat figure by which p t f .
.
tant b:
.
as' utu
or dt
o ~ects, are <lesc n bed as. l.1· t IH~ y w r. ct
allQ
Y present
· o f Lhc speaker or wrn U·
'T
hto the v1e~v
r.

A. On that pleasure which the ear feels in
the recurrence of similar sounds at regular and
stated distances.
Q. Can you give any examples?

adap.ted ·~ w at sort of co111posilio11 is this tiguttt

A." Ruin

seize thee, nlt\1less kin g ."
"Up th e high hill he heave s a hu ge round stone."
" Softly sw eet in Ly<lia11 rn• asur• 'S,
Soon he so1)t.h ed lris soul to p\e<1s11 res.
"To h.~gh-bo rn fl,)el's h. tt rp, or so fr L lewellyn '.,, lay ."

A.. Only to such a.s IS
· Iug
· 1ily trlowi na r1d
~
o
Pass10nate.
· when properly introdu Q.d \'lVhat effect I1as it
ce .
A. It excites
· deep mterest
·
in tl
l.
templated
d
ic o )jCcts con' an makes us fancy we see them
present before our eyes.
Q. Can you give
· an example of this 1

Q. Is this fig;ure always the effect of study?
A. In many instances it mn.y be purely accidental, and on the~e occasions it appea rs most
natural, and its effects are by for the n1ost
pleasing.
Q. \\hat is the best and most general rule

Wh

A "Loc h'ie1! Lochiel ! bewnrc of the d:iy

for all the figures of speech ?
A. It is, never to inake a deliberate search
after them; use th em only when they rise spontaneons\y ont of the subject; never pursue them
too far ; and let them always be such as enforce
and illuslrutc, as well as crnhdl ish a subject .

en the Low lands J II
For a field of the deads ia hm ert th ee in l>nttlo- tuTt\Y'
rus es red on my s · I
ig it,
n d the clans of C 11 d
A
They 11
h
u o en are scattered in fi"hl.
ra y, t ey bleed, for their kin O'd . . o .
Wo wo to th 'd
h
"' om and crowni
Id c'
e n ers t at trample thrm down I
P
umbcrlund prances, In!mltin:.;
·
A rou
d
th e sbin
n tneir hoof-beaten bosom s .ue
. . , t10
. .d to the plain
,
.,

t,. . .

Q
What do you mean by A1·1·t
.
.
A. T
1 cratwn 1
vals. a , he (J~se o.f such wor~s, at certain iuter' .s,. ·Leom
c.:· .
lCtlllf.
l . · r. with or contmn the o.J<llHC
Q • . 1. s .t ns iwure
much i11 i·1SC.
. 'I
o
A. It 1s. very mu. c·Il in
· use arnon <r Oil r best
poets ' an<l
even
.
·
b
.
sometnnes muon<r i 1rose
wr;, .... ·
Q. On wl . t . . ]·
.:i r
aM;ira.
dd is t1c figure founded'!

-en APTER

XX.XIII.

Of the 111orc Gcnerul Rules fnr Cum1;osition.
Q. On whnt, from all tl 1;tt
i

Ila~ been ~aidi

uo

yon consi<ler accurn.tc compositiun to depend '!

..

89

88
A. On the selection nnd
words proper for CAi>ressin;r th
we intend to communicate.
Q. On what again do the..,
A. On a ki10wledgo of grou
branches, and an inti mate ncqn
the meaning of w ords.
Q. What renders these so
nti J
A. The circumstance that with UL
we cannot select, nor without tl1 otl
with propriety.
Q. And how are these to
- '1
A. Only by rending and study,
with constant attention to tho .n
we express our thoughts as compared
of others.
Q. What is further requisite ?
A. An intimate knowledge of tho subj
upon which we desire either to spenk or wri _
Q.. How comes this to be so IH~ ccs.sary l _
A. Because no man, whate v(·r be his kn~w~
ledge of language, can either speak or ~: ;i well upon a subject of which he is ignunu••~
CL How is this knowledge to b1~ r"J!itidari.l 7
A. To all knowledge there is h11t one f~•
and that is, constant studv. and at~ntive t~

vation.

Q. Is any thing further necessary.?.
A. Y es ; for in addition to tlie requ1s1te knowledge, we must have great practice before we

can compose well.
Q. \Vhat proof have you of this?
A. J\'Ien uossessina
extensive information. can
~
b
often speak well upon a variety of s~1bJects,
but yet, from want of practice, can wnte well
upon none.
.
Q. On what subjects should a person write,
.
.
.
'l
in order to aam this pract1ce .
A. Upon ~uch subjects as he perfo~tly understands· berrinniwr with the more simple, and
proceedingl'.">gradu~lly to those of ~r~ater di~cul­
ty, according to the extent of his mformnt10n.
Q. What will be the consequence of a person
writing upon what he does not properly under-

stand '!
A. He will write a stiff, affected, unnatural
style, snch as no person will either hear or
read with anv pleasure.
.
· Q. \\'hat . arc requis ite for attainin6 crru-

nence in composition !
A. Genius a.u<l. taste; the former to prompt,
the ]utter to correct a11d pofo;l1.
Q. How is case in compositwn best attained?
A. By writing foa!J.?ssly and bol<lly; but, at
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90

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the same time, guarding i\r;ninst
b
like extravagance cith 'r of
ner.

A. 'I'hat which, without violating nntnrc,
di ffers most widely from comrnon prose.
Q. -Which kind of con iposi ti on is snppose'l
the most ancient?
A. Poetry; for, though, in refined society,
w express their thoughts in verse, compared
to the numbers that do so in prose, yet history
informs us that the most ancient species of
composition, among all rude nations, is poetry.
Q. To what is this to be ascribed?
A. To the circumstance of imagination , on
which poetry chiefl y depends, coming earlier
so maturity than reason or judgment, the main
sources of prose.
Q. For what purpose was the earliest poetry

CIJAPTEn ••

Of Dijfere11t Kind.• of
Q. What arc the pr.incipnl d1

ing to literary Compositiotl 1
A. They are those of pro
Q. What do you undcmtantl
position ?
A. The common nnd
expressing our thought. ,
or writing.
Q. What do you um] rs
A. Lively and strik in
thought, expressed in lungu
the sake of harmony, accordint.r 11.)4ZfltAIJtLlldilL.
Q. In h ow many tliin :..,rs lbrn .i.~ I;;,~~f
differ from prose ?
A. In two; partly m the
thongh ts thernseivcs, and parth· ir~ ~1~~ ~~..~~·.
tion and arrangement of the words..
Q . What sort of poetry mny then
dered the best 'J
""

91

used?
A. Either for the promulgation of laws, the
celebration of great martial ach ievements, or
for the purpose of being set to music and sung.
Q. Under what heads rnay prose composition be inc1ucl1·d '!

A. Umler th ose or Letters, l)ialo'.._!"tw: lfi:-;t n.-;!;!l;ml... ry, Essays, Philosophy, Orations, n.11d :\ovcls.
J:
Q. \Vliat arc the Ji\'isi0t1s uf podry as rc-==--~
-:;J.====- gards its structure ?
;.t.·

A. 'l"'hey are those of Blank Verse and
Rhyme.

·"

93
t!w di vi.; : in« .r,,, t 4.a':#ik~1 ~~M'~
the subjects of which it tr1. b 1
A.• Til
ey arc P a.s lnr:d,• f )t'"'"'·d;otn'.:
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Lyne, Epic, and Drama tic 1\-."'(f'f.

Q. \ 'Vhn.t

are

CHAPTER X

.¥)

c~i:'i-'

A. lt should possess great CGSe <Uld sirnplierty) nnd approach more, than a ny ot h er spc~~· ~ of cumposition, to the 11aturc of cuHvcrsa-

-tJ:·

Q . vVhat do you undcr:o:tand IJv
. Dialoo-ne?
:-:,
A. Conversation kept up by <liiforcnt speak-

. V.

- upon any subject of in terest.
ll. Is it confined to any particula r su lJjcct '!
A. No; for , li ke letter-wr iting, it may be ap- p!it.'tl to subjects of all sorts.
Q. Is it a diflicult stvle
of' writinoJ
:::i 'l•
A. Very nmcl1 so; as the <l itli•r1·1tt parts nt
- a dialo~uc require to corrcsponrl with tllc
-~lnracter of the ditforc11t sp(:akcrs.
Q. Is this bra11ch of literature rnucl1 rn request 'J
A. Not nearly so much so as it 01 1ce was·
'
tlwugh tliern arc still sonic VL'l'Y JH'p11lar \V ()rl\ s
- ~!th is class; as (\lnvcrsatiolls <>JI i\';tt11ral J>hiW.>Ophy, 1\!lon~hcad · s I ) ia l o~·u1· s uu l\at11ral ;uid
Re vealed Ile! ib-iun : & c.
Q. Who are supposed t<J l1an~ (•xcdl1 ~d n iost
tu this kind of writin(r?
0
A. 'Tlic ancicuts, Jlartic11larlv. P lato ' ~ucra~
lt?S, and Cicero.
Q. What is snpposed to lrnve 0(riven rise to
d1is pru·ticnlar description of composition '!

OJ Letters aml l >ial();jif ..
Q. What is Letter-wnting co!fJ!Wi.ltdf '~

ed?
A. Epistolary corrc~ pondetl~~
Q. Is this au importa nt hrimdl ~ ~~
tion ?
. ----·
A. Perhaps as mu ch so M wr; -rt i~~
who can write, re< pii ri11;: o rftt.... mfl4il'.f ~~ iB~•
letters of business, of fr1cnd."1hip) or rJ' ~~
n1ent.
Q. Is it conflneJ to any pa rticnhr iu~-_~.,,-~ r
,. A. No; ~or a person may, in fo rm u! }~:~!:S~
mscnss suhjccts of all so rts.
Q. But upon wh;it oco1s 1 m i ~ U\'. ~wt~t~}?f.
chicfi y composed ?
A. Ch icfty npon the conunnn ti!lhlr~ ~;:;f ~~.
sincss of life.
Q. What should be the character ~it~~&•

lary writing ?

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A. The desire of imitating
bably the convcrsntior betw
losophers, who w r.ro m • tly l nn1~11• £a~~
ors, and their pn pi ls.
Q. What was the pn.rtirnlar
versation pursuc<l by o t ·

. d transactions that are al to~eth c r past, and
.yon<l the observation of th e person who reads

A. The Socratic dinlnl.,"'llt' ~
a particular mode of rco.s n n
question and answer.

Of Iii t11 •
Q . Do you th ink Hi to
branch of composition '1
A. Exceedingly ~o ; as u n h
our knowledge of events b yontl our
mited circle of observation.
Q . \Vhat may all be incl 11 tk 1l tm·!z· r ~
term h istory '~
A. Annals, voyages, and tro.vrL
lives and memoir~ of di ~tin~n1Qhffi - ~
.. ~
A•••~k­
Q. H ow rr1~ y th e~<\ 111 trP11t111 ~nf. t'lt!Ul'ie ..,,.....
tion, Le included under the tam h ~ifJ l
A. Because they are al l, though \ ~f)' ~t•l~!
ent in other respects: au nccount ot tt·1 ft'ill!'-

m.
Q. By what name is the history of individls generally known 'l
A. By the tenn biography; while that of
, ·ngdoms is called national history, or by way
eminence, m erel y history.
Q. What is the chief excellence of all these?
A. That of being a true report of what has
tetually taken place, without any appearance
of either distorti on or exaggeration.
Q. In what style should they be written?
A. rrhe parts that relate to common events
d common occurrences, shoulJ be simple
d pr.rspicuous ; while those which relate to
nt and splendid actions, may rise to the highelevation of style.
Q. "\Vhat, upon the whole, may be considNcd the l)(~st h istory?
A. That which is at once th~ most fa itlif11l
t tnd the most interesting.
Q. On wh:-tt docs fiddity in :-tny hi story d~­
~d '!
~
-.. A. Upon the writer:s di l i g-r~ n ce of inr1ui ry,
~
d frccd01n from all prejudice.

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Q. And on what does the interest of history
depend?
A. Partly on the subject, but more upon the
manner in which it is treated.
Q . How do yon know this ?
A. By the circumstance that, in tho hands
of smne writers, every subject acquires interest;
while, in those of others, every subject becomes
dull and insipid.
Q . Have we many good historians 1
A. Many excellent writers of national history ; as, Robertson, Gibbon, Hume, &c., but
few good writers of biography.
Q . What are the most common faults in biography?
A. It generally either displays a minuteness
which renders it tedious, or a partiality which
excites d isgust.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Of Essays and P ltilosop!ty.
Q . What sort of writing do you include under the term Essays?
A. Essays are a ~pecies of writing confined
to no partic ular description of subjects, though

l

I

generall y understood as denoting short disser-tations upon topics connected with life and
manners.
Q. "\Vhat docs the term essay properly mean?
A. l\Ierely a trial, or an attempt at something; awl is a term often modestly applied to
denote treatises of the greatest profundity. Q . "\Vhat is meant by the British _E ssayi sts '!
A . The Ta.tler, Spectator, Guardian, Rambler, Idler, Adventurer, Observer, Mirror,
Lounger, &c. &c., all consisting of short dissertations upon various snhj ccts, and exhibiting
some of the choicest specimens of English composition.
Q. Is there any particular style by whicLi
essays are characterized?
A. Their style depends altogether upon the
subject; and they may contain every species,
accordiug to the topic discussed, from the simplest to the most sublime.
Q. \Vhat do yon understand by p hilosoph ical writing?
A . All compositions on the subjects of art
and science, or the investigation of moral and
physical truth .
Q . \Vhat should be the character of compo·
sition f this kind ?

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A. Plainness and perspicuity of style, and
clear and accurate arrangement, are the chief
requisites.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Of Orations.
Q. What do you understand by Orations ?

A. All those displays of public speaking denominated oratory or eloquence.
Q. Into how many species may eloquence be
divided?
A. Into three: the eloquence of popular assemblies ; the eloquence of the bar ; and the
eloquence of the pulpit; the last a species entirely unknown to the ancients.
Q. 1Vhat other names do these sometimes receive?
A. The first is called the eloquence of the
senate ; the second, the eloquence of the forum·
and the last, appropriated to sacred subjects, is
generally styled sermons.
Q. What is the object of all public speaking'!
A. To instruct and to persu11de?
)

Q. What is the first requisite m the art of

persuading ?
A. Extensive knowledge, sound sense, and
solid judgment, together with great command
of language, and a correct and graceful elocution.
Q. "'\Vhat do you deem the next requisite?
A. That we be ourselves perfoctly in earnest,
and fully persuaded of that to which we demand the assent of others.
Q.. \-Vhat are the principal parts of a re(rular
w
oration or discourse '?
A. The Exordium, the Division, the Narration, the Confirmation, the Refutation, and the
Peroration.
Q. "\Vhat do you understand by the Exordium?
A. The beginning or introduction, in which
the speaker states the object he has in view,
and bespeaks the favour and attention of his
audience.
Q. vVhat do you mean by the Division?
A. The part in which the speaker mentions
the nature of the question at issue, and lays
down the plan which he means to pursue in discussing it.

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100

101

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Q. What do you undcrstllil<l by th
tion?
A. That part in which the !ipt"aker r
view of his whole subject, nnt.l slut th (, _, •
connected with the case.
Q. And what is th e Confirnm ion l
A. The part in which th· orator J.( I\ ' ~ ti ·
own opinions, and brings forward nil t l11 ~ pr11o,1f•
and arguments on which they arc fotuu.ll'tl.
Q. And what is the Refutati on'!
A. The part in which the sp akcr nns\ ·t~ r.
the various obj~ctions and arO't1mcnts thnt mny
be brought a~amst his opinion by nn oppon nr.
Q. \'Vhat is then the Perorutiou '/
A. The part in which the f'pcnker , nf\1•r pp~aling to the passions and fceli11gs of hi. nu .
dicnce, sums up all that has h <'1 ·11 • nid nml
brings his oration to a conclusi on .
Q. Are all these parts kept pcrfoctl v cli~>t in r 1
A. Not exactly so ; for the one is. often I·
or more blended with the other.
Q. What, besides talents, is ncccs:ary t
make a great orator ?
A. L~ng and unremitted application to . tu<l)'
a~d a m1~d thoroughly imbued with tlu) priu.
ciples of virtue, and actuated by the nobl prin.
ciple of independence.

\

Q. Is eloquence as much cultivated now as

it once was?
A. Far from it; the period when eloquence
chiefly fiourished was in the days when Gr ee ~ c
and Rome were in all their splendour, and in
the full enjoyment of liberty.
Q . Who were the most distinguished of ancient orators ?
A. D emosthenes among the Atheniuns, and
Cicero among the Romans; the former considered as the greatest that the world has eyer
seen.

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CHAPTER XXXIX.

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Of Novels.

1..'.. '
'

Q. What do you understand by the term
Novel?
A. Novel, in its literal signification , m eans
something new; but, as denotin g a branch of
literature, it is generally u sed as the name given
t o all fictitious compositions in prose.
Q . vVhat may this term, in its widest sense.
be made to include?
A. Allegories, fables, and stories of all kinds.
9•

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102

103

whether invented for the purpose of instruction
or amusement.

in()"
some resemblance to them; while a romance
0
is a work of a similar kind, having something
wild and unnatural in it ; and, if not purely
imaginary, resting upon some extravagant tradition, and extending far beyond the limits of
probability.
Q. '\Vhen did novel-writing find its way into
this country?
A. It was introduced into England during
the reign of Queen Elizabeth ; and since that
time it has gradually extended, till now more
novels issue from the press than works of almost any other description.
Q. Are novels an important branch of literature?
A. On this point there is great diversity of
opinion; some extolling them as the best teachers of morals; and others condemning them as
the polluters of principle, and the contaminators
of the 1nind.
Q. \Vhat is the character of a good novel?
A. A perfect freedom from every species of
immoral tendency, together with the power of
deeply interesting the feelings of the reader.
Q. What is the consequence of too great a
love of novels?
A. It tends to distract the mind, and disquali-

. Q .. "."here had this species of composition
its ongm?
A. It is commonly thought to have oricrinated among the people of Asia, and from ~hem
to have found its way into Greece and Rome
and thence into the nations of Europe.
'
Q. What are the best known of eastern fictions?
A. The Arabian Nights' Entertainments;
though all the writings of the Eastern nations
possess more or less of a fictitious character.
Q. Who introduced or revived the writinoof novels in more modern times?
t>
A. A set of strolling bards or story-tellers in
France, called Troubadours, who went about
proclaiming the deeds of imaginary heroes, in
order to prompt to acts of chivalry.
Q. In what language did they compose?
A. In a sort of Roman-French, called Romanshe, from which is derived our word romance.
Q. What is the difference between a novel

and a romance ?
A. A novel is a fictitious work, either founded upon the events of real life, or at least bear~

104

•

105

fy it for solid thinking, nnd th
fnl knowledg-e.
Q. ls th e~·e any peculiar
novels 1
A. They a<ln1it of v '1' _,_
cording to the nature of ttu ~
~ers ; but that mu st nlwtw bo
is most natural aHd nnim;.1tcd.

A. Poetry in which, besides the measured
arrangement of the words, there is a recurrence
of similar sounds at the end of certain lines.
Q. Can you exemplify this?

Q. What do you call two successive lines
rhyming together'?
A. A couplet; while three, under similar circumstances, are called a triplet; as,

OJ Blan/.: Verse and
Q. What <lo you undN1•t

Verse?

A. That poetry wh ich d . m<L u
sure a~one, witb~ut any corn-. I >nd
.s.ound m the termrnatin <r syllnl>l o( d
Imes.
o
t.UrE~

" Honour and shame from no condition rise ;
Act well y our part, there all th e ho nour l ies."
" The h a re in pastures or in p la ins is found,
Emblem of human life ! who runs the round;
And after all his wand ering ways are done, ~
His circle fills, a nd ends wher e he beg1.m ,
Just as the setting m eets the risin g snn."

Q. What do you mean by imperfect rhymes?

A. Rhymes in which the sounds in certain
syllables make merely an approach to each
other, but are not perfectly alike; as,

Q. Can you give an exampl e '!
A . "Th ese, as t hey change, Almighty Foe .
Are but the varied God Tl
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.Q. "What do you mean by Rhyme1

h

A. "Order is Heaven's first la w; a nd this confest,
Some a re, and mus t be, gre ater than the rest ,
More rich, more wise; but who infers from lience,
That such are happier, shocks a ll common sense."

CHAPTEH XI..

s full of.thee. ,Forth in the pleasin.,.
Thy
"
. . beauty w·dk
' s, t l1 Y tcu<lernes.11 and
Wide flush the fi eld s. tl1c so flt .
•
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cho the mountains round; the forcat
And every sense and every heart ia joy.,.

. r

.

" Shall only man be taken in th e g ross?
Grant but as many sorts of mind a s moss."

Q. What do you mean by double rhymes?
A. Rhymes which occur in the middle and
end of the same verse, as well as in the final
.cmllables of different verses: as,

,.

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106
" You, bustling and j 1'S.!JitfJ(
Fo1:get cncl1 grw f nnd 1 '"' .'
I, listless y et re.tt/rs.c
- Find every prospect,r'li1t.,"

How glad the circlin g fir.lds o.ppcar,
Thnt bound th e blo0111 ing scene!"
;~

Q. '\Vhat may be conceived as the origin of
I

Q. What do you 1111dcr ·tnnd b•
stanza 1
r

rhyme?
A. The pleasure which the enr feels in the

A. A certain arran rrcrn1 nt of,.
,..,
tr
. . ymes do not take pl ac t• Ill ~ll<'

recurrence of similar sounds; so that rhyme
and alliteration, as well as poetry itseli~ ha,·e
all a common or igin.
Q. Are rhyme and blnnk verse alike adapted to all sorts of subjects 7
A. Rhyme is best fitted for light and familiar
subjects; hlank verse for those which a rc of a
graver and more dignified character .
Q. Do hlank ,·erse and rhyme equally prevail in all languages distinguished for poetry?
A. No ; in Greek and Llltin~ rhyme is almost
unknov1n; in French and Italian, there is hardly
such a thing as blank verse; while in English,
they are nearly alike prevalent.

t h e rh

but m those pl

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And wa<Y d · h
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Check d by th e Senff 0 f p . I
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Q. What is the shortest
guuge 1
stanza in our f _

A . T'l 1at which
·
consists of ft
verses, sometimes witl
t.. Ur h~
fourth lines .c . .
1 0nly tho t< cord
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Of the Structure of Verse.

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CHAPTER XLI.

urpass ~; s

me lo kito w .
Yetsure l '
'-llll, t 1int known to ch c
Are nil th y W O!' ks bet
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107

108
A. On a Certain nrrangement of words or
syllable$, called poetic feet.

Q. How do a certain number and variety of
syllables ge t the name of feet '.l
A. Because it is chiefly by their means tlint
the voice steps along the ve.::se, dividing it into
distinct portions, which constitute what is cnlled measure.
A.

Q. Can you ill nstrate this by example '!
" But Hope / c~in here I her moon- / lig ht vig- / ils keep,
And sing / to charm

I the spir- / it of/

the deep."

Q. On what do these poetic feet depend 1
A. 1Vith us they depend principally upon
accent; among the Greeks and Romans, they
depended altogether upon quantity, one long
syllabl e being equal to two short ones.
Q. In what respect, therefore; may all syllables be viewed with regard to poetry?
A. Either as long and short, or as accented
and unaccented.

Q. Do accent and quantity ever coincide?
A. They always do so when the accent falls
n pon the voweJ, which causes the syllable to.
be Jong as w e ll as accented ; a-;, grateful, polite.
Q. How many kinds of poetic feet are there 1
A. Two; those having but two sy11ablcs
nnd tho$e hi.tving three.
7

109
Q. 'Vhat are the feet thn.t have each only
two syllables?
I bus the Spondee,
'
A. The Trochee, the am
llnd the Pyrrhic.
h. h have three each?
Q. What are those w ic .
h the AnaA. T h e D ac ty l , the Amplubrac ,
d the Tribrach,
. .
(
p~st,
an
l
.
the
feet
cons1stmg
o
Q. Can yott exp am
two syllable~ each? h
the first syllable acA. The 'I rochee ns
ted. the Iambus,
d th second unaccen '
d
cented, an
e
d the second accente . ;
the first unaccented, an . d . nd the Pyrrhic,
the Spondee, bot~ acce;o;~n,es:; delight; pale
both unaccented, as,
suns ; on rt.
1 . the trisyllabic feet, or
Q Can you exp a1n
h?
.
. h
three syllables eac .
those which ave
h first syllable accentT h Dactyl has t e
d th
A.
e
d d third unaccente ; e
ed, and t~ secon an a d third unaccented,
Amphibrach, the first d ·nthe AnapIBst, the first
and the second accentde ' d the third accented;
d unaccente 'an
and secon
h 1 three unaccen t ed ,·
and the Tribrach, the w o e~ ntervail ; measas, regular; determine ; cou
urable.
Q. Do these feet admit of any other divi·
.
?
~non .
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111

110

A. Ycs; they are divided into those called
principal, and those called secondary feet.
Q. What are the principal feet?
A. The Iambus, the Trochee, the Dactyl, and
the Anapmst ; while the Spondee, the Pyrrhic,
the Amphibrach, and the Tribrach, are the secondary.
Q. Why are the former called principal feet?
A. Because that of them alone, or, at least
chiefly, whole poems may be formed.
Q. Why are the others called secondary feet?
A. Because they never either wholly or chiefly form whole poems, but are merely mixed
with the other feet, for the sake of varying the
ineasure or movement of the verse.

ef

Verse.

Q. How are different kinds of verse den om- ·
.mate d?.
1.

A. According to the particular kind of fe'et
of which it is either wholly or principally
formed; as, Iambic, Trochaic, Dactylic; and

Anapc:estic verse.

l

many sorts of Iambic verse are

there?
A. Chiefly four, according as it consists of
two, three, four, or five feet.
Q. Can you illustrate these different kinds
of iambic verse by examples ?

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A. I. "'Vith ravished ea rs
The monirch hears,
.Assti.mes the god,
A.ffects to nod,
2 . .Ami seems to shake the spheres."
3.
2.
3.
2.

tl
.... '

4

"

"A.nd now wh en busy crowds rctlre
To take their cvenlng r est,
The hermit trimm ed hi s little fire,
A.nd cheered his pensive gi1est."

4. "The hind, h6w blcst, who ne'er beguiled
To quit the ha.ml<'lt's hawthorn wild;
Nor haunt th e crowd, nor tempt the main,
For splendid care iind guilty gain."

Q. What is this last species call eel ?

CHAPTER XLII.

OJ Varieties

Q. How

A. Heroic measure, and is the most common
species of verse in the English langt~age.
Q. Does iambic verse never consist of more
thnn five feet '!
A. Occasionally it takes six, and is then
call ed A lexandrine mcasnre, the chief use of
whi ch is to give variety to the other species of
iambic verse.

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113

112

,t

Q. When. is the Alexandrino mcn...i1JM
monly introduced'?
A.h Chiefly at the close~ of a p<W'm
grap ' or~ stanza, of hero ic m nsor ,.
''The seas shall Wf!Ste, the :;kie11 in mob d
Rocks fall to
. melt •war'
tt
. dust , and
. mounttuns
ut
xed
}p
d
h'
B
fi
r
s_ wor , is saving power rem I ~ ··
fhy rea.lm for evl!r 11\sts, thy own M~nt h :~1

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into tltcir r1iffcrc11t fret ?
A. Scrinsion , 0-ll exercise \vh id 1 k\11._b nn1ch
to improve one's skill and taste in por;try.

u.

No~ ~ ~~1t 1·~ t~'. r1<lr!is of wc-i(1 dbi nr is h.~nn·-1.
bc:iutifii! "'rCCll
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be found in these couplets?
A. The first foot of the first verse is a trochee; while the third in the last is a pyrrhic .
Q,. What do you call the reducing of verses

2. "Not
!n my bo-ro ve ;s
th.ere s "'- cn
l' - tii pine
_
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Q.. Cun you explain the mixture of feet to

The revenge Uf Ct quec11.

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To trace his features 1n the flood."

Q. What is the next most c
of verse ?
orr.mon s~

-

poetry?
A. Pretty common for shorter poems, b ut
seldom used in poems of any great length.
Q.. ls there much fine trochaic and dactylic

A. "Soon wl:iu1d the vine his wound s d L: pl0re 1
And yield its purple g ifts no more."
"She tells with what d eli g ht he stood,

".Alas! by some d 6gr6e M wo
ev'ry bliss mt'hl (!, in:
The heart ciin ne'er • tran 11 1'J "'
Th.::
1 rt "now
1:1.l IlCVCf knil\V Q. pl\in."
I

A. The Anaprestic, which

'\er

is much used by itself.
Q. Can you give any examples of this admixture of feet of which you speak?

mg of seven feet 1
A. It is divided into two Jin s or v
pne containinor.
· o three , the oth r 1our

two, three, or four feet; as,
l. "ln m y r~t"C ~ ·1 1 .;1 -1 1U0- :; t;Cl1
.

Q.. ls anap::cstic verse a common species of

verse?
A. Very little; for, though often found mixed up with iambic or anaprestic verse, neither

. Q. What js done with iambic vcnl

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- l\b.y
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- "' L
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CHAPTER XLIII,

j

Of Poetic Pauses.
Q. What do you men.n b
to poetry 1
Ypan es ns nppli ·<J
l

A. Those rests of the .
.
sary for preservina- th hvo1ce which arc nee
armony.
Q . Does poetry,o in e readin
.
ld
g, admit of any
pauses which prose
wou not ·1
A. Some say it does . but ..
asserted that no
'
lt may be safi·ly
'
pause should bo
d .
poetry, that, in the sli }
mo l1J
with the sense or ''~o lgd 1btest degree, int rft rC'
·in prose.
'
ll
cal too·
be•th er improper
Q. What poetry i
A Th
. . s most harmonious.
.
at which is so construct d
of pauses at somethina- I"k
e ns to ndmit
distances: and in prop~r I le stated and reguluF
Q Is .t th
paces of the verse
•
1
e poet then or th
.
e reader, that
regulates the pa.uses
A. The poet
· ·
, p nnc1pally
·for ·f h
' ' 1 e so constructs his verse as t
th ·
no to admit of
·
cu proper places with t . .
pauses m
no skill in reading w·11 bou lllJury to the sense,
1
monious.
e able to render it har:-

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Q. How many sorts of poetic pauses are
thcr9?
A. Two ; Pinal and Cmsural.
Q. What do you mean by the Final pause ?
A. That which takes place at the close of
the verse, or when the sense is complete.
Q. What do yotJ mean by the Cmsural
pause?
A. 'rhat which takes place in the middle of
a verse where the sense is incomplete, and
marks a mere suspension for the sake of harmony.
Q. Can you illustrate both of these ?
/i. "The time shall come, I when free, I as seas or wind
Unbounded Thames I shall flow for all mankind."

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Q. When are heroic verses generally most

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parmonious ?
A. When so constructed that the cresural
pause takes place immediately after the fourth,
fifth, or sixth syllable.
Q. Can you give any examples of this?
,A. cc And hence the charm I historic scenes impart;
Hence Tiber awes, I apd Avon melts the heart."
" Mark yon old mansion I frowning through the trees,
Whose hollow turret l woos the whistling breeze."
~' Remark each anxious toil, I each eager strife,
And watch the busy scenes I of crowded life."
q.. When is the harmony of verse impaired 1

I:"

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116
A. When the cresural pause happens tlf\nrcr
0
ba- than the fourth, or nearer the end
the beo-innin
than the sixth syllable.
Q. Can you give an example1

~eans'

. a verse may frequently,
A. By no
f different feet, have either
'I from
the admixture o
Hable less, than the
a syllable more, or a sy
requisite number; as, - d
' .
- - 1- nee I of the min '
fle et I is ~ g ~ _ eed I Of its flight;
Compared I wllh the sp
-1 d
II "How
- - s be 1ln ,
The tern- I pest Itsc~f I :~gar- I rows Of llght."
~nd the swlft- I wmge

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"But Hope f can here / her moonlight vig ils keep
And sing / to charm the spirit / of the deep."
,
"Yes; / to thy tongue / shal l seraph words / be Kivrn,
And power I on earth / to plead the
/ of I1 Ten.''

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Q. Has great uniformity of pnus s a pica.sing effect?

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CHAPTER XLIV.

f
f

Of Pastora l an d Descriptive Poetry.
Q. What is the

Poetry?
nat~re ohf . Pastoral
h the scenes and

A It is that poetry m w IC d
·
d
1 1.1£ are celebrate ·
objects of rura
e .
aning of the wor
Q. What is the stnct me

A. No; for though each of the verses, if tJ1c
pauses are judiciously placed, may then be
sufficiently harmonious, yet too much sameness
soon tires or even disgusts.

I

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'"of

I

Q. Does a verse never admit of mor · tlinn
one cresural pause ?

Q. When, therefore, are they so placed ns
to produce the most lasting pleasure 1
A. When they are most varied, especially
within that range of position most favourable to
the harmony of each verse individually.
Q. Have all the verses of any of the particular species of poetry exactly the same number of syllables'!

'

d

·1

I

A. "As o'er the dusky furniture / I bend,
Each chair/ awakes the feelings of n fri end."

A. It oft admits of two, or even three ;

117

pastoral?
.
.
the Latin word pastor,
A. As commg ~rom
f eanino- it implies
d . strictness o m
o>
h
.
a shepher ' in
d "th the care of s eep,
·
nnecte wi
t
only what is co
k
. a wider sense, o
but it is generally ta en ind ith country life
. o- connecte w
denote every th mo
and occupation.
eat charm of pastoral
Q. Whence does the gr
poetry arise?
/1.. From the tranquil scenes, and pictures

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119
118
.
of
simpl e mnocen
·
reader.
ce, wluch it set b
Q.. Into what er
s efore the
aptAto Tl
fall?.·
ror are writers of pastorals
.
.
1at of mak·
. their different sc enes~ either
. mg
toothe acto rs, in
gross or too refi
. What do
Q >
Poetry?
you understand by D escnpti ve

n~d.

~correct

oo~:~.jects
of which is,
whether

to A
ai· I octry' th e professed b.
na;;,;:I
.delineation
Q.
r art1ficml.

Is not all p oe try, to a certain extent deA. . M
scnptive?
'
po e t ry abound ·
iso so. f;arostentitled
to the s m descriptions, and
p et.ry is altogether d character; while
sessmo.
no
o otl1er char t escnptive
.
, without
t le term i
. ac enstics .
d
posdescr"
. s applied to such , an , therefore
l
Q. 1pt10n for its chief ob· poetry only as
. . What is the .
jeet.
poetry?
chief
excellence
of d escnp.
t1ve
A It

ha~

. s possessin a
the
..
· mind o f the oreathe
1 power of exe1tmo·
picture of the l .
<er a correct
d o in
Q. \" ;l
: o '.Jcct descrihcd
an vivid
v lat is l
·
·
scr·ipt1-vc poetrv ·equisite
fior the writin rr f d
?
A A
.
,,o e. cu te ob-.; l'rv·cl t.10 11 aurl . Jcat vi vidness of
(T.-.

~

Imagination, that we may at once observe, and
be able to delineate, the most striking features

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of an
.___,
Q.. object.
Can you mention any paem that stands
"Very high, as belonging to the descripti"Ve
A. Thomson's Seasons, a work which
abounds with some of the most delightful

c~s'Y

he
'of

h

views
Q.. of
lnnature.
what light may we ..,ieW poetry m
which past e..,ents are described 1
A. lt may be ..,iewed as a species of descripti"Ve poetry; and, when well executed, it posgreat fascination.
sesses
Q.. Can you mention any poetry of this class 1
A. The most of Sir Walter Scott's is of this
sort, but particularly his LadY of the Lake,
Mannion, and Lord of the Isles.
Q.. Are not pastoral poetry and descripti"Ve
very much allied to each other 1
A. They are certainly closely connected;
but pastoral poetry is a display of rural life and
manners; descripti"Ve poetry, chiefly a picture
of inanimate objects; though neither is exclu·
,ive\y confined. to ll> own province.

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120
CHAPTER XLV.

. p
Yrtc oetry,
Q. What do you mean b
.
. A. Poetry emplo d ~
y Didactic Poetry 't
1n
ye 1or the p
·
g some particular art
~rpose of teachbranch of knowledoor science, or other
tellectual.
o e, whether moral or in..
Q. Is this a 1 . ·
A I
p easing vehicle f k
. : f well executed . th . o nowledge '!
opm1on as to its pl . ' ere can be but one
doubted Whether i·t beasalntness; but it may be·
· ·
ea ways
r.
qmnng accurate . f .
.
a sa1e mode of ac~
Q
ll11ormat1on
. What are its h' f . .
A. It at once 1c ie advantages 'J.
th
P eases the ti ·
e memory; and an b .
ancy, and assists·
be expressed with
o v10us truth may often
Verse than in prose.greater brevity and force in
Q. What do yo
.
u conce1ve to be its disadvantagcs ?
Of Didactic and L

. .A. By taking possession f
.
lt Is apt to mislead th . d o the imagination
r_e.ady to acquiesce in e'~~ ~ent;.and make u;
w1~.out inquiring into its ~~u~~-srud by the poet,.
.
. Can you mention a
dact1c class 1
ny poems of the di-

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»''
.,..

121
A. Virgil's Gcorgics, Pope's Essay on Crifr·
cism, Armstrong's Poen1 on Health, and some
of Cowper's poems, arc among the best and
most popular of this class.
Q. vVhat is to be understood by Lyric
Poetry?
A. All poetry intended to be set, or that
might be set, to music; including chiefly songs
and odes.
Q. Was its ineaning always so confined?
A. No; for, in ancient times, it might be
said to include poetry of all descriptions; as all
poetic compositions were accompanied with
music, either vocal or instrumental.
Q. From what is the word lyric derived?
A. From the lyre, an important musical instrument in former times; and hence the lyre
is generally an emblem of all poetry.
Q. What then does a poet mean when he
speaks of singing or tuning his 1yre?
A. Simply the writing of poetry; and he
uses these expressions in a figurative manner,
in re;erence to the inseparable connexion which
once sn bsistcd between poetry and music.
Q. \Vhat c.lo you understand by a song?
A. A short poem in regular stanzas, and
fitted for being set to music and sung.
11

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122
123

Q. \Vhat is the nature of the ode 1

j

important
.
A To describe
some grea t . andf making
it
o
. or eve nt ' for the purpose
ction
·
a
.
oral instruct10n.
.
subserV1ent to m
d s it often receive .
W h t other name oe
b
Q.
a
1 d heroic poetry, eA It is frequently sty he.
t there is ge. .
oem of t is sor '
t called the hero.
cause, 111 every p
charac erd?.
0
nera ll Y a leadino-

A. A poem more irregular in its structure,
and may or may not be set to music; being
generally a short but fervid · flow of genius,
displaying, in animated strains, 111! the . various
passions and feelings of the human heart.

~

Q. Who are our principal writers of odes?
ton.A. Dryden, Pope, Col!ins, Gray, and WarQ. What do you mean by ~onnet J

A. The word is from the Italian, and literally means a little song; but as usually cm.
ployed, it signifies a short poem, consisting generally of fourteen lines, arranged in a particular
manner, and ending in some pointed thought or
sentiment.

CHAPTER XLVI.

Of Epic Poetry.
Q . What rank does the Epic hold in poetry?

A. It generally occupies the first place among
poetic compositions; and, if well executed, is
regarded as one of the noblest displays ofpoetic,
if not of humiln genius.
Q. What is its peculiar object 1

I

I

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i

I

~:~eco~rse

I
I

Q. Why is he so
of the action,
A. Because the w
d to turn upon his
and train of event s' are ma e

l of such a work genemanner of ac~ing.
Q. What is the P an
rally cal~ed?
nl called the plot, which deA. It is commo y
f 11 the various parts.
D"ement
o
a . the plot carne
. d
notes the arrano
. w hat manner is
Q. An d 111
on ?..
. th descn.pt10ns
an d details
.
A. Partly by . e
makes and partly by
which the poet hnnself
h 'have all their
the introduction of actors w o
ts
.
f
different par to perform.
.
· o- and arrangmg
Q What is this selectmt:0
·.
t culled?
· h
the different par s
-led the machinery, wh1c
A. It is usually sty
d b the poet for
the means adopte
y
denot~s .
o a conclusion.
carrying his plot t .
d o-ive a regular acQ. Does he begm an ,..,

I

f

I

125

124

excellent productions in a most every other
kin d of poetry.
Q. Can you ment ion the prin c[pal '?
A. rrhe Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, the
Encid of Virgil, the J cru sa.lcm De livered of
Tasso, and the Paradise Lost of Milton.
Q. Can you mention the subjects of each
of these ?
A. The subject of the Iliad is the Jestrnction
of Troy; of the Odyssey, the wnnclcri11~s of
Ulysses; of the E neid, the settlement of
Eneas in Italy; of the Jerusalem, its deliverance from 1\Tussn 1ma.n opprf'<.:<.:ion ; an <l nf
l )<IT lld ise Lost, th(: f;dl of man fr om liis primiti ve state of i llll OCC!lCC.

count of the whole transaction from the com.
mencement?
A. No; he generally begins in the middle,
but at some important part, of the narration;
and, after describing the state of things as then
existing, he introduces different actors to explain ·what led to such events.
Q. vVhat name is given to those parts which
the different actors describe?
A. They are called episodes, which mean
separate incidents or stories, having an intimate connexion with the main action.
Q . I-low should an epic poem he arranged 'J
A. With such regularity, as that all th e parts
may h ave a close depende nce upon each ot li< ·r.
Q. \\hat oug ht the sentimen ts am1 1'111 ;-,<rt1 0 :-,•re
to be?
A. L ofty nnd di gnifi ed , always movin g with
majesty, ancl never stoupi ug to what is mean
or tr i \·i;il.
Q. \Vb.:Lt must be the r:l:ar.:LctrT of the :--;t\·le '_l
A. It mny ad111it <)f' (·\·1·ry \·ari('t~ -. in p1> i11t
of orname nt, of wJ1ieit 1·11lllj>0-.: 1t io1 1 j ~ '-:ll~CC'jlli1.J c : I Ht 1 its le: 1d i n:.:,· J\;at 11t· I 11 ll ii d h1 · :- ; 1ii i[ i 11 1i t ~ , .

CHAPT ER XLVII.

Of Drmnatic P oetry.
Q. \Ylrnt tlo yon lmclcrst:tnd lJy D r0111:iti
P< 1f'! ry ?
A. P(wtry fi>11rnl1·cl 11pnn a r<·'.2·11 l:1r :1]nt nr
::;tory, .:Lrnl 1ltiecl to he rcprcs1 :lllcd l>y :11~lJ• 1 tL C1Il
the stag"<'.
(l. 111 what <.foe--; it <l i1J; ·r Cr()m q >ic po ;iry ~
1:

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tli(·re be1 ·11 n1aity grc;tt l'J lic poems

producc·d !
A. ·very 1;;w, compared ·w it h tlw nnrnl>c r nf

1

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128

.
'

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129
.

. •

between the dif-

ts· tlie line of distinction
l '!
'°"~·
.
f
try very c ear .
erent 0.e~~.iptions 0 poe rt runs always less
. . · f · ,.t. t~e one so
.
,., ,AJ~. F~. . rom)
' ·
· d all the species are,
th th-er . an
n

CONCLUSION.
Q. What do you understand . by a Hymn 1

A. ,A religious poem, fit for being set to mu~ic, and sung for the purpose of awakening de- ·
votional feelings.
· Q~ .What is an Elegy?
A. A short pathetic poem, in commemoration
pf the dead, though it often assumes a different
character, and is applied to any plaintive subject.
.Q. Wha~ is a Satire ?
A. 'A species·.qr writing, not entirely, though
chiefly, confined ·to poetry, and intended to correct the vices and follies of mankind, by holding
-th~m. up to laughter and ridicule.
· .Q. What do you mean by an Epigram?
~ A. A short, witty poem, containing some peculiar conceit or point of humour, usually expressed in the concluding lines.
Q, What do you mean by an Epitaph?
A. An inscription upon a tomb, written sometimes in verse, sometimes in prose.
Q. Are not letters sometimes written in verse?
A. Frequently ; and much excellent poetry
has appeared under the character of ep1stlcs,
particularly from the pen of Pope.

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