56 INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 5. A Verb. What kind, Active, Passive, or Neuter? What Mood? Tense? Number and Person? Why? 6. A Participle.-Active or Passive ? 7. An Adverb.-Why is it an Adverb? 8. A Preposition.-Why is it a Preposition? 9. A Conjunction.—Why? 10. An Interjection.-Why? 57 PART II. COMPOSITION. COMPOSITION consists in the beautiful and harmo- nious structure of the periods in a discourse which adds unspeakable dignity and grace to a work, be it poetry or prose. OF PERSPICUITY. PERSPICUITY is the first ingredient of a good style. It requires that the reader should perceive the meaning, as fast as he can peruse the words. For this purpose; three things are requisite :-That the writer possess clear ideas; that he employ the most significant words; and that he arrange distinctly those words in sentences. In the choice of words, he must attend to purity, propriety, and precision. 1. Purity demands the use of classical words > only. Which are to be ascertained by the authority of the best speakers and writers. The errors to be avoided are: 1. The use of foreign words, particularly Latin. 2. The use of words, provincial, vulgar, antiquated, or recent.-2. Propriety requires, that the most pertinent words should be chosen. 3. And Precision, that no more words shall be employed than are sufficient to convey the sense. Perspicuity ought not to be sacrificed to any other beauty whatever. Nothing therefore in language ought more to be studied than to prevent all obscurity in the expression. EXAMPLES. 1. OF Words and Phrases, vulgar or obsolete, which violate the Rules of Purity. Inelegant. Let us consider the works of nature and art. Some productions of nature rise in value, according as they more or less resemble those of art. The Latin tongue was never in its purity in this island. The wise and foolish, the virtuous and vile, the learned and ignorant, the temperate and profligate, must often, like the wheat and tares, be blended together. True wit is nature dressed to advantage; and yet some works have more wit than does them good. When our friendship is considered, how is it Better thus. Let us consider the works of nature and of art. Some productions of nature rise or sink in value, according as they more or less resemble those of art. The Latin tongue was never spoken in its purity in this island. The wise and the foolish, the virtuous and the vile, the learned and the ignorant, the temperate and the profligate, must often, like the wheat and the tares be blended together. True wit is nature dressed to advantage; but some works have more ornament than does them good. When our friendship is considered, how is it Inelegant. |