and epistolary writing, yet in all writings of a serious or dignified kind, it is ungraceful. There the relative should always be inserted in its proper place: "The man whom I love." "The conquests which we made."

Fourthly. With regard to the copulative particle and, the unnecessary repetition of it enfeebles style. But when we wish to prevent a quick transition from one object to another, when we are making some enumeration, in which we wish that the objects should appear as distinct from each other as possible, and that the mind should rest, for a moment, on each object, by itself; in this case Copulatives may be multiplied with peculiar grace and advantage; as, "Such a man might fall a victim to power; but truth, and reason, and liberty, would fall with him.”

The omission of the particle sometimes gives energy to a sentence, and marks that rapidity of thought which is the effect of agitation: and when several Substantives follow one another in grave composition, the Copulative will be omitted or inserted, according as the Substantives merit less or more the consideration of the reader.

EXAMPLE 1.-"Closing their shields together, they were impelled, they fought, they slew, they

were slain."

1

EXAMPLE.

EXAMPLE 2. The army was composed of Grecians, and Carians, and Lycians, and Pamphylians, and Phrygians."

4. Dispose of the capital word or words in a sentence in that place where they will make the fullest impression. For the most part, with us, the important words are placed in the beginning of the

sentence.

EXAMPLE."The state of Society, which precedes. the knowledge of an extensive property and the. meannesses which flow from refinement and commerce, is in a high degree propitious to women."

It seems the most natural order, thus to place in the front that which forms the chief object of the proposition to be laid down. Sometimes however, when we intend to give weight to a Sentence, it is of advantage to suspend the meaning for a while, and then bring it out full at the close.

EXAMPLE." On whatever side we contemplate Homer, what principally strikes us, is his wonderful invention."

In whatever part of the sentence we dispose of the most important words, it is always a point of great. moment that these words stand clear and disentangled from any others that would clog them. This is very happily effected in the following quotation, in

which the author is speaking of modern poets, as compared with the ancient.

EXAMPLE."If, whilst they profess only to please, they secretly advise, and give instruction, they may now, perhaps, as well as formerly, be esteemed with justice the best and most honorable among authors."

This Sentence contains a great number of circumstances necessary to qualify the meaning; yet these are placed with so much art, that they neither weaken nor embarrass.

5. A weaker assertion or proposition should never come after a stronger one; and when a Sentence consists of two members, the longest should, generally be the concluding one.

EXAMPLE." Gentleness ought to diffuse itself over our whole behaviour, to form our address, and regulate our speech." Better thus,

"To form our address, and regulate our speech, gentleness ought to diffuse itself over our whole behaviour."

6. Avoid concluding a Sentence with an Adverb, a Preposition, or any inconsiderable word.

EXAMPLE.- The other species of motion are incidentally blended also."

There are sentences, indeed, where the stress and significancy

significancy rest chiefly upon some words of this sort in this case, they are not to be considered as circumstances, but as capital figures; and ought in propriety to have the principal place allotted them. EXAMPLE." In their prosperity, my friends shall never hear; in their adversity always."

Here the Adverb always, being an emphatical word, is so placed, as to make a strong impression.

7. In the members of a Sentence where two objects are either compared or contrasted, some resemblance in the language and construction should be preserved.

EXAMPLE." I have observed of late, the style of some great ministers very much to exceed that of any other productions."

Instead of productions, which bear no resemblance to ministers, the author ought to have employed the word writers or authors.

It is a still greater deviation from congruity, to affect not only variety in the words, but also in the

construction.

EXAMPLE." There may be a suspicion that we over-rate the greatness of Shakespeare's genius, in the same manner as bodies appear more gigantic on account of their being disproportioned and misshapen."

This is studying variety where the beauty lies in uniformity. Better thus,

"There may remain a suspicion that we overrate the greatness of Shakespeare's genius, in the same manner as we over-rate the greatness of bodies that are disproportioned and mis shapen."

Attention should also be paid to the length of members that signify the resembling objects. To produce a resemblance between such members, they ought not only to be constructed in the same manner, but also to be as nearly as possible of the same length. By neglecting this circumstance, the following example is liable to exception :

"As the performance of all other religious duties, will not avail in the sight of God, without charity; so neither will the discharge of all other ministerial duties avail in the sight of men, without a faithful discharge of this principal duty.”

As some resemblance ought to be studied in the words which express two resembling objects, so opposition ought to be studied in the words which express two contrasted objects. The following example is a deviation from this rule :

"A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes." Better thus,

"A friend