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Title: How to Write Clearly Rules and Exercises on English Composition

Author: Edwin A. Abbott

Release Date: September 14, 2007 [EBook #22600]

Language: English

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CLEARLY ***

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HOW TO WRITE CLEARLY.

RULES AND EXERCISES

ON

ENGLISH COMPOSITION.

BY THE

REV. EDWIN A. ABBOTT, M.A.,

HEAD MASTER OF THE CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL.

[Illustration: QUI LEGIT REGIT]

THE AUTHOR'S COPYRIGHT EDITION.

BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1883.

UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON & SON.

CAMBRIDGE.
PREFACE.

Almost every English boy can be taught to write clearly, so far at least as
clearness depends upon the arrangement of words. Force, elegance, and variety
of style are more difficult to teach, and far more difficult to learn; but clear
writing can be reduced to rules. To teach the art of writing clearly is the main
object of these Rules and Exercises.

Ambiguity may arise, not only from bad arrangement, but also from other causes
—from the misuse of single words, and from confused thought. These causes are
not removable by definite rules, and therefore, though not neglected, are not
prominently considered in this book. My object rather is to point out some few
continually recurring causes of ambiguity, and to suggest definite remedies in
each case. Speeches in Parliament, newspaper narratives and articles, and, above
all, resolutions at public meetings, furnish abundant instances of obscurity
arising from the monotonous neglect of some dozen simple rules.

The art of writing forcibly is, of course, a valuable acquisition—almost as

valuable as the art of writing clearly. But forcible expression is not, like clear
expression, a mere question of mechanism and of the manipulation of words; it
is a much higher power, and implies much more.

Writing clearly does not imply thinking clearly. A man may think and reason as
obscurely as Dogberry himself, but he may (though it is not probable that he
will) be able to write clearly for all that. Writing clearly—so far as arrangement
of words is concerned—is a mere matter of adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions,
and auxiliary verbs, placed and repeated according to definite rules.[1] Even
obscure or illogical thought can be clearly expressed; indeed, the transparent
medium of clear writing is not least beneficial when it reveals the illogical nature
of the meaning beneath it.

On the other hand, if a man is to write forcibly, he must (to use a well-known
illustration) describe Jerusalem as "sown with salt," not as "captured," and the
Jews not as being "subdued" but as "almost exterminated" by Titus. But what
does this imply? It implies knowledge, and very often a great deal of knowledge,
and it implies also a vivid imagination. The writer must have eyes to see the
vivid side of everything, as well as words to describe what he sees. Hence
forcible writing, and of course tasteful writing also, is far less a matter of rules
than is clear writing; and hence, though forcible writing is exemplified in the
exercises, clear writing occupies most of the space devoted to the rules.

Boys who are studying Latin and Greek stand in especial need of help to enable
them to write a long English sentence clearly. The periods of Thucydides and
Cicero are not easily rendered into our idiom without some knowledge of the
links that connect an English sentence.

There is scarcely any better training, rhetorical as well as logical, than the task of
construing Thucydides into genuine English; but the flat, vague, long-winded
Greek-English and Latin-English imposture that is often tolerated in our
examinations and is allowed to pass current for genuine English, diminishes
instead of increasing the power that our pupils should possess over their native
language. By getting marks at school and college for construing good Greek and
Latin into bad English, our pupils systematically unlearn what they may have
been allowed to pick up from Milton and from Shakespeare.

I must acknowledge very large obligations to Professor Bain's treatise on

"English Composition and Rhetoric," and also to his English Grammar. I have
not always been able to agree with Professor Bain as to matters of taste; but I
find it difficult to express my admiration for the systematic thoroughness and
suggestiveness of his book on Composition. In particular, Professor Bain's rule
on the use of "that" and "which" (see Rule 8) deserves to be better known.[2]
The ambiguity produced by the confusion between these two forms of the
Relative is not a mere fiction of pedants; it is practically serious. Take, for
instance, the following sentence, which appeared lately in one of our ablest
weekly periodicals: "There are a good many Radical members in the House who
cannot forgive the Prime Minister for being a Christian." Twenty years hence,
who is to say whether the meaning is "and they, i.e. all the Radical members in
the House," or "there are a good many Radical members of the House that
cannot &c."? Professor Bain, apparently admitting no exceptions to his useful
rule, amends many sentences in a manner that seems to me intolerably harsh.
Therefore, while laying due stress on the utility of the rule, I have endeavoured
to point out and explain the exceptions.

The rules are stated as briefly as possible, and are intended not so much for use
by themselves as for reference while the pupil is working at the exercises.
Consequently, there is no attempt to prove the rules by accumulations of
examples. The few examples that are given, are given not to prove, but to
illustrate the rules. The exercises are intended to be written out and revised, as
exercises usually are; but they may also be used for vivâ voce instruction. The
books being shut, the pupils, with their written exercises before them, may be
questioned as to the reasons for the several alterations they have made.
Experienced teachers will not require any explanation of the arrangement or
rather non-arrangement of the exercises. They have been purposely mixed
together unclassified to prevent the pupil from relying upon anything but his
own common sense and industry, to show him what is the fault in each case, and
how it is to be amended. Besides references to the rules, notes are attached to
each sentence, so that the exercises ought not to present any difficulty to a
painstaking boy of twelve or thirteen, provided he has first been fairly trained in
English grammar.

The "Continuous Extracts" present rather more difficulty, and are intended for
boys somewhat older than those for whom the Exercises are intended. The
attempt to modernize, and clarify, so to speak, the style of Burnet, Clarendon,
and Bishop Butler,[3] may appear ambitious, and perhaps requires some
explanation. My object has, of course, not been to improve upon the style of
these authors, but to show how their meaning might be expressed more clearly in
modern English. The charm of the style is necessarily lost, but if the loss is
recognized both by teacher and pupil, there is nothing, in my opinion, to
counterbalance the obvious utility of such exercises. Professor Bain speaks to the
same effect:[4] "For an English exercise, the matter should in some way or other
be supplied, and the pupil disciplined in giving it expression. I know of no better
method than to prescribe passages containing good matter, but in some respects
imperfectly worded, to be amended according to the laws and the proprieties of
style. Our older writers might be extensively, though not exclusively, drawn
upon for this purpose."

To some of the friends whose help has been already acknowledged in "English
Lessons for English People," I am indebted for further help in revising these
pages. I desire to express especial obligations to the Rev. J. H. Lupton, late
Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Second Master of St. Paul's
School, for copious and valuable suggestions; also to several of my colleagues at
the City of London School, among whom I must mention in particular the Rev.
A. R. Vardy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.

*****

Before electrotyping the Fourth and Revised Edition, I wish to say one word as
to the manner in which this book has been used by my highest class, as a
collection of Rules for reference in their construing lessons. In construing, from
Thucydides especially, I have found Rules 5, 30, 34, 36, 37, and 40_a_, of great
use. The rules about Metaphor and Climax have also been useful in correcting
faults of taste in their Latin and Greek compositions. I have hopes that, used in
this way, this little book may be of service to the highest as well as to the middle
classes of our schools.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Punctuation is fully discussed in most English Grammars, and is therefore

referred to in this book only so far as is necessary to point out the slovenly fault
of trusting too much to punctuation, and too little to arrangement.

[2] Before meeting with Professor Bain's rule, I had shown that the difference
between the Relatives is generally observed by Shakespeare. See "Shakespearian
Grammar," paragraph 259.

[3] Sir Archibald Alison stands on a very different footing. The extracts from
this author are intended to exhibit the dangers of verbosity and exaggeration.

[4] "English Composition and Rhetoric," p. vii.

CONTENTS.
PAGE

INDEX OF RULES 11-13

RULES 14-40

SHORT EXERCISES 41-63

CONTINUOUS EXERCISES—CLARENDON 64-70

" " BURNET 70-73

" " BUTLER 74-75

" " SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON 76-78

INDEX OF RULES.

I. CLEARNESS AND FORCE.

WORDS.

1. Use words in their proper sense.

2. Avoid exaggerations.

3. Avoid useless circumlocution and "fine writing."

4. Be careful in the use of "not … and," "any," "but," "only," "not … or," "that."

4 a. Be careful in the use of ambiguous words, e.g. "certain."

5. Be careful in the use of "he," "it," "they," "these," &c.

6. Report a speech in the First Person, where necessary to avoid ambiguity.

6 a. Use the Third Person where the exact words of the speaker are not intended
to be given.

6 b. Omission of "that" in a speech in the Third Person.

7. When you use a Participle implying "when," "while," "though," or "that,"

show clearly by the context what is implied.

8. When using the Relative Pronoun, use "who" or "which," if the meaning is
"and he" or "and it," "for he" or "for it." In other cases use "that," if euphony
allows. Exceptions.
9. Do not use "and which" for "which."

10. Equivalents for the Relative: (a) Participle or Adjective; (b) Infinitive; (c)
"Whereby," "whereto," &c.; (d) "If a man;" (e) "And he," "and this," &c.; (f)
"what;" (g) omission of Relative.

10 a'. Repeat the Antecedent before the Relative, where the non-repetition
causes any ambiguity. See 38.

11. Use particular for general terms. Avoid abstract Nouns.

11 a. Avoid Verbal Nouns where Verbs can be used.

12. Use particular persons instead of a class.

13. Use metaphor instead of literal statement.

14. Do not confuse metaphor.

14 a. Do not mix metaphor with literal statement.

14 b. Do not use poetic metaphor to illustrate a prosaic subject.

ORDER OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE.

15. Emphatic words must stand in emphatic positions; i.e., for the most part, at
the beginning or the end of the sentence.

15 a. Unemphatic words must, as a rule, be kept from the end. Exceptions.

15 b. An interrogation sometimes gives emphasis.

16. The Subject, if unusually emphatic, should often be transferred from the
beginning of the sentence.

17. The Object is sometimes placed before the Verb for emphasis.

18. Where several words are emphatic, make it clear which is the most emphatic.
Emphasis can sometimes be given by adding an epithet, or an intensifying word.
19. Words should be as near as possible to the words with which they are
grammatically connected.

20. Adverbs should be placed next to the words they are intended to qualify.

21. "Only"; the strict rule is that "only" should be placed before the word it
affects.

22. When "not only" precedes "but also," see that each is followed by the same
part of speech.

23. "At least," "always," and other adverbial adjuncts, sometimes produce
ambiguity.

24. Nouns should be placed near the Nouns that they define.

25. Pronouns should follow the Nouns to which they refer, without the
intervention of any other Noun.

26. Clauses that are grammatically connected should be kept as close together as
possible. Avoid parentheses. But see 55.

27. In conditional sentences, the antecedent or "if-clauses" must be kept distinct

from the consequent clauses.

28. Dependent clauses preceded by "that" should be kept distinct from those that
are independent.

29. Where there are several infinitives, those that are dependent on the same
word must be kept distinct from those that are not.

30. The principle of Suspense.

30 a. It is a violation of the principle of suspense to introduce unexpectedly at

the end of a long sentence, some short and unemphatic clause beginning with (a)
"not," (b) "which."

31. Suspense must not be excessive.

32. In a sentence with "if," "when," "though," &c., put the "if-clause,"
antecedent, or protasis, first.

33. Suspense is gained by placing a Participle or Adjective, that qualifies the

Subject, before the Subject.

34. Suspensive Conjunctions, e.g. "either," "not only," "on the one hand," &c.,
add clearness.

35. Repeat the Subject, where its omission would cause obscurity or ambiguity.

36. Repeat a Preposition after an intervening Conjunction, especially if a Verb

and an Object also intervene.

37. Repeat Conjunctions, Auxiliary Verbs, and Pronominal Adjectives.

37 a. Repeat Verbs after the Conjunctions "than," "as," &c.

38. Repeat the Subject, or some other emphatic word, or a summary of what has
been said, if the sentence is so long that it is difficult to keep the thread of
meaning unbroken.

39. Clearness is increased, when the beginning of the sentence prepares the way
for the middle, and the middle for the end, the whole forming a kind of ascent.
This ascent is called "climax."

40. When the thought is expected to ascend, but descends, feebleness, and
sometimes confusion, is the result. The descent is called "bathos."

40 a. A new construction should not be introduced unexpectedly.

41. Antithesis adds force and often clearness.

42. Epigram.

43. Let each sentence have one, and only one, principal subject of thought.
Avoid heterogeneous sentences.

44. The connection between different sentences must be kept up by Adverbs

used as Conjunctions, or by means of some other connecting words at the
beginning of the sentence.
45. The connection between two long sentences or paragraphs sometimes
requires a short intervening sentence showing the transition of thought.

II. BREVITY.

46. Metaphor is briefer than literal statement.

47. General terms are briefer, though less forcible, than particular terms.

47 a. A phrase may sometimes be expressed by a word.

48. Participles may often be used as brief (though sometimes ambiguous)

equivalents of phrases containing Conjunctions and Verbs.

49. Participles, Adjectives, Participial Adjectives, and Nouns may be used as

equivalents for phrases containing the Relative.

50. A statement may sometimes be briefly implied instead of being expressed at

length.

51. Conjunctions may be omitted. Adverbs, e.g. "very," "so." Exaggerated

epithets, e.g. "incalculable," "unprecedented."

51 a. The imperative may be used for "if &c."

52. Apposition may be used, so as to convert two sentences into one.

53. Condensation may be effected by not repeating (1) the common Subject of
several Verbs; (2) the common Object of several Verbs or Prepositions.

54. Tautology. Repeating what may be implied.

55. Parenthesis maybe used with advantage to brevity. See 26.

56. Brevity often clashes with clearness. Let clearness be the first consideration.
CLEARNESS AND FORCE.

Numbers in brackets refer to the Rules.

WORDS.

*1. Use words in their proper sense.*

Write, not "His apparent guilt justified his friends in disowning him," but "his
evident guilt." "Conscious" and "aware," "unnatural" and "supernatural,"
"transpire" and "occur," "circumstance" and "event," "reverse" and "converse,"
"eliminate" and "elicit," are often confused together.

This rule forbids the use of the same word in different senses. "It is in my power
to refuse your request, and since I have power to do this, I may lawfully do it."
Here the second "power" is used for "authority."

This rule also forbids the slovenly use of "nice," "awfully," "delicious,"
"glorious," &c. See (2).

*2. Avoid exaggerations.*

"The boundless plains in the heart of the empire furnished inexhaustible supplies
of corn, that would have almost sufficed for twice the population."

Here "inexhaustible" is inconsistent with what follows. The words

"unprecedented," "incalculable," "very," and "stupendous" are often used in the
same loose way.

*3. Avoid useless circumlocution and "fine writing."*

"Her Majesty here partook of lunch." Write "lunched."

"Partook of" implies sharing, and is incorrect as well as lengthy.

So, do not use "apex" for "top," "species" for "kind," "individual" for "man,"
"assist" for "help," &c.

*4. Be careful how you use the following words: "not … and," "any," "only,"
"not … or," "that."*[5]

*And.* See below, "Or."

*Any.*—"I am not bound to receive any messenger that you send."

Does this mean every, or a single? Use "every" or "a single."

*Not.*—(1) "I do not intend to help you, because you are my enemy &c." ought
to mean (2), "I intend not to help you, and my reason for not helping you is,
because you are my enemy." But it is often wrongly used to mean (3), "I intend
to help you, not because you are my enemy (but because you are poor, blind,
&c.)." In the latter case, not ought to be separated from intend. By distinctly
marking the limits to which the influence of not extends, the ambiguity may be
removed.

*Only* is often used ambiguously for alone. "The rest help me to revenge
myself; you only advise me to wait." This ought to mean, "you only advise,
instead of helping;" but in similar sentences "you only" is often used for "you
alone." But see 21.

*Or.*—When "or" is preceded by a negative, as "I do not want butter or honey,"

"or" ought not, strictly speaking, to be used like "and," nor like "nor." The strict
use of "not … or" would be as follows:—

"You say you don't want both butter and honey—you want butter or honey; I, on
the contrary, do not want butter or honey—I want them both."

Practically, however, this meaning is so rare, that "I don't want butter or honey"
is regularly used for "I want neither butter nor honey." But where there is the
slightest danger of ambiguity, it is desirable to use nor.
The same ambiguity attends "not … and." "I do not see Thomas and John" is
commonly used for "I see neither Thomas nor John;" but it might mean, "I do
not see them both—I see only one of them."

*That.*—The different uses of "that" produce much ambiguity, e.g. "I am so

much surprised by this statement that I am desirous of resigning, that I scarcely
know what reply to make." Here it is impossible to tell, till one has read past
"resigning," whether the first "that" depends upon "so" or "statement." Write:
"The statement that I am desirous of resigning surprises me so much that I
scarcely know &c."

*4 a. Be careful in the use of ambiguous words, e.g. "certain."*

"Certain" is often used for "some," as in "Independently of his earnings, he has a

certain property," where the meaning might be "unfailing."

Under this head may be mentioned the double use of words, such as "left" in the
same form and sound, but different in meaning. Even where there is no
obscurity, the juxtaposition of the same word twice used in two senses is
inelegant, e.g. (Bain), "He turned to the left and left the room."

I have known the following slovenly sentence misunderstood: "Our object is

that, with the aid of practice, we may sometime arrive at the point where we
think eloquence in its most praiseworthy form to lie." "To lie" has been supposed
to mean "to deceive."

*5. Be careful how you use "he," "it," "they," "these," &c.* (For "which" see 8.)
The ambiguity arising from the use of he applying to different persons is well
known.

"He told his friend that if he did not feel better in half an hour he thought he had
better return." See (6) for remedy.

Much ambiguity is also caused by excessive use of such phrases as in this way,
of this sort, &c.

"God, foreseeing the disorders of human nature, has given us certain passions
and affections which arise from, or whose objects are, these disorders. Of this
sort are fear, resentment, compassion."
Repeat the noun: "Among these passions and affections are fear &c."

Two distinct uses of it may be noted. It, when referring to something that
precedes, may be called "retrospective;" but when to something that follows,
"prospective." In "Avoid indiscriminate charity: it is a crime," "it" is
retrospective.[6] In "It is a crime to give indiscriminately," "it" is prospective.

The prospective "it," if productive of ambiguity, can often be omitted by using

the infinitive as a subject: "To give indiscriminately is a crime."

*6. Report a speech in the First, not the Third Person, where necessary to avoid
ambiguity.* Speeches in the third person afford a particular, though very
common case, of the general ambiguity mentioned in (5). Instead of "He told his
friend that if he did not feel better &c.," write "He said to his friend, 'If, I (or
you) don't feel better &c.'"

*6 a. Sometimes, where the writer cannot know the exact words, or where the
exact words are unimportant, or lengthy and uninteresting, the Third Person is
preferable.* Thus, where Essex is asking Sir Robert Cecil that Francis Bacon
may be appointed Attorney-General, the dialogue is (as it almost always is in
Lord Macaulay's writings) in the First Person, except where it becomes tedious
and uninteresting so as to require condensation, and then it drops into the Third
Person:

"Sir Robert had nothing to say but that he thought his own abilities equal to the
place which he hoped to obtain, and that his father's long services deserved such
a mark of gratitude from the Queen."

*6 b. Omission of "that" in a speech reported in the Third Person.*—Even when

a speech is reported in the third person, "that" need not always be inserted before
the dependent verb. Thus, instead of "He said that he took it ill that his promises
were not believed," we may write, "'He took it ill,' he said, 'that &c.'" This gives
a little more life, and sometimes more clearness also.

*7. When you use a Participle, as "walking," implying "when," "while,"

"though," "that," make it clear by the context what is implied.*

"Republics, in the first instance, are never desired for their own sakes. I do not
think they will finally be desired at all, unaccompanied by courtly graces and
good breeding."

Here there is a little doubt whether the meaning is "since they are, or, if they are,
unaccompanied."

*That or when.*—"Men walking (that walk, or when they walk) on ice

sometimes fall."

It is better to use "men walking" to mean "men when they walk." If the relative is
meant, use "men that walk," instead of the participle.

(1) "While he was } Walking on { (1) the road, } he fell." (2) "Because he was
} { (2) the ice, }

When the participle precedes the subject, it generally implies a cause: "Seeing
this, he retired." Otherwise it generally has its proper participial meaning, e.g.
"He retired, keeping his face towards us." If there is any ambiguity, write "on
seeing,"—"at the same time, or while, keeping."

(1) "Though he was} {(1) he nevertheless stood

} { his ground."
(2) "Since he was } Struck with terror, {(2) he rapidly retreated."
(3) "If he is } {(3) he will soon retreat."

*8. When using the Relative Pronoun, use "who" and "which" where the
meaning is "and he, it, &c.," "for he, it, &c." In other cases use "that," if euphony
allows.*

"I heard this from the inspector, who (and he) heard it from the guard that
travelled with the train."

"Fetch me (all) the books that lie on the table, and also the pamphlets, which
(and these) you will find on the floor."

An adherence to this rule would remove much ambiguity. Thus: "There was a
public-house next door, which was a great nuisance," means "and this (i.e. the
fact of its being next door) was a great nuisance;" whereas that would have
meant "Next door was a public-house that (i.e. the public-house) was a great
nuisance." *"Who," "which," &c. introduce a new fact about the antecedent,
whereas "that" introduces something without which the antecedent is incomplete
or undefined.* Thus, in the first example above, "inspector" is complete in itself,
and "who" introduces a new fact about him; "guard" is incomplete, and requires
"that travelled with the train" to complete the meaning.

It is not, and cannot be, maintained that this rule, though observed in Elizabethan
English, is observed by our best modern authors. (Probably a general impression
that "that" cannot be used to refer to persons has assisted "who" in supplanting
"that" as a relative.) But the convenience of the rule is so great that beginners in
composition may with advantage adhere to the rule. The following are some of
the cases where who and which are mostly used, contrary to the rule, instead of
that.

*Exceptions:*—

(a) When the antecedent is defined, e.g. by a possessive case, modern English
uses who instead of that. It is rare, though it would be useful,[7] to say "His
English friends that had not seen him" for "the English friends, or those of his
English friends, that had not seen him."

(b) That sounds ill when separated from its verb and from its antecedents, and
emphasized by isolation: "There are many persons that, though unscrupulous,
are commonly good-tempered, and that, if not strongly incited by self-interest,
are ready for the most part to think of the interest of their neighbours."
Shakespeare frequently uses who after that when the relative is repeated. See
"Shakespearian Grammar," par. 260.

(c) If the antecedent is qualified by that, the relative must not be that. Besides
other considerations, the repetition is disagreeable. Addison ridicules such
language as "That remark that I made yesterday is not that that I said that I
regretted that I had made."

(d) That cannot be preceded by a preposition, and hence throws the preposition
to the end. "This is the rule that I adhere to." This is perfectly good English,
though sometimes unnecessarily avoided. But, with some prepositions, the
construction is harsh and objectionable, e.g. "This is the mark that I jumped
beyond," "Such were the prejudices that he rose above." The reason is that some
of these disyllabic prepositions are used as adverbs, and, when separated from
their nouns, give one the impression that they are used as adverbs.

(e) After pronominal adjectives used for personal pronouns, modern English
prefers who. "There are many, others, several, those, who can testify &c."

(f) After that used as a conjunction there is sometimes a dislike to use that as a
relative. See (c).

*9. Do not use redundant "and" before "which."[8]*

"I gave him a very interesting book for a present, and which cost me five
shillings."

In short sentences the absurdity is evident, but in long sentences it is less

evident, and very common.

"A petition was presented for rescinding that portion of the bye-laws which
permits application of public money to support sectarian schools over which
ratepayers have no control, this being a violation of the principle of civil and
religious liberty, and which the memorialists believe would provoke a
determined and conscientious resistance."

Here which ought grammatically to refer to "portion" or "schools." But it seems

intended to refer to "violation." Omit "and," or repeat "a violation" before
"which," or turn the sentence otherwise.

*10. Equivalents for Relative.*

*(a) Participle.*—"Men thirsting (for 'men that thirst') for revenge are not
indifferent to plunder." The objection to the participle is that here, as often, it
creates a little ambiguity. The above sentence may mean, "men, when they
thirst," or "though they thirst," as well as "men that thirst." Often however there
is no ambiguity: "I have documents proving this conclusively."

*(b) Infinitive.*—Instead of "He was the first that entered" you can write "to
enter;" for "He is not a man who will act dishonestly," "to act." This equivalent
cannot often be used.
*(c) Whereby, wherein, &c.,* can sometimes be used for "by which," "in which,"
so as to avoid a harsh repetition of "which." "The means whereby this may be
effected." But this use is somewhat antiquated.

*(d) If.*—"The man that does not care for music is to be pitied" can be written
(though not so forcibly), "If a man does not care for music, he is to be pitied." It
is in long sentences that this equivalent will be found most useful.

*(e) And this.*—"He did his best, which was all that could be expected," can be
written, "and this was all that, &c."

*(f) What.*—"Let me repeat that which[9] you ought to know, that that which is
worth doing is worth doing well." "Let me repeat, what you ought to know, that
what is worth doing is worth doing well."

*(g) Omission of Relative.*—It is sometimes thought ungrammatical to omit the

relative, as in "The man (that) you speak of." On the contrary, that when an
object (not when a subject) may be omitted, wherever the antecedent and the
subject of the relative sentence are brought into juxtaposition by the omission.

*10 a'. Repeat the Antecedent in some new form, where there is any ambiguity.*
This is particularly useful after a negative: "He said that he would not even hear
me, which I confess I had expected." Here the meaning may be, "I had expected
that he would," or "that he would not, hear me." Write, "a refusal, or, a favour,
that I confess I had expected." See (38).

*11. Use particular for general terms.*—This is a most important rule. Instead of
"I have neither the necessaries of life nor the means of procuring them," write (if
you can with truth), "I have not a crust of bread, nor a penny to buy one."

CAUTION.—There is a danger in this use. The meaning is vividly expressed but

sometimes may be exaggerated or imperfect. Crust of bread may be an
exaggeration; on the other hand, if the speaker is destitute not only of bread, but
also of shelter and clothing, then crust of bread is an imperfect expression of the
meaning.

In philosophy and science, where the language ought very often to be inclusive
and brief, general and not particular terms must be used.
*11 a. Avoid Verbal Nouns where Verbs can be used instead.* The disadvantage
of the use of Verbal Nouns is this, that, unless they are immediately preceded by
prepositions, they are sometimes liable to be confounded with participles. The
following is an instance of an excessive use of Verbal Nouns:

"The pretended confession of the secretary was only collusion to lay the
jealousies of the king's favouring popery, which still hung upon him,
notwithstanding his writing on the Revelation, and affecting to enter on all
occasions into controversy, asserting in particular that the Pope was Antichrist."

Write "notwithstanding that he wrote and affected &c."

*12. Use a particular Person instead of a class.*

"What is the splendour of the greatest monarch compared with the beauty of a
flower?" "What is the splendour of Solomon compared with the beauty of a
daisy?"

Under this head may come the forcible use of Noun for Adjective: "This fortress
is weakness itself."

An excess of this use is lengthy and pedantically bombastic, e.g., the following
paraphrase for "in every British colony:"—"under Indian palm-groves, amid
Australian gum-trees, in the shadow of African mimosas, and beneath Canadian
pines."

*13. Use Metaphor instead of literal statement.*

"The ship ploughs the sea" is clearer than "the ship cleaves the sea," and shorter
than "the ship cleaves the sea as a plough cleaves the land."

Of course there are some subjects for which Metaphor should not be used. See
(14 a) and (14 b).

*14. Do not confuse Metaphor.*

"In a moment the thunderbolt was upon them, deluging their country with
invaders."

The following is attributed to Sir Boyle Roche: "Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat, I see
him brewing in the air; but, mark me, I shall yet nip him in the bud."

Some words, once metaphorical, have ceased to be so regarded. Hence many

good writers say "under these circumstances" instead of "in these
circumstances."

An excessive regard for disused metaphor savours of pedantry: disregard is

inelegant. Write, not, "unparalleled complications," but "unprecedented
complications;" and "he threw light on obscurities," instead of "he unravelled
obscurities."

*14 a. Do not introduce literal statement immediately after Metaphor.*

"He was the father of Chemistry, and brother to the Earl of Cork."

"He was a very thunderbolt of war,

And was lieutenant to the Earl of Mar."

*14 b. Do not use poetic metaphor to illustrate a prosaic subject.* Thus, we may
say "a poet soars," or even, though rarely, "a nation soars to greatness," but you
could not say "Consols soared to 94-1/2." Even commonplace subjects may be
illustrated by metaphor: for it is a metaphor, and quite unobjectionable, to say
"Consols mounted, or jumped to 94-1/2." But commonplace subjects must be
illustrated by metaphor that is commonplace.

ORDER OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE.

*15. Emphatic words must stand in emphatic positions; i.e. for the most part, at
the beginning or at the end of the sentence.* This rule occasionally supersedes
the common rules about position. Thus, the place for an adverb, as a rule, should
be between the subject and verb: "He quickly left the room;" but if quickly is to
be emphatic, it must come at the beginning or end, as in "I told him to leave the
room slowly, but he left quickly."

Adjectives, in clauses beginning with "if" and "though," often come at the
beginning for emphasis: "Insolent though he was, he was silenced at last."
*15 a. Unemphatic words must, as a rule, be kept from the end of the sentence.*
It is a common fault to break this rule by placing a short and unemphatic
predicate at the end of a long sentence.

"To know some Latin, even if it be nothing but a few Latin roots, is useful."
Write, "It is useful, &c."

So "the evidence proves how kind to his inferiors he is."

Often, where an adjective or auxiliary verb comes at the end, the addition of an
emphatic adverb justifies the position, e.g. above, "is very useful," "he has
invariably been."

A short "chippy" ending, even though emphatic, is to be avoided. It is abrupt and

unrhythmical, e.g. "The soldier, transfixed with the spear, writhed." We want a
longer ending, "fell writhing to the ground," or, "writhed in the agonies of
death." A "chippy" ending is common in bad construing from Virgil.

*Exceptions.*—Prepositions and pronouns attached to emphatic words need not

be moved from the end; e.g. "He does no harm that I hear of." "Bear witness how
I loved him."

*N.B. In all styles, especially in letter-writing, a final emphasis must not be so

frequent as to become obtrusive and monotonous.*

*15 b. An interrogation sometimes gives emphasis.* "No one can doubt that the
prisoner, had he been really guilty, would have shown some signs of remorse," is
not so emphatic as "Who can doubt, Is it possible to doubt, &c.?"

Contrast "No one ever names Wentworth without thinking of &c." with "But
Wentworth,—who ever names him without thinking of those harsh dark features,
ennobled by their expression into more than the majesty of an antique Jupiter?"

*16. The subject, if unusually emphatic, should often be removed from the
beginning of the sentence.* The beginning of the sentence is an emphatic
position, though mostly not so emphatic as the end. Therefore the principal
subject of a sentence, being emphatic, and being wanted early in the sentence to
tell us what the sentence is about, comes as a rule, at or near the beginning:
"Thomas built this house."
Hence, since the beginning is the usual place for the subject, if we want to
emphasize "Thomas" unusually, we must remove "Thomas" from the beginning:
"This house was built by Thomas," or "It was Thomas that built this house."

Thus, the emphasis on "conqueror" is not quite so strong in "A mere conqueror
ought not to obtain from us the reverence that is due to the great benefactors of
mankind," as in "We ought not to bestow the reverence that is due to the great
benefactors of mankind, upon a mere conqueror." Considerable, but less
emphasis and greater smoothness (19) will be obtained by writing the sentence
thus: "We ought not to bestow upon a mere conqueror &c."

Where the same subject stands first in several consecutive sentences, it rises in
emphasis, and need not be removed from the beginning, even though unusual
emphasis be required:

"The captain was the life and soul of the expedition. He first pointed out the
possibility of advancing; he warned them of the approaching scarcity of
provisions; he showed how they might replenish their exhausted stock &c."

*17. The object is sometimes placed before the verb for emphasis.* This is most
common in antithesis. "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" "Some
he imprisoned, others he put to death."

Even where there is no antithesis the inversion is not uncommon:

"Military courage, the boast of the sottish German, of the frivolous and prating
Frenchman, of the romantic and arrogant Spaniard, he neither possesses nor
values."

This inversion sometimes creates ambiguity in poetry, e.g. "The son the father
slew," and must be sparingly used in prose.

Sometimes the position of a word may be considered appropriate by some, and

inappropriate by others, according to different interpretations of the sentence.
Take as an example, "Early in the morning the nobles and gentlemen who
attended on the king assembled in the great hall of the castle; and here they
began to talk of what a dreadful storm it had been the night before. But Macbeth
could scarcely understand what they said, for he was thinking of something
worse." The last sentence has been amended by Professor Bain into "What they
said, Macbeth could scarcely understand." But there appears to be an antithesis
between the guiltless nobles who can think about the weather, and the guilty
Macbeth who cannot. Hence, "what they said" ought not, and "Macbeth" ought,
to be emphasized: and therefore "Macbeth" ought to be retained at the beginning
of the sentence.

The same author alters, "The praise of judgment Virgil has justly contested with
him, but his invention remains yet unrivalled," into "Virgil has justly contested
with him the praise of judgment, but no one has yet rivalled his invention"—an
alteration which does not seem to emphasize sufficiently the antithesis between
what had been 'contested,' on the one hand, and what remained as yet 'unrivalled'
on the other.

More judiciously Professor Bain alters, "He that tells a lie is not sensible how
great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to
maintain one," into "for, to maintain one, he must invent twenty more," putting
the emphatic words in their emphatic place, at the end.

*18. Where several words are emphatic, make it clear which is the most
emphatic.* Thus, in "The state was made, under the pretence of serving it, in
reality the prize of their contention to each of these opposite parties," it is
unpleasantly doubtful whether the writer means (1) state or (2) parties to be
emphatic.

If (1), "As for the state, these two parties, under the pretence of serving it,
converted it into a prize for their contention." If (2), write, "Though served in
profession, the state was in reality converted into a prize for their contention by
these two parties." In (1) parties is subordinated, in (2) state.

Sometimes the addition of some intensifying word serves to emphasize. Thus,

instead of "To effect this they used all devices," we can write "To effect this they
used every conceivable device." So, if we want to emphasize fidelity in "The
business will task your skill and fidelity," we can write "Not only your skill but
also your fidelity." This, however, sometimes leads to exaggerations. See (2).

Sometimes antithesis gives emphasis, as in "You do not know this, but you shall
know it." Where antithesis cannot be used, the emphasis must be expressed by
turning the sentence, as "I will make you know it," or by some addition, as "You
shall hereafter know it."
*19. Words should be as near as possible to the words with which they are
grammatically connected.* See Paragraphs 20 to 29. For exceptions see 30.

*20. Adverbs should be placed next to the words they are intended to affect.*
When unemphatic, adverbs come between the subject and the verb, or, if the
tense is compound, between the parts of the compound tense: "He quickly left
the room;" "He has quickly left the room;" but, when emphatic, after the verb:
"He left, or has left, the room quickly."[10] When such a sentence as the latter is
followed by a present participle, there arises ambiguity. "I told him to go slowly,
but he left the room quickly, dropping the purse on the floor." Does quickly here
modify left or dropping? The remedy[11] is, to give the adverb its unemphatic
place, "He quickly left the room, dropping &c.," or else to avoid the participle,
thus: "He quickly dropped the purse and left the room," or "He dropped the purse
and quickly left the room."

*21. "Only" requires careful use. The strict[12] rule is, that "only" should be
placed before the word affected by it.*

The following is ambiguous:

"The heavens are not open to the faithful only at intervals."

The best rule is to avoid placing "only" between two emphatic words, and to
avoid using "only" where "alone" can be used instead.

In strictness perhaps the three following sentences:

(1) He only beat three,

(2) He beat only three,

(3) He beat three only, ought to be explained, severally, thus:

(1) He did no more than beat, did not kill, three.

(2) He beat no more than three.

(3) He beat three, and that was all he did. (Here only modifies the whole of the
sentence and depreciates the action.)

But the best authors sometimes transpose the word. "He only lived" ought to
mean "he did not die or make any great sacrifice;" but "He only lived but till he
was a man" (Macbeth, v. 8. 40) means "He lived only till he was a man."
Compare also, "Who only hath immortality."

Only at the beginning of a statement = but. "I don't like to importune you, only I
know you'll forgive me." Before an imperative it diminishes the favour asked:
"Only listen to me." This use of only is mostly confined to letters.

Very often, only at the beginning of a sentence is used for alone: "Only ten
came," "Only Cæsar approved." Alone is less ambiguous. The ambiguity of only
is illustrated by such a sentence as, "Don't hesitate to bring a few friends of
yours to shoot on my estate at any time. Only five (fifteen) came yesterday,"
which might mean, "I don't mind a few; only don't bring so many as fifteen;" or
else "Don't hesitate to bring a few more; no more than five came yesterday." In
conversation, ambiguity is prevented by emphasis; but in a letter, only thus used
might cause unfortunate mistakes. Write "Yesterday only five came," if you
mean "no more than five."

*22. When "not only" precedes "but also," see that each is followed by the same
part of speech.*

"He not only gave me advice but also help" is wrong. Write "He gave me, not
only advice, but also help." On the other hand, "He not only gave me a grammar,
but also lent me a dictionary," is right. Take an instance. "He spoke not only
forcibly but also tastefully (adverbs), and this too, not only before a small
audience, but also in (prepositions) a large public meeting, and his speeches
were not only successful, but also (adjective) worthy of success."

*23. "At least," "always," and other adverbial adjuncts, sometimes produce
ambiguity.*

"I think you will find my Latin exercise, at all events, as good as my cousin's."
Does this mean (1) "my Latin exercise, though not perhaps my other exercises;"
or (2), "Though not very good, yet, at all events, as good as my cousin's"? Write
for (1), "My Latin exercise, at all events, you will find &c." and for (2), "I think
you will find my Latin exercise as good as my cousin's, at all events."

The remedy is to avoid placing "at all events" between two emphatic words.

As an example of the misplacing of an adverbial adjunct, take "From abroad he

received most favourable reports, but in the City he heard that a panic had
broken out on the Exchange, and that the funds were fast falling." This ought to
mean that the "hearing," and not (as is intended) that the "breaking out of the
panic," took place in the City.

In practice, an adverb is often used to qualify a remote word, where the latter is
more emphatic than any nearer word. This is very common when the Adverbial
Adjunct is placed in an emphatic position at the beginning of the sentence: "On
this very spot our guide declared that Claverhouse had fallen."

*24. Nouns should be placed near the nouns that they define.* In the very
common sentence "The death is announced of Mr. John Smith, an author whose
works &c.," the transposition is probably made from a feeling that, if we write
"The death of Mr. John Smith is announced," we shall be obliged to begin a new
sentence, "He was an author whose works &c." But the difficulty can be
removed by writing "We regret to announce, or, we are informed of, the death of
Mr. John Smith, an author, &c."

*25. Pronouns should follow the nouns to which they refer without the
intervention of another noun.* Avoid, "John Smith, the son of Thomas Smith,
who gave me this book," unless Thomas Smith is the antecedent of who. Avoid
also "John supplied Thomas with money: he (John) was very well off."

When, however, one of two preceding nouns is decidedly superior to the other in
emphasis, the more emphatic may be presumed to be the noun referred to by the
pronoun, even though the noun of inferior emphasis intervenes. Thus: "At this
moment the colonel came up, and took the place of the wounded general. He
gave orders to halt." Here he would naturally refer to colonel, though general
intervenes. A conjunction will often show that a pronoun refers to the subject of
the preceding sentence, and not to another intervening noun. "The sentinel at
once took aim at the approaching soldier, and fired. He then retreated to give the
alarm."
It is better to adhere, in most cases, to Rule 25, which may be called (Bain) the
Rule of Proximity. The Rule of Emphasis, of which an instance was given in the
last paragraph, is sometimes misleading. A distinction might be drawn by
punctuating thus:

"David the father of Solomon, who slew Goliath." "David, the father of Solomon
who built the Temple." But the propriety of omitting a comma in each case is
questionable, and it is better to write so as not to be at the mercy of commas.

*26. Clauses that are grammatically connected should be kept as close together
as possible.* (But see 55.) The introduction of parentheses violating this rule
often produced serious ambiguity. Thus, in the following: "The result of these
observations appears to be in opposition to the view now generally received in
this country, that in muscular effort the substance of the muscle itself undergoes
disintegration." Here it is difficult to tell whether the theory of "disintegration" is
(1) "the result," or, as the absence of a comma after "be" would indicate, (2) "in
opposition to the result of these observations." If (1) is intended, add "and to
prove" after "country;" if (2), insert "which is" after "country."

There is an excessive complication in the following:—"It cannot, at all events, if

the consideration demanded by a subject of such importance from any one
professing to be a philosopher, be given, be denied that &c."

Where a speaker feels that his hearers have forgotten the connection of the
beginning of the sentence, he should repeat what he has said; e.g. after the long
parenthesis in the last sentence he should recommence, "it cannot, I say, be
denied." In writing, however, this licence must be sparingly used.

A short parenthesis, or modifying clause, will not interfere with clearness,

especially if antithesis he used, so as to show the connection between the
different parts of the sentence, e.g. "A modern newspaper statement, though
probably true, would be laughed at if quoted in a book as testimony; but the
letter of a court gossip is thought good historical evidence if written some
centuries ago." Here, to place "though probably true" at the beginning of the
sentence would not add clearness, and would impair the emphasis of the contrast
between "a modern newspaper statement" and "the letter of a court gossip."

*27. In conditional sentences, the antecedent clauses must be kept distinct from
the consequent clauses.*—There is ambiguity in "The lesson intended to be
taught by these manoeuvres will be lost, if the plan of operations is laid down
too definitely beforehand, and the affair degenerates into a mere review." Begin,
in any case, with the antecedent, "If the plan," &c. Next write, according to the
meaning: (1) "If the plan is laid down, and the affair degenerates &c., then the
lesson will be lost;" or (2) " … then the lesson … will be lost, and the affair
degenerates into a mere review."

*28. Dependent clauses preceded by "that" should be kept distinct from those
that are independent.*

Take as an example:

(1) "He replied that he wished to help them, and intended to make preparations
accordingly."

This ought not to be used (though it sometimes is, for shortness) to mean:

(2) "He replied …, and he intended."

In (1), "intended," having no subject, must be supposed to be connected with the

nearest preceding verb, in the same mood and tense, that has a subject, i.e.
"wished." It follows that (1) is a condensation of:

(3) "He replied that he wished …, and that he intended."

(2), though theoretically free from ambiguity, is practically ambiguous, owing to

a loose habit of repeating the subject unnecessarily. It would be better to insert a
conjunctional word or a full stop between the two statements. Thus:

(4) "He replied that he wished to help them, and indeed he intended," &c., or
"He replied, &c. He intended, &c."

Where there is any danger of ambiguity, use (3) or (4) in preference to (1) or (2).

*29. When there are several infinitives, those that are dependent on the same
word must be kept distinct from those that are not.*
"He said that he wished to take his friend with him to visit the capital and to
study medicine." Here it is doubtful whether the meaning is—

"He said that he wished to take his friend with him,

(1) and also to visit the capital and study medicine," or

(2) "that his friend might visit the capital and might also study medicine," or

(3) "on a visit to the capital, and that he also wished to study medicine."

From the three different versions it will be perceived that this ambiguity must be
met (a) by using "that" for "to," which allows us to repeat an auxiliary verb [e.g.
"might" in (2)], and (b) by inserting conjunctions. As to insertions of
conjunctions, see (37).

"In order to," and "for the purpose of," can be used to distinguish (wherever
there is any ambiguity) between an infinitive that expresses a purpose, and an
infinitive that does not, e.g. "He told his servant to call upon his friend, to (in
order to) give him information about the trains, and not to leave him till he
started."

*30. The principle of suspense.* Write your sentence in such a way that, until he
has come to the full stop, the reader may feel the sentence to be incomplete. In
other words, keep your reader in suspense. Suspense is caused (1) by placing the
"if-clause" first, and not last, in a conditional sentence; (2) by placing participles
before the words they qualify; (3) by using suspensive conjunctions, e.g. not
only, either, partly, on the one hand, in the first place, &c.

The following is an example of an unsuspended sentence. The sense draggles,

and it is difficult to keep up one's attention.

"Mr. Pym was looked upon as the man of greatest experience in parliaments, |
where he had served very long, | and was always a man of business, | being an
officer in the Exchequer, | and of a good reputation generally, | though known to
be inclined to the Puritan party; yet not of those furious resolutions (Mod. Eng.
so furiously resolved) against the Church as the other leading men were, | and
wholly devoted to the Earl of Bedford,—who had nothing of that spirit."
The foregoing sentence might have ended at any one of the eight points marked
above. When suspended it becomes:—

"Mr. Pym, owing to his long service in Parliament in the Exchequer, was
esteemed above all others for his Parliamentary experience and for his
knowledge of business. He had also a good reputation generally; for, though
openly favouring the Puritan party, he was closely devoted to the Earl of
Bedford, and, like the Earl, had none of the fanatical spirit manifested against the
Church by the other leading men."

*30 a. It is a violation of the principle of Suspense to introduce unexpectedly, at

the end of a long sentence, some short and unemphatic clause beginning with (a)
" … not" or (b) " … which."*

(a) "This reform has already been highly beneficial to all classes of our
countrymen, and will, I am persuaded, encourage among us industry, self-
dependence, and frugality, and not, as some say, wastefulness."

Write "not, as some say, wastefulness, but industry, self-dependence, and

frugality."

(b) "After a long and tedious journey, the last part of which was a little
dangerous owing to the state of the roads, we arrived safely at York, which is a
fine old town."

*Exception.*—When the short final clause is intended to be unexpectedly

unemphatic, it comes in appropriately, with something of the sting of an
epigram. See (42). Thus:

"The old miser said that he should have been delighted to give the poor fellow a
shilling, but most unfortunately he had left his purse at home—a habit of his."

Suspense naturally throws increased emphasis on the words for which we are
waiting, i.e. on the end of the sentence. It has been pointed out above that *a
monotony of final emphasis is objectionable, especially in letter writing and
conversation*.

*31. Suspense must not be excessive.* Excess of suspense is a common fault in

boys translating from Latin. "Themistocles, having secured the safety of Greece,
the Persian fleet being now destroyed, when he had unsuccessfully attempted to
persuade the Greeks to break down the bridge across the Hellespont, hearing that
Xerxes was in full flight, and thinking that it might be profitable to secure the
friendship of the king, wrote as follows to him." The more English idiom is:
"When Themistocles had secured the safety of Greece by the destruction of the
Persian fleet, he made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Greeks to break
down the bridge across the Hellespont. Soon afterwards, hearing &c."

A long suspense that would be intolerable in prose is tolerable in the introduction

to a poem. See the long interval at the beginning of Paradise Lost between "Of
man's first disobedience" and "Sing, heavenly Muse." Compare also the
beginning of Paradise Lost, Book II.:

"High on a throne of royal state, which far

Outshone the wealth of Ormuz and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold—
Satan exalted sat."

with the opening of Keats' Hyperion:

"Deep in the shady sadness of a vale,

Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn,
Far from the fiery noon and eve's one star—
Sat grey-haired Saturn, quiet as a stone."

*32. In a long conditional sentence put the "if-clause," antecedent, or protasis,

first.*

Everyone will see the flatness of "Revenge thy father's most unnatural murder, if
thou didst ever love him," as compared with the suspense that forces an
expression of agony from Hamlet in—

"Ghost. If thou didst ever thy dear father love— Hamlet. O, God! Ghost.
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder."

The effect is sometimes almost ludicrous when the consequent is long and
complicated, and when it precedes the antecedent or "if-clause." "I should be
delighted to introduce you to my friends, and to show you the objects of interest
in our city, and the beautiful scenery in the neighbourhood, if you were here."
Where the "if-clause" comes last, it ought to be very emphatic: "if you were only
here."

The introduction of a clause with "if" or "though" in the middle of a sentence

may often cause ambiguity, especially when a great part of the sentence depends
on "that:" "His enemies answered that, for the sake of preserving the public
peace, they would keep quiet for the present, though he declared that cowardice
was the motive of the delay, and that for this reason they would put off the trial
to a more convenient season." See (27).

*33. Suspense[13] is gained by placing a Participle or Adjective that qualifies

the Subject, before the Subject.*
"Deserted by his friends, he was forced to have recourse to those that had been
his enemies." Here, if we write, "He, deserted by his friends, was forced &c.," he
is unduly emphasized; and if we write, "He was forced to have recourse to his
enemies, having been deserted by his friends," the effect is very flat.

Of course we might sometimes write "He was deserted and forced &c." But this
cannot be done where the "desertion" is to be not stated but implied.

Often, when a participle qualifying the subject is introduced late in the sentence,
it causes positive ambiguity: "With this small force the general determined to
attack the foe, flushed with recent victory and rendered negligent by success."

An excessive use of the suspensive participle is French and objectionable: e.g.

"Careless by nature, and too much engaged with business to think of the
morrow, spoiled by a long-established liberty and a fabulous prosperity, having
for many generations forgotten the scourge of war, we allow ourselves to drift on
without taking heed of the signs of the times." The remedy is to convert the
participle into a verb depending on a conjunction: "Because we are by nature
careless, &c.;" or to convert the participle into a verb co-ordinate with the
principal verb, e.g. "We are by nature careless, &c., and therefore we allow
ourselves, &c."

*34. Suspensive Conjunctions, e.g. "either," "not only," "on the one hand," add
clearness.*—Take the following sentence:—"You must take this extremely
perilous course, in which success is uncertain, and failure disgraceful, as well as
ruinous, or else the liberty of your country is endangered." Here, the meaning is
liable to be misunderstood, till the reader has gone half through the sentence.
Write "Either you must," &c., and the reader is, from the first, prepared for an
alternative. Other suspensive conjunctions or phrases are partly, for our part; in
the first place; it is true; doubtless; of course; though; on the one hand.

*35. Repeat the Subject when the omission would cause ambiguity or
obscurity.*—The omission is particularly likely to cause obscurity after a
Relative standing as Subject:—

"He professes to be helping the nation, which in reality is suffering from his
flattery, and (he? or it?) will not permit anyone else to give it advice."
The Relative should be repeated when it is the Subject of several Verbs. "All the
pleasing illusions which made power gentle and obedience liberal, which
harmonized the different shades of life, and which, by a bland assimilation,
incorporated into politics the sentiments that beautify and soften private society,
are to be dissolved by this new conquering empire of light and reason."

*36. Repeat a Preposition after an intervening Conjunction, especially if a Verb

and an Object also intervene.*

"He forgets the gratitude that he owes to those that helped all his companions
when he was poor and uninfluential, and (to) John Smith in particular." Here,
omit to, and the meaning may be "that helped all his companions, and John
Smith in particular." The intervention of the verb and object, "helped" and
"companions," causes this ambiguity.

*37. When there are several Verbs at some distance from a Conjunction on
which they depend, repeat the Conjunction.*[14]

"When we look back upon the havoc that two hundred years have made in the
ranks of our national authors—and, above all, (when) we refer their rapid
disappearance to the quick succession of new competitors—we cannot help
being dismayed at the prospect that lies before the writers of the present day."

Here omit "when," and we at once substitute a parenthetical statement for what
is really a subordinate clause.

In reporting a speech or opinion, "that" must be continually repeated, to avoid

the danger of confusing what the writer says with what others say.

"We might say that the Cæsars did not persecute the Christians; (that) they only
punished men who were charged, rightly or wrongly, with burning Rome, and
committing the foulest abominations in secret assemblies; and (that) the refusal
to throw frankincense on the altar of Jupiter was not the crime, but only evidence
of the crime." But see (6 b).

*37 a. Repeat Verbs after the conjunctions "than," "as," &c.*

"I think he likes me better than you;" i.e. either "than you like me," or "he likes
you."

"Cardinal Richelieu hated Buckingham as sincerely as did the

Spaniard Olivares." Omit "did," and you cause ambiguity.

*38. If the sentence is so long that it is difficult to keep the thread of meaning
unbroken, repeat the subject, or some other emphatic word, or a summary of
what has been said.*

"Gold and cotton, banks and railways, crowded ports, and populous cities—these
are not the elements that constitute a great nation."

This repetition (though useful and, when used in moderation, not unpleasant) is
more common with speakers than with writers, and with slovenly speakers than
with good speakers.

"The country is in such a condition, that if we delay longer some fair measure of
reform, sufficient at least to satisfy the more moderate, and much more, if we
refuse all reform whatsoever—I say, if we adopt so unwise a policy, the country
is in such a condition that we may precipitate a revolution."

Where the relative is either implied (in a participle) or repeated, the antecedent
must often be repeated also. In the following sentence we have the Subject
repeated not only in the final summary, but also as the antecedent:—

"But if there were, in any part of the world, a national church regarded as
heretical by four-fifths of the nation committed to its care; a church established
and maintained by the sword; a church producing twice as many riots as
conversions; a church which, though possessing great wealth and power, and
though long backed by persecuting laws, had, in the course of many generations,
been found unable to propagate its doctrines, and barely able to maintain its
ground; a church so odious that fraud and violence, when used against its clear
rights of property, were generally regarded as fair play; a church whose ministers
were preaching to desolate walls, and with difficulty obtaining their lawful
subsistence by the help of bayonets,—such a church, on our principles, could
not, we must own, be defended."

*39. It is a help to clearness, when the first part of the sentence prepares the way
for the middle and the middle for the end, in a kind of ascent. This ascent is
called "climax."*

In the following there are two climaxes, each of which has three terms:—

"To gossip(a) is a fault(b); to libel(a'), a crime(b'); to slander(a''), a sin(b'')."

In the following, there are several climaxes, and note how they contribute to the
clearness of a long sentence:—

"Man, working, has contrived(a) the Atlantic Cable, but I declare that it
astonishes(b) me far more to think that for his mere amusement(c), that to
entertain a mere idle hour(c'), he has created(a') 'Othello' and 'Lear,' and I am
more than astonished, I am awe-struck(b'), at that inexplicable elasticity of his
nature which enables him, instead of turning away(d) from calamity and
grief(e), or instead of merely defying(d') them, actually to make them the
material of his amusement(d''), and to draw from the wildest agonies of the
human spirit(e') a pleasure which is not only not cruel(f), but is in the highest
degree pure and ennobling(f')."

The neglect of climax produces an abruptness that interferes with the even flow
of thought. Thus, if Pope, in his ironical address to mankind, had written—

"Go, wondrous creature, mount where science guides;

Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule"—

the ascent would have been too rapid. The transition from earth to heaven, and
from investigating to governing, is prepared by the intervening climax—

"Instruct the planets in what orbs to run;

Correct old Time, and regulate the Sun;
Go, soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect, and first fair."

*40. When the thought is expected to ascend and yet descends, feebleness and
sometimes confusion is the result. The descent is called "bathos."*

"What pen can describe the tears, the lamentations, the agonies, the animated
remonstrances of the unfortunate prisoners?"
"She was a woman of many accomplishments and virtues, graceful in her
movements, winning in her address, a kind friend, a faithful and loving wife, a
most affectionate mother, and she played beautifully on the pianoforte."

INTENTIONAL BATHOS has a humorous incongruity and abruptness that is

sometimes forcible. For example, after the climax ending with the line—

"Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule,"

Pope adds—

"Then drop into thyself, and be a fool."

*40 a. A new construction should not be introduced without cause.*—A sudden

and apparently unnecessary change of construction causes awkwardness and
roughness at least, and sometimes breaks the flow of the sentence so seriously as
to cause perplexity. Thus, write "virtuous and accomplished," or "of many
virtues and accomplishments," not "of many virtues and accomplished;" "riding
or walking" or "on foot or horseback," not "on foot or riding." In the same way,
do not put adjectives and participles, active and passive forms of verbs, in too
close juxtaposition. Avoid such sentences as the following:—

"He had good reason to believe that the delay was not an accident (accidental)
but premeditated, and for supposing (to suppose, or else, for believing, above)
that the fort, though strong both by art and naturally (nature), would be forced
by the treachery of the governor and the indolent (indolence of the) general to
capitulate within a week."

"They accused him of being bribed (receiving bribes from) by the king and
unwilling (neglecting) to take the city."

*41. Antithesis adds force, and often clearness.*—The meaning of liberal in the
following sentence is ascertained by the antithesis:—

"All the pleasing illusions which made power(a) gentle(b) and obedience(a')
liberal(b') … are now to be destroyed."

There is a kind of proportion. As gentleness is to power, so liberality (in the

sense here used) is to obedience. Now gentleness is the check on the excess of
power; therefore liberal here applies to that which checks the excess of
obedience, i.e. checks servility. Hence liberal here means "free."

The contrast also adds force. "They aimed at the rule(a), not at the
destruction(a'), of their country. They were men of great civil(b) and great
military(b') talents, and, if the terror(c), the ornament(c') of their age."

Excessive antithesis is unnatural and wearisome:—

"Who can persuade where treason(a) is above reason(a'), and might(b) ruleth
right(b'), and it is had for lawful(c) whatsoever is lustful(c'), and
commotioners(d) are better than commissioners(d'), and common woe(e) is
named common wealth(e')?"

*42. Epigram.*—It has been seen that the neglect of climax results in lameness.
Sometimes the suddenness of the descent produces amusement: and when the
descent is intentional and very sudden, the effect is striking as well as amusing.
Thus:—

(1) "You are not only not vicious, you are virtuous," is a climax.

(2) "You are not vicious, you are vice," is not climax, nor is it bathos: it is
epigram.[15]

Epigram may be defined as a "short sentence expressing truth under an amusing

appearance of incongruity." It is often antithetical.

"The Russian grandees came to { and diamonds," climax.

court dropping pearls { and vermin," epigram.

"These two nations were divided { and the bitter remembrance

by mutual fear { of recent losses," climax.
{ and mountains," epigram.

There is a sort of implied antithesis in:—

"He is full of information—(but flat also) like yesterday's Times."

"Verbosity is cured (not by a small, but) by a large vocabulary."

The name of epigram may sometimes be given to a mere antithesis; e.g. "An
educated man should know something of everything, and everything of
something."

*43. Let each sentence have one, and only one, principal subject of thought.*

"This great and good man died on the 17th of September, 1683, leaving behind
him the memory of many noble actions, and a numerous family, of whom three
were sons; one of them, George, the eldest, heir to his father's virtues, as well as
to his principal estates in Cumberland, where most of his father's property was
situate, and shortly afterwards elected member for the county, which had for
several generations returned this family to serve in Parliament." Here we have
(1) the "great and good man," (2) "George," (3) "the county," disputing which is
to be considered the principal subject. Two, if not three sentences should have
been made, instead of one. Carefully avoid a long sentence like this, treating of
many different subjects on one level. It is called heterogeneous.

*44. The connection between different sentences must be kept up by Adverbs

used as Conjunctions, or by means of some other connecting words at the
beginning of each sentence.*—Leave out the conjunctions and other connecting
words, and it will be seen that the following sentences lose much of their
meaning:—

"Pitt was in the army for a few months in time of peace. His biographer
(accordingly) insists on our confessing, that, if the young cornet had remained in
the service, he would have been one of the ablest commanders that ever lived.
(But) this is not all. Pitt (, it seems,) was not merely a great poet in esse and a
great general in posse, but a finished example of moral excellence…. (The truth
is, that) there scarcely ever lived a person who had so little claim to this sort of
praise as Pitt. He was (undoubtedly) a great man. (But) his was not a complete
and well-proportioned greatness. The public life of Hampden or of Somers
resembles a regular drama which can be criticised as a whole, and every scene of
which is to be viewed in connection with the main action. The public life of Pitt
(, on the other hand,) is," &c.

The following are some of the most common connecting adverbs, or connecting
phrases: (1) expressing consequence, similarity, repetition, or resumption of a
subject—accordingly, therefore, then, naturally, so that, thus, in this way, again,
once more, to resume, to continue, to sum up, in fact, upon this; (2) expressing
opposition—nevertheless, in spite of this, yet, still, however, but, on the
contrary, on the other hand; (3) expressing suspension—undoubtedly … but;
indeed … yet; on the one hand … on the other; partly … partly; some … others.

Avoid a style like that of Bishop Burnet, which strings together a number of
sentences with "and" or "so," or with no conjunction at all:

"Blake with the fleet happened to be at Malaga, before he made war upon Spain;
and some of his seamen went ashore, and met the Host carried about; and not
only paid no respect to it, but laughed at those who did." Write "When Blake
&c."

*45. The connection between two long sentences sometimes requires a short
intervening sentence, showing the transition of thought.*

"Without force or opposition, it (chivalry) subdued the fierceness of pride and

power; it obliged sovereigns to submit to the soft collar[16] of social esteem,
compelled stern authority to submit to elegance, and gave a dominating
vanquisher of laws to be subdued by manners. But now (all is to be changed:) all
the pleasing illusions which made power gentle and obedience liberal, which
harmonized the different shades of life, and which, by a bland assimilation,
incorporated into politics the sentiments that beautify and soften private society,
are to be dissolved by this new conquering empire of light and reason." If the
words italicized were omitted, the transition would be too abrupt: the
conjunction but alone would be insufficient.

FOOTNOTES:

[5] For, at the beginning of a sentence, sometimes causes temporary doubt,

while the reader is finding out whether it is used as a conjunction or preposition.

[6] It should refer (1) either to the Noun immediately preceding, or (2) to some
Noun superior to all intervening Nouns in emphasis. See (25).

[7] So useful that, on mature consideration, I am disposed to adopt "that" here

and in several of the following exceptional cases.
[8] Of course "and which" may be used where "which" precedes.

[9] "That which," where that is an object, e.g. "then (set forth) that which is
worse," St. John ii. 10, is rare in modern English.

[10] Sometimes the emphatic Adverb comes at the beginning, and causes the
transposition of an Auxiliary Verb, "Gladly do I consent."

[11] Of course punctuation will remove the ambiguity; but it is better to express
oneself clearly, as far as possible, independently of punctuation.

[12] Professor Bain.

[13] See (30).

[14] The repetition of Auxiliary Verbs and Pronominal Adjectives is also

conducive to clearness.

[15] Professor Bain says: "In the epigram the mind is roused by a conflict or
contradiction between the form of the language and the meaning really
conveyed."

[16] This metaphor is not recommended for imitation.

*****

BREVITY.

*46. Metaphor is briefer than literal statement.* See (13).

"The cares and responsibilities of a sovereign often disturb his sleep," is not so
brief as "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," where the effect of care on
the mind is assimilated to the effect of a heavy crown pressing on the head.

*47. General terms are briefer, though less forcible, than particular terms.* Thus:
"He devours literature, no matter of what kind," is shorter than, "Novels or
sermons, poems or histories, no matter what, he devours them all."
*47 a. A phrase may be expressed by a word.*

"These impressions can never be forgotten, i.e. are indelible."

"The style of this book is of such a nature that it cannot be understood, i.e.
unintelligible."

The words "of such a nature that" are often unnecessarily inserted.
See the extract from Sir Archibald Alison.

*48. Participles can often be used as brief (though sometimes ambiguous)

equivalents of phrases containing Conjunctions and Verbs.*

"Hearing (when he heard) this, he advanced." See (7) for more instances. So
"phrases containing conjunctions" means "phrases that contain conjunctions."
"This done, (for, when this was done) he retired."

Sometimes the participle "being" is omitted. "France at our doors, he sees no

danger nigh," for "France being" or "though France is."

*49. Participles and participial adjectives may be used like Adjectives, as

equivalents for phrases containing the Relative.*

"The never-ceasing wind," "the clamouring ocean," "the drenching rain," are
instances. The licence of inventing participial adjectives by adding -ing to a
noun, is almost restricted to poetry. You could not write "the crannying wind" in
prose.

*50. A statement may sometimes be briefly implied instead of being expressed at

length.* Thus, instead of "The spirit of Christianity was humanizing, and
therefore &c.," or "Christianity, since it was (or being) of a humanizing spirit,
discouraged &c.," we can write more briefly and effectively, "Gladiatorial shows
were first discouraged, and finally put down, by the humanizing spirit of
Christianity." So instead of "The nature of youth is thoughtless and sanguine,
and therefore &c.," we can write, "The danger of the voyage was depreciated
and the beauty of the island exaggerated by the thoughtless nature of youth."
Sometimes a mere name or epithet implies a statement. "It was in vain that he
offered the Swiss terms: war was deliberately preferred by the hardy
mountaineers," i.e. "by the Swiss, because they were mountaineers and hardy."
"The deed was applauded by all honest men, but the Government affected to
treat it as murder, and set a price upon the head of (him whom they called) the
assassin." "The conqueror of Austerlitz might be expected to hold different
language from the prisoner of St. Helena," i.e. "Napoleon when elated by the
victory of Austerlitz," and "Napoleon when depressed by his imprisonment at St.
Helena."

CAUTION.—Different names must not be used for the same person unless each
of them derives an appropriateness from its context. Thus, if we are writing
about Charles II., it would be in very bad taste to avoid repeating "he" by using
such periphrases as the following: "The third of the Stewarts hated business,"
"the Merry Monarch died in the fifty-fourth year of his age," &c.

*51. Conjunctions may be omitted.* The omission gives a certain forcible

abruptness, e.g. "You say this: I (on the other hand) deny it."

When sentences are short, as in Macaulay's writings, conjunctions may be

advantageously omitted.

Where a contrast is intended, the conjunction but usually prepares the way for
the second of the two contrasted terms: "He is good but dull." Where and is used
instead of but, the incongruity savours of epigram: "He always talks truthfully
and prosily." "He is always amusing and false."

*51 a. The Imperative Mood may be used for "if."*

"Strip (for, if you strip) Virtue of the awful authority she derives from the general
reverence of mankind, and you rob her of half her majesty."

*52. Apposition may be used so as to convert two sentences into one.*

"We called at the house of a person to whom we had letters of introduction, a

musician, and, what is more, a good friend to all young students of music." This
is as clear as, and briefer than, "He was a musician, &c."
*53. Condensation may be effected by not repeating (1) the common subject of
several verbs, (2) the common object of several verbs or prepositions.*

(1) "He resided here for many years, and, after he had won the esteem of all the
citizens, (he) died," &c. So, (2) "He came to, and was induced to reside in, this
city," is shorter than "He came to this city, and was induced to reside in it."

Such condensation often causes obscurity, and, even where there is no obscurity,
there is a certain harshness in pausing on light, unemphatic words, such as to, in,
&c., as in the first example.

*54. Tautology.*—The fault of repeating the same word several times

unnecessarily is called tautology, e.g.:

"This is a painful circumstance; it is a circumstance that I much regret, and he

also will much regret the circumstance." But the fault is not to be avoided by
using different words to mean the same thing, as, "This is a painful event; it is a
circumstance that I much regret, and he also will greatly lament the occurrence."
The true remedy is to arrange the words in such a manner that there may be no
unnecessary repetition, thus: "This is a painful circumstance, a circumstance that
causes me, and will cause him, deep regret."

The repetition of the same meaning in slightly different words is a worse fault
than the repetition of the same word. See, for examples, the extract from Sir
Archibald Alison, at the end of the book. Thus "A burning thirst for conquests is
a characteristic of this nation. It is an ardent passion that &c." Other instances
are—"The universal opinion of all men;" "His judgment is so infallible that it is
never deceived," &c.

*55. Parenthesis may be used with advantage to brevity.*

"We are all (and who would not be?) offended at the treatment we have
received," is shorter and more forcible than the sentence would have been if the
parenthesis had been appended in a separate sentence: "Who, indeed, would not
be offended?"

Extreme care must, however, be taken that a parenthesis may not obscure the
meaning of a long sentence.
*56. Caution: let clearness be the first consideration.* It is best, at all events for
beginners, not to aim so much at being brief, or forcible, as at being perfectly
clear. Horace says, "While I take pains to be brief, I fall into obscurity," and it
may easily be seen that several of the rules for brevity interfere with the rules for
clearness.

Forcible style springs from (1) vividness and (2) exactness of thought, and from
a corresponding (1) vividness and (2) exactness in the use of words.

(1) When you are describing anything, endeavour to see it and describe it as you
see it. If you are writing about a man who was killed, see the man before you,
and ask, was he executed, cut down, run through the body, butchered, shot, or
hanged? If you are writing about the capture of a city, was the city stormed,
surprised, surrendered, starved out, or demolished before surrender? Was an
army repelled, defeated, routed, crushed, or annihilated?

(2) Exactness in the use of words requires an exact knowledge of their meanings
and differences. This is a study by itself, and cannot be discussed here.[17]

FOOTNOTES:

[17] See English Lessons for English People, pp. 1-53.

EXERCISES

For an explanation of the manner in which these Exercises are intended to be

used, see the Preface.

A number in brackets by itself, or followed by a letter, e.g. (43), (40 a), refers to
the Rules.

Letters by themselves in brackets, e.g. (b), refer to the explanations or hints

appended to each sentence.

N.B..—(10 a) refers to the first section of Rule (10); (10 a') to the Rule following
Rule (10).

1. "Pleasure and excitement had more attractions for him than (a) (36) (37 a) his
friend, and the two companions became estranged (15 a) gradually."

(a) Write (1) "than for his friend," or (2) "than had his friend," "had
more attractions than his friend."

2. "(a) He soon grew tired of solitude even in that beautiful scenery, (36) the
pleasures of the retirement (8) which he had once pined for, and (36) leisure
which he could use to no good purpose, (a) (30) being (15) restless by nature."

(a) This sentence naturally stops at "purpose." Also "being restless"

seems (wrongly) to give the reason why "leisure" could not be
employed. Begin "Restless by nature…."

3. "The opponents of the Government are naturally, and not (a) (40 a) without
justification, elated at the failure of the bold attempt to return two supporters of
the Government at the recent election, (b) (10 a') which is certainly to be
regretted."
 (a) "unjustifiably." (b) Write, for "which," either (1) "an attempt that
&c.," or (2) "a failure that &c."

4. "Carelessness in the Admiralty departments has co-operated with Nature to

weaken the moral power of a Government that particularly needs to be thought
efficient in (a) (5) this respect, (b) (29) to counterbalance a general distrust of its
excessive desire (c) (47 a) to please everybody in Foreign Affairs."

(a) Write "the Navy." (b) Instead of "to" write "in order to," so as to
distinguish the different infinitives, (c) "obsequiousness."

5. "(a) He was sometimes supported by Austria, who, oddly enough, appears

under Count Beust to have been more friendly to Italy than (37 a) France, (30)
in this line of action."

(a) Begin with "In this line of action." Why? (b) Write "than was
France" or "than France was."

6. "There was something so startling in (a) (5) this assertion, (a) (4) that the
discoveries of previous investigators were to be (b) (47 a) treated as though they
had never been made, and (4) that one who had not yet (47 a) attained the age of
manhood had superseded the grey-headed philosophers (8) who had for centuries
patiently sought after the truth, (4) that (a) (5) it naturally provoked derision."

(a) "This," "that," and "it," cause a little perplexity. Write "The startling
assertion that the discoveries…." (b) "ignored." (c) "a mere youth," "a
mere stripling."

7. "One of the recommendations (on which very (a) (26) (47, a) much depended)
of the Commission was that a council in each province should establish smaller
councils, each to have the oversight of a small district, and (b) (37) report to a
central council on the state of Education in (c) (5) it."

(a) Write "cardinal recommendations." Derive "cardinal." (b) Write,

either (1) "and should report," or (2) "and to report." (c) Write "in its
province," or "district."

8. "At this (a) (1) period an (b) (11) event (c) (1) transpired that destroyed the
last hopes of peace. The king fell from his horse and died two hours after the fall
(d) (30), which was occasioned by his horse's stumbling on a mole-hill, while he
was on his return from reviewing his soldiers."

(a) What is a "period"? (b) Express the particular kind of event

("accident"). (c) What is the meaning of "transpired"? (d) Transpose
thus: "While the king was on his return … his horse …; the king fell
and &c." The cause should precede the effect.

9. "He determined (c) on selling all his estates, and, as soon as this was done (40
a), to (c) quit the country, (a) (33) believing that his honour demanded this
sacrifice and (40) (40 a) in (b) the hope of satisfying his creditors."

(a) Begin with "Believing that &c." (b) "hoping thereby to satisfy &c."
(c) "to sell" or "on quitting.".

10. "He read patiently on, Leading Articles, Foreign Correspondence, Money
Article and all; (a) (43) during which his father fell asleep, and he (b) went in
search of his sister."

Point out the absurdity of "during which" applied to the last part of the
sentence. (a) "Meanwhile." (b) Insert "then."

11. "The general was quite (a) (1) conscious (40 a) how treacherous were the
intentions of those who were (b) (49) entertaining him, and (40 a) of the dangers
from which he had escaped (15) lately."

(a) Distinguish between "conscious" and "aware." (b) "entertainers."

12. "If certain (a) (11) books had been published a hundred years ago, there can
be no doubt that certain recent (b) (11) historians would have made great use of
them. But it would (c) (15 b) not, on that account, be judicious in a writer of our
own times to publish an edition of the works of one of these (b) (11) historians,
in which large extracts from these books should be incorporated with the original
text."

(a) "Mrs. Hutchinson's Memoirs." (b) "Mr. Hume." (c) Add at the end
of the sentence, "Surely not."

13. "He made no attempt to get up a petition, (32) though he did not like the new
representative quite so well as (a) (37 a) his colleagues."
(a) "as did his colleagues" or "as he liked his colleagues."

14. "Though he was (a) (15) obstinate and (15) unprincipled, yet he could not
face an angered father (15 a) in spite of his effrontery."

(a) Begin with "Obstinate."

15. "He was known to his country neighbours (a) (15) during more than forty
years as a gentleman of cultivated mind, (40 a) whose principles were high, (40
a) with polished address, happy in his family, and (b) (40 a) actively discharging
local duties; and (40 a) among political men, as an honest, industrious, and
sensible member of Parliament, (40 a) without (c) eagerness to display his
talents, (40 a) who (10 g) was stanch to his party, and attentive to the interests of
those whose (d) (47 a) representative he was."

(a) "During more &c.," is emphatic, and affects the latter as well as the
former half of the sentence: hence it should stand first. (b) "in the
discharge of." (c) "not eager." (d) Condense into one word.

16. "The poor think themselves no more disgraced by taking bribes at elections
than (a) (37 a) the rich by offering them."

(a) Write (1) "Than the rich think themselves disgraced," or (2) "Than
they think the rich disgraced."

17. "We are told that the Sultan Mahmoud, by his perpetual wars, (a) (41) and
his tyranny, (a) (41) had filled his dominions with (b) (1) misfortune and (c) (11)
calamity, and greatly (d) (11) diminished the population of the Persian Empire.
This great Sultan had (e) (50) a Vizier. We are not (f) (55) (15) informed whether
he was a humorist or an enthusiast, (g) but he pretended (h) that he had learned
from (i) (11) some one how to understand the language of birds, so that he (j) (5)
knew what was said by any bird that opened its mouth. (k) (44) One evening he
was with the Sultan, returning from hunting. They saw a couple of owls which
(10 g) were sitting upon a tree (l) (8) which grew near an old wall out of a heap
of rubbish. The Sultan said (6) he should like to know what the two owls were
saying to one another, and asked the (m) Vizier to listen to their discourse and
give him an account of it. The Vizier, (n) (31) pretending to be very attentive to
the owls, approached the tree. He (o) returned to the Sultan and said that (6) he
had heard part of their conversation, but did not wish to tell him what it was. (p)
(5) He, not (q) (31) being satisfied with this answer, forced him to repeat
everything the owls had said (20) exactly. (r) (44) (5) (6) He told (5) him that the
owls were arranging a treaty of marriage between their children, and that one of
them, after agreeing to settle five hundred villages upon the female owl, had
prayed (6) that God would grant a long life to Sultan Mahmoud, because as long
as he reigned over them they would never want ruined villages. The story says
(s) that (t) (5) he was touched with the fable, (30) and (s) that he (a) (39) from
that time forward consulted (15) the good of his people, and that he rebuilt the
towns and villages (v) which had been destroyed."

(a) "abroad … at home." (b) "ruin." (c) "desolation." (d) "half

unpeopled." (e) "The Vizier of &c." (f) "We are not informed" is
emphatic, and therefore should be inverted, "whether he was, &c., we
are not informed." (g) "but he" will be omitted when "the Vizier" is
made the subject of "pretended." (h) "Pretended" once meant
"claimed," "professed." Write "professed." (i) "a certain dervish." (j)
Introduce a new subject that you may substitute "Vizier" for "he," thus:
"so that not a bird could open its mouth, but the Vizier knew &c." (k)
"As he was, one evening, &c." (l) Note that the tree is represented as
growing out of ruins. This is in accordance with the story of the
mischief Mahmoud had done. (m) Omit this. (n) "Suspense" is out of
place in a simple narrative like this; the sentence therefore ends with
"owls." (o) "Upon his return." (p) "The Sultan" (q) "would not be
satisfied." (r) "You must know then, &c." (s) Omit. (t) "so touched …
that." (u) end with "people." (v) Addison here uses "which" probably
because of the preceding "that." We have to choose between sound and
clearness. "Which" implies that all the villages in the country had been
destroyed, whereas the country had been only (see above) "half
unpeopled."

18. "Though this great king never permitted any pastime to interfere with the
duties of state, which he considered to be superior to (54) all other claims and of
paramount importance, and (a) (37) kept himself so far under control that he
allowed no one pursuit or amusement to run to any excess, yet he took (54) great
pleasure in the chase, of which he was (b) (2) excessively (54) fond, and for the
purposes of which he created several large parks of considerable (54)
magnitude."

(a) Either repeat "though," or else strikeout the first "though" and
begin a new sentence after "excess." (b) Point out the contradiction
 between "excessively" and what precedes.

19. "To inundate (a) (11) their land, to man their ships, to leave their country,
with all its miracles of art and industry, its cities, its villas, and its (b) (11)
pastures buried under the waves (c) (11); to bear to a distant climate their (d)
(11) faith and their old (e) (11) liberties; to establish, with auspices that(10 a)
might perhaps be happier, the new (f) (11) constitution of their commonwealth,
in a (g) (11) foreign and strange (h) (11) land, in the Spice Islands of the Eastern
Seas, (38) were the plans which they had the spirit to form."

(a) Introduce "dykes." (b) Introduce something peculiar to the Dutch,

e.g. "canals," "tulip gardens." (c) "of the German Ocean." (d) The
Dutch were Calvinists. (e) The country was in old times "Batavia," so
that "Batavian" would be a fit epithet to denote what the Dutch had
inherited from their forefathers. (f) "Stadthaus," the German for "town-
hall." (g) "other stars." (h) "strange vegetation."

20. "During twenty years of unexampled prosperity, during (a) which the wealth
of the nation had shot (14 a) up and extended its branches on every side, and the
funds had (14 a) soared to a higher point than had been ever attained before, (b)
(15) speculation had become general."

(a) Omit. (b) Begin a new sentence: "This, or Prosperity, had increased
the taste for speculation."

21. "At that time (a) (16) a mere narrow-minded pedant (for he deserves no
better name) had been set up by the literary world as a great author, and as the
supreme (b) critic, alone qualified to deliver decisions which could never be (b)
reversed upon (15 a) the literary productions of the day."

(a) End with " … one who was—for he deserves no better name—a
mere narrow-minded pedant." (b) "Which could never be reversed" can
be expressed in one word; or else "the supreme … reversed" may be
condensed into a personification: "a very Minos of contemporary
criticism."

22. "With the intention of fulfilling his promise, and (40 a) intending also to
clear himself from the suspicion that attached to him, he determined to ascertain
how (40 a) far this testimony was corroborated, and (a) (40 a) the motives of the
prosecutor, (b) (43) who had begun the suit last Christmas."
 (a) "what were." (b) Begin a new sentence, "The latter &c.," or "The
suit had been begun &c."

23. "The Jewish nation, relying on the teaching of their prophets, looked forward
to a time when its descendants should be as numerous as the heavenly (11)
bodies, and when the products (a) (11) of the earth should be so increased as to
create an abundant (54) plenty, when each man should rest beneath the shade of
his own (a) (11) trees, and when the instruments (11) of war should be converted
to the (11) uses of peace."

(a) Mention some "products," "trees" of Palestine.

24. "He replied (32), when he was asked the reason for his sudden unpopularity,
that he owed it to his refusal to annul the commercial treaty, (a) (8) which(10 a')
gave great displeasure to the poorer classes."

(a) Point out the ambiguity, and remove it by (8) or (10 a').

25. "I saw my old schoolfellow again by mere accident when I was in London at
the time of the first Exhibition, (19) walking down Regent Street and looking in
at the shops."

Point out and remove the ambiguity.

26. "He remained in the House while his speech was taken into consideration;
which (52) was a common practice with him, because the debates amused his
sated mind, and indeed he used to say (a) (6 b) that they were sometimes as good
as a comedy. His Majesty had certainly never seen a more (17) sudden turn in
any comedy of intrigue, either at his own play-house or the Duke's, than that
which this memorable debate produced."

(a) "and were sometimes, he used to say, as good &c."

27. "The Commons would not approve the war (20) expressly; neither did they
as yet condemn it (20) expressly; and (a) (18) the king might even have obtained
a supply for continuing hostilities (19) from them, on condition of (b) redressing
grievances connected with the (c) administration of affairs at home, among
which the Declaration of Indulgence was a very important (d) (15_a_) one."

(a) Write "they were even ready to grant the king &c." (b) Use the verb
 with a subject, (c) Condense all this into one adjective, meaning "that
which takes place at home." (d) End with a noun, "importance," or
"foremost place."

28. "Next to thinking clearly, (a) (5) it is useful to speak clearly, and whatever
your position in life may hereafter be it cannot be such (54) as not to be
improved by this, (b) so that it is worth while making almost any effort to
acquire (c) it, if it is not a natural gift: (d) it being an undoubted (d) fact that the
effort to acquire it must be successful, to some extent at least, if (d) it be
moderately persevered in."

(a) "Next in utility … comes speaking clearly—a power that must be

of assistance to you &c." (b)" If, therefore, you cannot speak clearly by
nature, you &c." (c) "this power." (d) Omit "fact;" "for undoubtedly,
with moderate perseverance &c."

29. "It (a) (38) appears to me (15) a greater victory than Agincourt, a grander
triumph of wisdom and faith and courage than even the English constitution or
(b) liturgy, to have beaten back, or even fought against and stemmed in ever so
small a degree, those basenesses that (c) (10_a_) beset human nature, which are
now held so invincible that the influences of them are assumed as the
fundamental axioms of economic science."

(a) Begin with "To have beaten &c.," and end with "liturgy." (b)
Repeat for clearness and emphasis, "the English." (c) "The besetting
basenesses of &c."

30. "The (a) (2) unprecedented impudence of our youthful representative

reminds us forcibly of the unblushing and (54) (40) remarkable effrontery (c)
(which (26) he almost succeeds in equalling) of the Member for St. Alban's,
whom our (b) (1) neophyte (b) (1) alluded to, in the last speech with which he
favoured those whom (47_a_) he represents, (19) as his pattern and example."

(a) Show that "unprecedented" is inconsistent with what follows. (b)

What is the meaning of "neophyte," "alluded to"? (c) Begin a new
sentence, "Our young adventurer &c.," and end with "and he almost
succeeds in equalling his master."

31. "The (a) (1) veracity of this story is questionable, and there is the more
reason for doubting the (a) (1) truth of the narrator, because in his remarks on
the (1) observation of the Sabbath he distinctly (a) (1) alludes to a custom that
can be shown never to have existed."

(a) Distinguish between "veracity" and "truth," "observation" and

"observance." Show the inconsistency between "allude" and
"distinctly."

32. "It (a) (5) is a most just distribution, (10 a) which the late Mr. Tucker has
dwelt upon so (b) largely in his works, between pleasures in which we are
passive, and pleasures in which we are active. And I believe every attentive
observer of human life will assent to (c) this position, that however (d) grateful
the sensations may occasionally be in which we are passive, it is not these, but
the latter class of our pleasures, (8) which constitutes satisfaction, (e) (38) which
supply that regular stream of moderate and miscellaneous enjoyments in (10 c)
which happiness, as distinguished from voluptuousness, consists."

(a) "There is great justice in &c." (b) Omit "so." (c) "admit." (d) Not
often now used in this sense. (e) Repeat the antecedent, "I mean those
(pleasures) &c."

33. "The prince seemed to have before him a limitless (54) prospect of
unbounded prosperity, carefully (33) trained for the (a) tasks of the throne, and
stimulated by the (a) pattern of his father, (b) who (43) breathed his (3) last
suddenly at the age of sixty-two, just after the conclusion of the war."

(a) Find more appropriate words. (b) Begin a new sentence.

34. "On his way, he visited a son of an old friend (a) (25) who had asked him to
call upon him on his journey northward. He (b) (5) was overjoyed to see him,
and (c) he sent for one of his most intelligent workmen and told (d) him to
consider himself at (e) his service, (30) as he himself could not take (f) him as he
(g) wished about the city."

(a) If you mean that the "son" had "asked him," write "An old friend's
son who;" if you mean that the "friend" had "asked him," write "He
had been asked by an old friend to call, on his journey northward, upon
his son. Accordingly he visited him on his way." (b) Use, instead of he,
some name meaning "one who entertains others." (c) Use participle,
(d) "The man." (e) "the stranger's." (f) "his guest." (g) Write "could
have wished" to make it clear that "he" means "the host."
35. "Tillotson died in this year. He was exceedingly beloved both by King
William and by Queen Mary (43), who nominated Dr. Tennison, Bishop of
Lincoln, to succeed him."

36. "(a) The entertainment was arranged with a magnificence that was (b)
perfectly stupendous and (c) most unprecedented, and which quite kept up his
Lordship's unrivalled reputation for unparalleled hospitality, and, thanks to the
unequalled energy of Mr. Smith, who is rapidly becoming one of the most
effective toast-masters in the kingdom, the toasts were given with a spirit quite
unexampled on occasions of this nature; and indeed we were forcibly reminded
in this respect of the inimitable entertainment of three years ago (2)."

(a) Omit most of the epithets, or soften them down. Point out the
contradictions in the sentence as it stands. (b) Write "a remarkable
magnificence that quite &c.," thus dispensing with the following "and."
(c) Show that "most" is superfluous.

37. "If we compare Shakespeare with the other dramatic authors of the
Elizabethan era, his wonderful superiority to them in the (15) knowledge of
human nature is what (15 a) principally strikes us."

38. "The prince found himself at once in sore perplexity how to provide himself
with the commonest comforts or even necessaries of life, when he landed on this
desolate coast, being (33) accustomed to luxury."

39. "This make-shift policy recommended itself to the succeeding ministers (a)
(50), both because they were timid and because they were prejudiced, and they
were delighted to excuse (b) (13) themselves by quoting the example of one who
(c) (34) had controlled the Liberals and humoured the Conservatives, (37)
commended himself to the country at large by his unfailing good-humour, and
(d) (44) (37) done nothing worthy of the name of statesman."

(a) "to the timidity and prejudices of &c." (b) "shelter themselves
behind." (c) "while he had at once." (d) "had yet done."

40. "William Shakespeare was the sun among the lesser lights of English poetry,
and a native of Stratford-on-Avon (14 a)."

41. "(15 b) I think, gentlemen, you must confess that any one of you would have
done the same (32), if you had been tempted as I was then, placed starving and
ragged among wasteful luxury and comfort, deliberately instigated to acts of
dishonesty by those whom I had been taught from infancy to love, (a) praised
when I stole, mocked or punished when I failed to (15 a) do (b) so."

(a) Insert another infinitive beside "love." "Love" produces

"obedience." (b) Repeat the verb instead of "do so."

42. "So far from being the first (54) aggressor, he not (22) only refused to
prosecute his old friend when a favourable opportunity presented itself for
revenging himself thus upon him, but also his friend's adviser, John Smith.
Smith (a) at all (23) events suspected, if he did not know of the coming danger,
and had given no information of it."

(a) If "at all events" qualifies "Smith," the sentence must be altered.
"Yet, however innocent his friend may have been, at all events Smith
suspected…." If the words qualify "suspected," place them after
"suspected."

43. "It is quite true that he paid 5_s._ per day to English navvies, and even 6s.,
(19) in preference to 2_s._ 6_d._ to French navvies."

44. "Having climbed to the apex of the Righi to enjoy the spectacle of the sun-
rise, I found myself so incommoded by a number of illiterate individuals who
had emerged from the hotel for a (a) (1) similar purpose, that I determined to
quit them at the earliest practicable period; and therefore, without stopping to
partake of breakfast, I wended my way back with all possible celerity." (3)

(a) "the same."

45. "You admit that miracles are not natural. Now whatever is unnatural is
wrong, and since, by your own admission, miracles are unnatural, it follows that
miracles are wrong." (1)

46. "Who is the man that has dared to call into civilized alliance the (a) (41)
inhabitant of the woods, to delegate to the (a) Indian the defence of our disputed
rights?

(a) Insert some antithetical or other epithets.

47. "A (a) very (11) small proportion indeed of those who have attempted to
solve this problem (b) (19) have succeeded in obtaining even a plausible
solution."

(a) State what proportion succeeded, or, if you like, what failed: "not
one in a hundred." (b) Begin, "Of all those that &c."

48. "To be suddenly (a) (47 a) brought into contact with a system (8) which
forces one to submit to wholesale imposture, and to being (40 a) barbarously ill-
treated, naturally repels (a) (15 a) one."

(a) Write, either (1) "Collision … causes a natural repulsion," or (2)

"When brought into contact … one is naturally repelled," or (if "ill-
treatment" is emphatic), (3) "One is naturally repelled by collision with
&c."

49. "We annex a letter recently addressed by Mr. ——'s direction to the Editor of
the ——, in contradiction of statements, equally untrue, which appeared in that
periodical, and (a) (9) which the editor has undertaken to insert in the next
number…. I am sure that all must regret that statements so (b) (51) utterly
erroneous should have (c) (23) first appeared in a publication of such high
character."

(a) What the writer intended to express was that the editor had
undertaken to insert, not the "statements," but the "contradiction." (b)
Omit either "so" or "utterly." (c) "appeared first," or, "for the first
time."

50. "This is a book which (10 a) is short and amusing, which (10 a) can be easily
(a) understood, which (10 a) is admirably adapted for the purpose for which it
(b) was (54) written; and (10 e) which ought to be more popular than the last
work which (10 a) was published by the same author."

(a) Express "which can be understood" in one adjective. (b) "Its

purpose."

51. "When thousands are left (19) without (40) pity and without (40) attention
(19) on a field of battle, amid (40) the insults of an enraged foe and (40) the
trampling of horses, while the blood from their wounds, freezing as it flows,
binds them to the earth, and (40) they are exposed to the piercing air, it (15 a)
must be indeed a painful scene."
The whole sentence must be remedied by (40).

52. "(a) The youth was naturally thoughtful, and disposed (19) besides by his
early training—(31) which had been conducted with great care, the object of his
parents being to pave (14) his way as far as possible over the stormy (14) sea of
temptation and to lead him into the harbour of virtue—to a sincere (b) (1)
remorse (19) for the (b) (1) crimes that he had committed in the sight of heaven,
and also for his recent (b) (1) sin in breaking the laws of his country."

(a) First state the reasons for his being "disposed." "The youth was
naturally thoughtful; moreover, his early training had been conducted
with great care by his parents, whose &c. …. He was therefore
disposed &c." (b) What is the difference between "remorse" and
"repentance," between "sin" and "crime"?

53. "(a) One day (54) early in the morning, the general was approached by a
messenger, (30) in the midst of the entanglements and perplexities which had
unexpectedly surprised him, when the perilous hour of (54) danger was at hand,
and (37), in spite of their promises, even the tribes that were well disposed (54)
and friendly, were threatening to desert him, and (54) leave him to face the
enemy (b) (23) alone."

Condense the sentence by omitting some of the italicized words, e.g.

(a) "Early one morning." (b) Though there is no real ambiguity (unless
a wrong emphasis is placed on "enemy"), yet, in strictness, "alone"
ought to qualify "enemy." Write therefore, "alone in the face of the
enemy."

54. "A man (a) (10 d) who neglected the ordinary duties *of* life, and, immersed
in study, devoted himself to grand plans for the benefit of mankind, (b) (44) and
refused to provide for the wants of those dependent on him, and suffered his
aged relatives to become paupers because he would not help them, (c) would, in
my opinion, (34) be a bad man, and not altogether (d) (40 a) without hypocrisy."

(a) "If a man." (b) "if he refused," or "while he refused." (c) "such a
man" or "he." (d) "to some extent a hypocrite."

55. "I cannot believe in the guilt of (a) one (b) (10 e) who, whatever may have
been said to the contrary, can be shown, and has been shown by competent
testimony proceeding from those who are said to have carefully examined the
facts, in spite (23) of many obstacles, to have resisted all attempts to (29) induce
him to leave his situation, (c) (29) to consult his own interests and to (29)
establish a business of his own."

(a) "his guilt;" (b) (1) "for, whatever &c…. it can be shown by &c….
that, in spite of &c., he resisted." Or (2) insert "in spite … obstacles"
between "have" and "carefully." (c) (1) "for the purpose of consulting
… and establishing." Or (2) write "and to consult his own interests by
establishing &c."

56. "We must seek for the origin of our freedom, (a) (37) prosperity, and (a) (37)
glory, in that and only (b) that[18] portion of our annals, (30) though it (c) is
sterile and obscure. The great English people was (d) then formed; the notional
(e) disposition began (d) then to exhibit those peculiarities which it has ever
since (e) possessed; and our fathers (d) then became emphatically islanders, (f)
in their politics, (a) feelings, and (a) manners, and (30 a) not merely in their
geographical position."

(a) Repeat the Pronominal Adjective, (b) Express the emphatic "only
that" by beginning the sentence thus: "It is in that portion of our annals
&c." (c) Omit. (d) "It was then that &c." (e) Use words implying
something more marked than "disposition," and more forcible than
"possessed;" in the latter case, "retained." (f) Repeat "islanders."

57. "(a) He was the universal (54) favourite of (54) all (8) who knew him, and
cemented many friendships at this period, (a) (33) (moving in the highest circle
of society, and, as he (b) (50) had a (4 a) certain property, being independent of
the profits of literature), and soon completely extinguished the breath of slander
which at the outset of his career had threatened to sap the foundations of his
reputation."

(a) Begin "Moving in &c." (b) "rendered independent of … by &c."

Show that Rule (14) is violated by the metaphors.

58. "The outward and material form of that city which, during the brief period
which (10 a) is comprised in our present book, reached the highest pitch of
military, artistic, and literary glory, was of this (a) (15) nature. The progress of
the (b) (5) first has been already traced."

(a) Begin the sentence with "Such was." (b) By "the first" is meant
 "military glory."

59. "The detachment not only failed to take the fort, (30) spite of their numbers
and the weakness of the garrison, but also to capture the small force that was
encamped outside the town, and was, after some sharp fighting, driven back with
inconsiderable loss."

Point out the ambiguity. Remedy it by inserting either "which," or "the

assailants."

60. "(a) (b) Believing that these reforms can only (c) (21) be effected as public
opinion is prepared for them, and that (5) this will be more or less advanced in
different localities, the Bill of the Association, (a) (31) which has been for a (3)
considerable period in draft, and will be introduced in the next Session of
Parliament, provides for placing (d) (3) the control in regard to the points above-
mentioned in the (3) hands of the ratepayers of each locality; the power to be
exercised through representative Licensing Boards to be periodically elected by
them."

(a) Place the parenthesis first, as an independent sentence: "The Bill of

the Association has been … Parliament." (b) What noun is qualified by
"believing?" Write "In the belief." (c) "effected only so far as they are
in accordance with public opinion, which &c." (d) "it, or, the Bill
provides that the ratepayers … shall receive control … and shall
exercise this control."

61. "I think they are very (1) nice persons, for they kept me amused for a long
(a) (11) time together yesterday by their (1) nice stories all about what they (b)
have experienced in Japan, where they had been for (a) ever so long, and (c) (43)
where they said that the natives ripped up their (d) (5) stomachs."

(a) Mention some time. (b) "experiences" or "adventures." (c) "among

other things, they told us &c." (d) "their own."

62. "To contend for advantageous monopolies, which are regarded with a dislike
and a suspicion (a) which daily (10 a) increases, (30) however natural it may be
to be annoyed at the loss of that which one has once possessed, (15 a) is
useless."

(a) A compound adjective can be used, including "daily."

63. "Upon entering the rustic place of entertainment to partake of some
refreshment, my nerves were horrified by lighting on a number of boisterous
individuals who were singing some species of harvest song, and simultaneously
imbibing that cup which, if it cheers, also inebriates; and when, banished from
their society by the fumes of the fragrant weed, I wended my way to the
apartment which adjoined the one in which I had hoped to rest my weary limbs, I
found an interesting assortment of the fairer sex, who were holding a separate
confabulation apart from the revels of their rougher spouses."
 Write "village inn," "next room," &c., for these absurd
circumlocutions. See (3).

64. "When Burgoyne was born, in 1782, Napoleon and Wellington were both
boys (11)."

Napoleon studied at Brienne, Wellington at Eton. Mention this,

and, in order to imply the boyhood, call Wellington "Arthur
Wellesley."

65. "An honourable friend of mine, who is now, I believe, near me—(38) to
whom I never can on any occasion refer without feelings of respect, and, on this
subject, (36) feelings of the most grateful homage; (38) whose abilities upon this
occasion, as upon some former ones, are not entrusted merely to the perishable
eloquence of the (a) day, but will live to be the admiration of that (a) hour when
all of us are mute and most of us forgotten: (b) (38) has told you that prudence is
(52) the first of virtues, and (52) can never be used in the cause of vice."

(a) Though "of the day" is a recognized expression for "ephemeral" or

"transitory," yet to use "day" for a short time, and "hour" for a longer,
is objectionable. Write moment for day. Else write future for hour. (b)
"—this gentleman has told &c."

66. "To see the British artisan and his wife on the Sabbath, neat and clean and
cheerful, with their children by their sides, (a) (19) disporting themselves under
the open canopy of heaven, is (15) pleasant."

(a) There is no reasonable ground for mistaking the sense here, as the
context makes it clear; but since Lord Shaftesbury was questioned
whether he meant disporting to qualify "artisan and his wife" or
"children," write "and, by their sides, their children disporting &c."

67. "Even if (a) it were attended with extenuating circumstances, such conduct
would deserve severe reprobation, (b) and it is the more called for because it
would seem that (c) it was the intention of the author of the crime, in
perpetrating (e) it, to inflict all the misery that was possible, upon his victim."
See (5).

(a) Omit "it were." (b) "which." (c) "to have been." (d) Express "author
 of the crime" in one word. (e) Use the noun.

68. "The (a) (1) observance of the heavenly bodies must have been attended with
great difficulties, (b) (30) before the telescope was (a) (1) discovered, and it is
not to be wondered at if the investigations of astronomers were often
unsatisfactory, and failed to produce complete (a) (1) persuasion, (30) (15, a)
under these disadvantages."

(a) What is the difference between "observance" and "observation,"

"discover" and "invent," "persuasion" and "conviction"? (b) Begin
"Before &c."

69. "He plunged into the sea once more, (30) not content with his previous
exertions. After a long and dangerous struggle, he succeeded in reaching a poor
woman that was crying piteously for help, and (a) (35) was at last hauled safely
to shore."

(a) Point put and remedy the ambiguity by inserting "he" or by writing
"who," according to the meaning.

70. "Sir John Burgoyne himself, face to face with Todleben, became (a) (1)
conscious of the difference between the fortifications of San Sebastian and of
Sebastopol, (b) which (10 e) was (c) (12) very weak compared with Metz or
Paris."

(a) What is the exact meaning of conscious? (b) Avoid the relative, by
repeating the name, with a conjunction, (c) "weakness itself."

71. "Upon Richard's leaving the (c) stage, the Commonwealth was again set up;
and the Parliament which Cromwell had (a) broken was brought together; but the
army and they fell into new disputes: so they were again (a) broken by the army:
and upon that the nation was like to fall into (b) (11) great convulsions."

(a) Modern Eng., "broken up." (b) "violently convulsed." (c) It is a

question whether this metaphor is in good taste. The meaning is that
Richard "retired from public life." It might be asserted that Richard, the
Commonwealth, the Parliament are regarded as so many puppets on a
"stage." But this is extremely doubtful. Make Parliament the principal
subject: "When Richard retired … and when the Commonwealth
&c…. the Parliament was … but, falling into a dispute with &c., it
 was…." See (18) and (43).

72. "What a revolution in the military profession! He began with (a) (11)
unnecessary formality, and (b) (11) inefficient weapons, and ended with (c) (b)
(11) greatly improved fire-arms."

(a) "pig-tail and pipe-clay." (b) "Six-pounders and flint-locks" are now
inefficient compared with "twenty-four-pounders and breech-loaders."
(c) Something is wanted antithetical to (a), perhaps "loose drill" or
"open order."

73. "Children fear to go in the dark. Men fear death in the same way. The fear of
children is increased by tales. So is the fear of death. The contemplation of
death, as the 'wages of sin,' and passage to another world, is holy and religious.
The fear of it, as a tribute due unto nature, is weak. In religious meditations on
death there is sometimes mixture of vanity and of superstition."

Insert connecting adverbs or conjunctions. See (44).

74. "I have often heard him reiterate (54) repeatedly that he would never again,
if a safe (54) and secure path was open to him, prefer the perilous (54) road of
danger, however alluring (54) and attractive the latter might be."

75. "I thought in my dream that when my friend asked me whether I did not
observe anything curious in the conduct of the pigeons, I (a) (4 a) remarked that
if any one of the birds was so bold as to take an atom from a heap of grain in the
midst of them, (31) (which (b) a detachment guarded, and which, being
continually increased and never eaten, seemed useless), all the rest turned
against him and pecked him to death for the (c) (50) action."

(a) Point out the ambiguity. (b) This should come earlier in the
sentence, and not as a parenthesis. "I noticed a heap of grain in the
midst of them, guarded by … Being continually …, to all appearance,
useless: yet." (c) "theft."

76. "If this low view of the royal office becomes generally adopted, then
sovereigns who (8) have always hitherto commanded the respect of Englishmen
will by degrees fall into disrespect."

Point out the ambiguity. Show how it might be removed (a) by

 punctuation, (b) by altering "who."

77. "I struck the man in self-defence. I explained this to the magistrate. He
would not believe me. Witnesses were called to support my statements. He
committed me to prison. He had the right to do this. It is a right that is rarely
exercised in such circumstances. I remonstrated."

See (44). Insert conjunctions or connecting adverbs.

78. "He attained a very distinguished position by mere (15) perseverance and
common sense, which (52) (10 a) qualities are perhaps mostly underrated, (30)
though he was deficient in tact and not remarkable for general ability."

79. "Vindictiveness, which (a) (50) is a fault, (b) and which may be defined as
anger (10 a) which is caused not by sin nor by crime but by personal injury,
ought to be carefully distinguished from resentment, which (a) (50) is a virtue,
(b) and which is anger (49) which is natural and (c) right caused by an act (d)
which is unjust, because it is unjust, (30 a) not because it is inconvenient."

(a) "The fault of vindictiveness;" "the virtue of resentment." (b) Omit

(c) "Right" cannot be used as an adjective, but "righteous" can. (d) "an
act of injustice."

80. "(a) He told his friend that (a) his brother was surprised that (a) he had given
so small a contribution, for (a) he was (b) (12) a very rich man, in spite of (a) his
recent losses and the bad state of trade, (19) (30) compared with himself."

(a) Use (6). (b) What Asian king was proverbial for wealth?

81. "(a) (15 b) It must be indeed wrong to (a) crucify a Roman citizen if to (b)
(32) slay one is almost parricide, to (b) scourge him is a monstrous crime, and to
(b) bind him is an outrage."

(a) "What must it be…?" (b) See (40).

82. "The universal (54) opinion of all the citizens was that the citadel had been
(15) betrayed, (30) having been captured in broad daylight by a very small
number of the enemy, and those unprovided with scaling ladders, and admitted
by a postern gate, (15 a) and much wearied by a long march."

In any case "betrayed" must come at the end of a sentence. The

sentence may be converted into two sentences: "The citadel had
been captured…. Naturally therefore …;" or, "The opinion …
for it had been captured…." Else, if one sentence be used,
write "As the citadel had been captured &c."

83. "This author surpassed all those who were living (a) at the same time with
him in the forcible (b) manner in which he could address (c) an appeal to the
popular sympathy, and in the ease with which he could draw towards (a) himself
the hearts of his readers."

(a) Express in one word. (b) "force with." (c) Omit.

84. "This great statesman was indeed a pillar of commerce, and a star in the
financial world. He guided or impelled the people from the quicksands of
Protection and false political economy to the safe harbour of Free Trade; and (a)
(14 a) saved the country several millions."

(a) It would be well to literalize the preceding metaphors. Else the

literal statement must be changed into a metaphor.

85. "The ministers were most unwilling to meet the Houses, (a) (43) (51)
because even the boldest of them (though their counsels were lawless (15) and
desperate) had too much value for his (b) (11) personal safety to think of
resorting to the (c) (12) unlawful modes of extortion that had been familiar to the
preceding age."

(a) Begin a new sentence with "Lawless and desperate though their
counsels had been &c." (b) "neck." (c) Insert some of these unlawful
modes, "benevolences, ship-money, and the other &c."

86. "We will not (a) (15) pretend to guess what our grandchildren may think of
the character of Lord Byron, as exhibited in (15 a) his poetry." No writer ever
had the whole eloquence of scorn, misanthropy, and (a) (15) despair (15 a) so
completely at his command. That fountain (b) (12) of bitterness was never dry."

(a) "We will not pretend to guess" and "despair" are intended by the
author to be emphatic. (b) "Marah."
87. "The captain asked to be allowed fifty men, a supply of food, and one
hundred and fifty breech-loaders. (44) The general replied coldly that he could
not let his subordinate have (a) (4) anything that he wanted. (44) The captain
was forced to set out (34) with an insufficient force, spite of the superabundance
of soldiers doing nothing in the camp (34), and with every obstacle put in his
way by a general who from the first had resolved not even to give him ordinary
assistance, (b) (10 a') which the captain had for some time anticipated."

(a) Point out and remove the ambiguity. (b) Write, according to the
meaning, " … assistance that" or " … a resolution that."

88. "I am a practical man, and disbelieve in everything (8) which is not practical;
theories (a) which amuse philosophers and pedants have no attractions for me,
(30) for this reason."

(a) What difference in the meaning would be caused by the use of

"that" for the second "which"?

89. "Yet, when that discovery drew no other severity but the (11 a) turning (a)
him out of office, and the (11 a) passing a sentence (b) condemning him to die
for it (31) (which was presently pardoned, and he was after a short confinement
restored to his liberty), all men believed that the king knew of the letter, (c) (43)
and that (6 b) the pretended confession of the secretary was only collusion to lay
the jealousies of the king's (d) (11 a) favouring popery, (e) (43) which still hung
upon him, (30) notwithstanding his (e) writing on the Revelation, and his (e)
affecting to enter on all occasions into controversy, (e) asserting in particular that
the Pope was Antichrist."

(a) "expulsion from." (b) "a pretended sentence to death—a pretence

that was soon manifested by his pardon and liberation." (c) Begin a
new sentence: "'The secretary's pretended confession,' it was said, 'was
&c.'" (d) "the suspicion that the king favoured Popery." (e) The
juxtaposition of the two verbal nouns, "writing" and "affecting," with
the participle "asserting," is harsh. Write, "For, notwithstanding that he
affected controversy, and attacked the Pope as Antichrist in his treatise
on the Book of Revelation, the king was still suspected."

90. "The opinion that the sun is fixed was once too (a) (1) universal to be easily
shaken, and a similar prejudice has often (b) rendered the progress of new
inventions (15 a) very slow, (19) arising from the numbers of the believers, and
not (36) the reasonableness of the belief."

(a) Write "general." Show the absurdity of appending "too" to

"universal." (b) What single word can be substituted for "rendered
slow"?

91. "The rest of the generals were willing to surrender unconditionally, (30)
depressed by this unforeseen calamity; (4) only the young colonel, who retained
his presence of mind, represented to them that they were increasing the
difficulties of a position in itself very difficult (19) (15, a) by their conduct."

92. "To (a) (31) an author who is, in his expression of any sentiment, wavering
between the (b) demands of perspicuity and energy (of which the (c) (40 a)
former of course requires the first care, lest (40 a) he should fail of both), and
(37) doubting whether the (d) phrase which (8) has (e) the most force and brevity
will be (f) readily taken (g) in, it may (h) (3) be recommended to use both (d)
expressions; first, (h) to expound the sense sufficiently to be clearly understood,
and then (i) to contract it into the most compendious and striking form."

(a) Write "When an author &c." (b) Can be omitted. (c) Assimilate the
constructions: "Of which the former must, of course, be aimed at first,
lest both be missed." (d) Use "expression" or else "phrase" in both
places. (e) Assimilate the construction to what follows; write "that is
most forcible and brief." (f) Insert "also." (g) "understood." (h) "let him
use …; first let him expound." (i) Omit.

93. "When I say 'a great man,' I not (22) only mean a man intellectually great but
also morally, (38) who (8) has no preference for diplomacy (a) (23) at all events
which (10 a) is mean, petty, and underhanded to secure ends which (8) can be
secured by an honest policy equally (20) well, (38) who (8) does not resemble
Polonius, (b) who prefers to get at truth by untruthful tricks, and (b) who
considers truth a carp which (10 g) is to be caught by the bait falsehood. We
cannot call a petty intriguer great (c), (30) though we may be forced to call an
unscrupulous man by that (15 a) name."

(a) "at all events no preference." (b) Why is who right here? If you
like, you can write, "does not, like Polonius, prefer … and consider."
(c) End with "we cannot give the name to a petty intriguer."
94. "I regret that I have some (a) (3) intelligence which (10 a) is of a most (3)
painful nature, and which I must tell you at once, though (b) I should like to
defer it on (c) (40 a) account of your ill-health, and because (c) (40 a) you have
already had many troubles, and (40 a) owing to the natural dislike which (8) a
friend must always feel to say that (10 f) which is unpleasant. Many old friends
in this district have turned against you: I scarcely like to write the words: only
(21) I remain faithful to you, and I am sure you will believe that I am doing that
(10 f) which is best for your interests."

(a) "news." (b) In a letter these words should remain is they are; but if
a period is desired, they must (30) come last, after "unpleasant." (c)
Write "because of your ill-health … and the troubles … and because
of…."

95. "The general at once sent back word that the enemy had suddenly appeared
on the other side of the river, and [(35) or (37)] then (a) retreated. (b) It was
thought that (b) it would have shown more (c) (1) fortitude on his (3) part if he
had attacked the fortifications, (d) which were not tenable for more than a week
at all events. Such was the (54) universal opinion, at (23) least, of (54) all the
soldiers."

(a) Point out the ambiguity. (b) "It was thought he would have shown
&c." (c) Distinguish between "fortitude" and "bravery." (d) What
would be the meaning if "that" were substituted for "which"? It will be
perhaps better to substitute for "which," "since they."

96. "A notion has sprung up that the Premier, though he can legislate, cannot
govern, and has attained an influence which renders it imperative, if this
Ministry is to go on, that (a) it should be dispersed."

(a) Who or what "has attained"? Write "and this notion has become so
powerful that, unless it is dispersed…."

97. "Those who are habitually silent (a) (3) by disposition and morose are less
liable to the fault of exaggerating than those who are habitually (a) (3) fond of
talking, and (40 a) of (a) (3) a pleasant disposition."

(a) Each of these periphrases must be condensed into a single

adjective.
98. "This author, (a) (31) though he is not (b) altogether (c) guiltless of (b)
occasional (c) faults of exaggeration, which are to be found as plentifully in his
latest works as in those which he (d) published when he was beginning his
career as an author, yet, notwithstanding these (e) defects, surpassed all those
who were living at the (f) same time with him in the clear (g) manner in which he
could, as it were, see into the feelings of the people at large, and in the power—a
power that indeed could not be (f) resisted—with which he drew (f) toward
himself the sympathy of those who (f) perused his works." See (54).

(a) Convert the parenthesis into a separate sentence. (b) One of these
words is unnecessary. (c) One of these is unnecessary. (d) Condense:
"his earliest." (e) Omit these words as unnecessary. (f) Express all this
in one word. (g) "clearness with."

99. "Among the North (a) (23) American Indians I had indeed heard of the
perpetration of similar atrocities; but it seemed intolerable that such things
should occur in a civilized land: and I rushed from the room at once, leaving the
wretch where he stood, with his tale half told, (30) horror-stricken at his crime."

(a) Make it evident whether the speaker once lived among the North
American Indians, or not, and show who is "horror-stricken."

100. "His (1) bravery under this painful operation and the (1) fortitude he had
shown in heading the last charge in the recent action, (30) though he was
wounded at the time and had been unable to use his right arm, and was the only
officer left in his regiment, out of twenty who were alive the day before, (19)
inspired every one with admiration."

Begin, "Out of twenty officers &c…. Though wounded &c…. he had

headed." "The bravery he had then shown and…."

101. "Moral as well as (41) other considerations must have weight when we are
selecting an officer (a) that (10 b) will be placed in a position that will task his
intelligence (b) (18) and his fidelity."

(a) The repetition of "that" is objectionable. Use "to fill." (b) "and" can
be replaced by some other conjunction to suit what precedes.

102. "It happened that at this time there were a few Radicals in the House who
(8) could not forgive the Prime Minister for being a Christian."
 Point out the difference of meaning, according as we read "who" or
"that."

103. "It cannot be doubted (15 b) that the minds of a vast number of men would
be left poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and
unpleasing to themselves, if (32) there were taken out of men's minds vain
opinions, false valuations, imaginations as one (a) would, and the (15 a) like."

(a) The meaning (which cannot easily be more tersely expressed than
in the original) is "castles in the air," "pleasant fancies."

104. "God never wrought a miracle to refute atheism, because His ordinary
works refute it. (a) A little philosophy inclines man's mind to atheism: depth in
philosophy brings men's minds back to religion. (44) While the mind of man
looks upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them; (44) when it
beholds the chain of them confederate and linked together, it must needs
acknowledge a Providence. (44) That school which is most accused of atheism
most clearly demonstrates the truth of religion."

(a) Insert a suspensive conjunction. See (34).

105. "The spirit of Liberty and the spirit of Nationality were once for all dead;
(a) (5) it might be for a time a pious duty, but it could not continue always
expedient or (c) (15) (18) profitable to (b) (13) mourn (c) (15 a) for their loss.
Yet this is the (b) (13) feeling of the age of Trajan."

(a) Omit. (b) "To sit weeping by their grave;" "attitude." (c) Notice that
"expedient or profitable" are emphatic, as is shown by "yet" in the next
sentence. Make it evident therefore, by their position, that these words
are more emphatic than "to mourn &c."

106. "(a) If we ask (15 b) what was the nature of the force by which this change
was effected, (a) we find it to have been (b) the force that had seemed almost
dead for many generations—(38) of theology."

(a) Omit these words. (b) Begin a new sentence: "It was a force &c."

107. "I remember Longinus highly recommends a description of a storm by

Homer, because (a) (5) (c) he has not amused himself with little fancies upon the
occasion, as authors of an inferior genius, whom he mentions, (b) (15 a) have
done, (30) but (c) because he has gathered together those (d) (1) events which
are the most apt to terrify the imagination, and (35) really happen in the raging
of a tempest."

(a) "The poet." (b) Omit "have done" and write "like some authors." (c)
Suspend the sentence by writing "the poet … instead of … has." (d)
What is the word for "that which happens around one, or in connection
with some central object?"

108. "To have passed (a) (3) in a self-satisfied manner through twenty years of
office, letting things take their own course; to have (b) sailed with consummate
sagacity, never against the tide of popular (c) judgement; to have left on record
as the sole title to distinction among English ministers a peculiar art of (d)
sporting with the heavy, the awful responsibility of a nation's destiny with the
jaunty grace of a juggler (11) (e) playing with his golden ball; to have joked and
intrigued, and bribed and (f) deceived, with the result of having done nothing (g),
(h) either for the poor, (h) or for religion (for (i) which indeed he did worse than
nothing), (h) or for art and science, (h) or for the honour or concord or even the
financial prosperity of the nation, (38) is surely a miserable basis on which the
reputation of a great (15) statesman can be (k) (15 a) founded."

(a) "complacently." (b) "Sail" implies will and effort: use a word
peculiar to a helpless ship, so as to contrast paradoxically with
"sagacity." (c) Use a word implying less thought and deliberation. (d)
With is too often repeated; write "bearing" so as to introduce the
illustration abruptly. (e) "tossing." (f) Use a word implying a particular
kind of "deceit," not "lying," but the next thing to "lying." (g) Insert the
word with a preceding and intensifying adverb, "absolutely nothing."
(h) Instead of "either," "or," repeat "nothing." (i) The parenthesis
breaks the rhythm. Write "nothing, or worse than nothing." (k) "to
found."

109. "A glance at the clock will make you (1) conscious that it is nearly three in
the morning, and I therefore ask you, gentlemen, instead of wasting more time,
to put this question to yourselves, 'Are we, or are we not, here, for the purpose of
(1) eliminating the truth?'"

110. "The speech of the Right Honourable member, so far from unravelling (14)
the obscurities of this knotty question, is eminently calculated to mislead his
supporters (a) (8 a) who have not made a special study of it. It may be (b) (23)
almost asserted of every statement (8) which he has made that the very (1)
converse is the fact."

(a) The meaning appears to be, not "all his supporters," but "those of
his supporters who:" the convenience of writing "his supporters that" is
so great that I should be disposed to use "that." (b) "Every," not
"asserted," requires the juxtaposition of "almost."

111. "The provisions of the treaty which (8) require the consent of the Parliament
of Canada await its assembling."

Point out the meaning conveyed by which, and by that.

112. "Mrs. Smith demonstrated (26), in opposition to the general dictum of the
press, that (a) there had been a reaction against woman's suffrage, that there had
really been a gain of one vote in the House of Commons."

(a) Substitute "instead of," and erase the second "that."

113. "The practice of smoking hangs like a gigantic (14 a) cloud of evil over the
country."

FOOTNOTES:

[18] That which treats of the thirteenth century.

CONTINUOUS EXERCISES.

CLEARNESS.

The following exercises consist of extracts from Burnet, Butler, and Clarendon,
modernized and altered with a view to remove obscurity and ambiguity. The
modernized version will necessarily be inferior to the original in unity of style,
and in some other respects. The charm of the author's individuality, and the
pleasant ring of the old-fashioned English, are lost. It is highly necessary that the
student should recognize this, and should bear in mind that the sole object is to
show how the meaning in each case might have been more clearly expressed.

Occasionally expressions have been altered, not as being in themselves obscure

or objectionable, but as indicating a habit of which beginners should beware. For
example, in the extract from Burnet, he is often altered, not because, in the
particular context, the pronoun presents any obscurity, but because Burnet's habit
of repeating he is faulty.

These exercises can be used in two ways. The pupil may either have his book
open and be questioned on the reasons for each alteration, or, after studying the
two versions, he may have the original version dictated to him, and then he may
reproduce the parallel version, or something like it, on paper.

LORD CLARENDON.

The principal faults in this style are, long heterogeneous sentences (43), use of
phrases for words (47 a), ambiguous use of pronouns (5), excessive separation of
words grammatically connected together (19).

ORIGINAL VERSION. PARALLEL VERSION.

(44) It will not be impertinent And now, in order to explain, as nor unnatural
 to this (50) far as possible, how so prodigious present discourse, to set down
an alteration could take place in in this place the present temper so short a
time, and how the[19] and constitution of both Houses royal power could fall
so low as of Parliament, and (34) of the to be unable to support itself, court
itself, (30) that (5) it its dignity, or its faithful may be the less wondered at,
that servants, it will be of use to set so prodigious an alteration should down
here, where it comes most be made in so short a time, and naturally, some
account of the[20] (37) the crown fallen so low, that present temper and
composition, it could neither support itself not only of both Houses of nor its
own majesty, nor those Parliament, but also of the court who would (47 a)
appear itself. faithful to it.

**********

(Here follows a description of the House of Lords.)

In the House of Commons were many In the House of Commons persons of

wisdom and gravity, who there were many men of wisdom (7) being
possessed of great and and judgment whose high plentiful fortunes, though
they position and great wealth disposed were undevoted enough to the them,
in spite of their indifference court, (19) had all imaginable to the court, to feel
duty for the king, and affection a most loyal respect for the to the government
established(47 king, and a great affection for a) by law or ancient custom; the
ancient constitutional (43) and without doubt, the major government of the
country. Indeed, part of that (54) body it cannot be doubted that consisted of
men who had no mind the majority had no intention to to break the peace of
the kingdom, break the peace of the kingdom or to make any considerable or
to make any considerable alteration in the government of alteration in Church
or State. Church or State: (43) and Consequently, from the very therefore (18)
all inventions outset, it was necessary to resort were set on foot from the (15)
to every conceivable device beginning to work upon (5) for the purpose of
perverting them, and (11) corrupt (5) this honest majority into rebellion. them,
(43) (45) by suggestions "of the dangers (8) which With some, the appeal was
threatened all that was precious addressed to their patriotism. to the subject
(19) in their They were warned "of the liberty and their property, by dangers
that threatened [all overthrowing (47 a) or that was precious in] the liberty
overmastering the law, and (47 and property of the subject, a) subjecting it to
an if the laws were to be made arbitrary (47_a_) power, and by subservient to
despotism, and countenancing Popery to the if Popery was to be encouraged
 subversion of the Protestant to the subversion of the Protestant religion," and
then, by religion." infusing terrible apprehensions into some, and so working
upon The fears of others were appealed their fears, (6 b) "of (11 a) to. "There
was danger," so[21] it being called in question for was said, "that they might
be somewhat they had done," by which called to account for something (5)
they would stand in need of they had done, and they would then (5) their
protection; and (43) stand in need of the help of those (45) raising the hopes
of others, who were now giving them this "that, by concurring (47 a) timely
warning." In others, hopes with (5) them (5) they were excited, and offices,
should be sure to obtain offices honours, and preferments were held and
honours and any kind of out as the reward of adhesion. preferment." Though
there were too Too many were led away by one or many corrupted and misled
by these other of these temptations, and several temptations, and (19) indeed
some needed no other others (40 a) who needed no temptation than their
innate other temptations than from the fierceness and barbarity and the
fierceness and barbarity of malice they had contracted against their (47 a)
own natures, and the Church and the court. But the the malice they had
contracted leaders of the conspiracy were not against the Church and against
the many. The flock was large and court; (43) yet the number was not
submissive, but the shepherds were great of those in whom the very few.
government of the rest (47 a) was vested, nor were there many who had the
absolute authority (13) to lead, though there were a multitude (13) that was
disposed to follow.

(44) (30) Mr. Pym was looked upon Of these, Mr. Pym was thought as the
man of greatest experience superior to all the rest in in parliaments, where he
had parliamentary experience. To this (50) served very long, and was
advantage he added habits of always (50) a man of business, business
acquired from his (7) being an officer in the continuous service in the
Exchequer, (43) and of a good Exchequer. He had also a good reputation
generally, (30) though reputation generally; for, though known to be inclined
to the known to be inclined to the Puritan party; yet not of those Puritan party,
yet he was not so furious resolutions against the fanatically set against the
Church Church as the other leading men as the other leaders. In this were,
and (44) wholly devoted to respect he resembled the Earl of the Earl of
Bedford, who had Bedford, to whom he was nothing of that spirit. thoroughly
devoted.

(Here follow descriptions of Hampden and Saint John.)

It was generally believed that These three persons, with the these three
persons, with the three peers mentioned before, were other three lords
mentioned united in the closest confidence, before, were of the most intimate
and formed the mainspring of the and entire trust with each other, party. Such
at least was the and made the engine which (47 general belief. But it was
clear a) moved all the rest; (30) that they also admitted to their yet it was
visible, that (15) unreserved confidence two others, Nathaniel Fiennes, the
second son (45) whom I will now of the Lord Say, and Sir Harry describe,—
Nathaniel Fiennes, Vane, eldest son to the Secretary, second son of Lord Say,
and Sir and Treasurer of the House, were Harry Vane, eldest son of the
received by them with full Secretary, and Treasurer of the confidence and
without reserve. House.

The former, being a man of good Nathaniel Fiennes, a man of good

parts of learning, and after some parts, was educated at New
years spent in New College in College, Oxford, where[22] his
Oxford, (43) of which his father family claimed and enjoyed some
had been formerly fellow, (43) privileges in virtue of their
that family pretending[23] and kindred to the founder, and
enjoying many privileges there, as where[22] his father had formerly
of kin to the founder, (43) (19) been a fellow. He afterwards spent
had spent his time abroad in some time in Geneva and in the
Geneva and amongst the cantons of cantons of Switzerland, where[22]
Switzerland, (30) where he he increased that natural
improved his disinclination to the antipathy to the Church which he
Church, with which milk he had had imbibed almost with his
been nursed. From his travels he mother's milk.[24] By a singular
returned through Scotland (52) coincidence, he came home through
(which[24] few travellers took in Scotland (not a very common route
their way home) at the time when for returning travellers) just
(5) that rebellion was in bud: when the Scotch rebellion was in
(30) (43) (44) and was very little bud. For some time he was scarcely
known, except amongst (5) that known beyond the narrow and
people, which conversed (47 a) exclusive circle of his sect,
wholly amongst themselves, until until at last he appeared in
he was now (15) found in Parliament. Then, indeed, it was
Parliament, (30) (43) (44) when quickly discovered that he was
it was quickly discovered that, likely to fulfil even the fond
as he was the darling of his hopes of his father and the high
father, so (5) he was like to promise of many years.
make good whatsoever he had
for many years promised.

(5) The other, Sir H. Vane, was Fiennes' coadjutor, Sir H. Vane, a man of
great natural parts[25] was a man of great natural (45) and of very profound
ability.[25] Quick in understanding dissimulation, of a quick and
impenetrable in dissembling, conception, and of very ready, he could also
speak with sharp, and weighty expression. He promptness, point, and weight.
His had an (50) unusual aspect, which, singular appearance, though it though
it might naturally proceed might naturally proceed from his from his father
and mother, parents, who were not noted for neither of which were beautiful
their beauty, yet impressed men persons, yet (19) made men think with the
belief that he had in him there was somewhat in him of something
extraordinary, an extraordinary: and (52) his whole impression that was
confirmed by life made good that imagination. the whole of his life. His
Within a very short time after he behaviour at Oxford, where he returned
from his studies in studied at Magdalen College, was Magdalen College in
Oxford, where, not characterized, in spite of the (43) though he was under the
care supervision of a very worthy of a very worthy tutor, he lived tutor, by a
severe morality. Soon not with great exactness, (43) he after leaving Oxford
he spent some spent some little time in France, little time in France, and more
in and more in Geneva, and, (43) Geneva. After returning to after his return
into England, England, he conceived an intense (38) contracted a full
prejudice hatred not only against the and bitterness against the Church,
government of the Church, which both against the form of the was disliked
by many, but also government and the Liturgy, (43) against the Liturgy,
which was which was generally in great held in great and general reverence,
(15 a) even with reverence. many of those who were not friends to (5) the
other. In Incurring or seeming to incur, by his giddiness, which then much his
giddiness, the displeasure of displeased, or seemed to his father, who at that
time, displease, (30) (43) his father, beside strictly conforming to the who still
appeared highly Church himself, was very bitter conformable, and
exceedingly sharp against Nonconformists, the young against those who were
not, Vane left his home for New (5) he transported himself into England. New
England, (43) a colony within few years before planted by a This colony had
been planted a few mixture of all religions,[26] which years before by men of
all sorts of disposed the professors to dislike religions, and their the
government of the Church; who differences[26] disposed them to (30) (43)
(44) were qualified by dislike the government of the the king's charter to
choose their Church. Now, it happened that their own government and
governors, privilege (accorded by the king's under the obligation, "that every
charter) of choosing their own man should take the oaths of government and
governors was allegiance and supremacy;" (30) subject to this obligation,
"that (43) (5) which all the first every man should take the oaths of planters
did, when they received allegiance and supremacy." These their charter,
before they oaths had been taken, not only by transported themselves from
hence, all the original planters, on nor was there in many years after receiving
their charter, before the least scruple amongst them of leaving England, but
also for many complying with those obligations: years afterwards, without
exciting so far men were, in the infancy the slightest scruple. Indeed, (15) of
their schism, from scruples against lawful oaths were refusing to take lawful
oaths. unknown[27] in the infancy of the (45) He was no sooner landed
English schism. But with the there, but his parts made him arrival of Vane all
this was quickly taken notice of, (26) and changed. No sooner had he landed
very probably his quality, being than his ability, and perhaps to the eldest son
of a some extent his position, as eldest Privy-councillor, might give him son
of a Privy-councillor, some advantage; insomuch (51) recommended him to
notice: and at that, when the next season came the next election he was
chosen for the election of their Governor. magistrates, he was chosen their
governor: (30) (45) (43) in which In his new post, his restless and place he
had so ill fortune (26) unquiet imagination found (his working and unquiet
fancy opportunity for creating and raising and infusing a thousand diffusing a
thousand conscientious scruples of conscience, which (5) scruples that had
not been brought they had not brought over with over, or ever even heard of,
by the them, nor heard of before) (19) colonists. His government proved a
that he unsatisfied with failure: and, mutually them and they with him,
dissatisfied, (45) governed and he retransported himself governor parted.
Vane returned into England; (30) (43) (44) to England, but not till he had
having sowed such seed of accomplished his mischievous task, dissension
there, as grew up too not till he had sown the seeds of prosperously, and
miserably those miserable dissensions which divided the poor colony into
afterwards grew only too several factions, and divisions prosperously, till
they split the and persecutions of each (15 a) wretched colony into distinct,
other, (30) (43) which still hostile, and mutually persecuting continue to the
great (54) factions. His handiwork still prejudice of that plantation: remains,
and it is owing to (15) insomuch as some of (5) them, him that some of the
colonists, upon the ground of their first on the pretext of liberty of expedition,
 liberty of conscience, conscience, the original cause of have withdrawn
themselves from (5) their emigration, have withdrawn their jurisdiction, and
obtained themselves from the old colonial other charters from the king, by
jurisdiction and have obtained which, (30) (43) in other forms of fresh
charters from the king. government, they have enlarged These men have
established new their plantations, within new forms of government, unduly
limits adjacent to (5) (15 a) enlarged their boundaries, and set the other.their
plantations, up rival settlements on the within new limits adjacent to (5)
borders of the original colony. (15 a) the other.

FOOTNOTES:

[19] The original metaphor uses the crown as a prop, which seems a confusion.
Though the metaphor is so common as scarcely to be regarded as a metaphor, it
is better to avoid the appearance of confusion.

[20] We sometimes say, briefly but not perhaps idiomatically, "the then
sovereign," "the then temper," &c.

[21] The personality of the tempters and organizers of the conspiracy is

purposely kept in the background.

[22] The relative is retained in the first two cases, because it conveys the reason
why Fiennes was educated at New College; and in the third case, because the
increased "antipathy" is regarded as the natural consequence of the residence in
Calvinistic Geneva.

[23] Claiming.

[24] An insinuation of sedition seems intended.

[25] This sentence is a preliminary summary of what follows.

[26] If "which" is used here according to Rule (8), the meaning is, (a) "and their
differences;" if it is used for "that," the meaning will be, (b) "all religions that
were of a nature to dispose &c." I believe (a) is the meaning; but I have found
difference of opinion on the question.

[27] The following words appear to be emphatic, bringing out the difference
between the infancy and the development of schism.

BURNET.

The principal faults in Burnet's style are (a) the use of heterogeneous sentences
(see 43); (b) the want of suspense (see 30); (c) the ambiguous use of pronouns
(see 5); (d) the omission of connecting adverbs and conjunctions, and an
excessive use of and (see 44); and (e) an abruptness in passing from one topic to
another (see 45). The correction of these faults necessarily lengthens the altered
version.

ORIGINAL VERSION. PARALLEL VERSION.

And his maintaining the honour of He also gratified the English

the nation in all foreign feeling of self-respect by
countries gratified the (1) maintaining the honour of the
vanity which is very natural nation in all foreign countries.
(50) to Englishmen; (30) (43) of So jealous was he on this point
which he was so (15) (17 a) that, though he was not a crowned
careful that, though he was not head, he yet secured for his
a crowned head, yet his (40 a) ambassadors all the respect that
ambassadors had all the respects had been paid to the ambassadors
paid them which our (15) kings' of our kings. The king, he said,
ambassadors ever had: he said (6 received respect simply as the
b) the dignity of the crown nation's representative head,
was upon the account of the and, since the nation was the
nation, of which the king was same, the same respect should
(50) only the representative be paid to the[28] nation's
head; so, the nation being the ministers.
same, he would have the same
regards paid to (41) his
ministers.

Another[29] instance of (5) this The following instance of jealousy pleased

him much. Blake with the for the national honour pleased fleet happened (50)
to be at him much. When Blake was at Malaga Malaga before he made war
upon with his fleet, before his war Spain: (44) and some of his with Spain, it
happened that some seamen went ashore, and met the of his sailors going
ashore and Host carried about; (44) and not meeting the procession of the
only paid no respect to it, but Host, not only paid no respect to laughed at
those who did; (43) it, but even laughed at those who (30) (51) so one of the
priests did. Incited by one of the priests put the people upon resenting this to
resent the indignity, the indignity; and they fell upon people fell on the
scoffers and (5) them and beat them severely. beat them severely. On their
When they returned to their ship return to the ship the seamen (5) they
complained of (5) complained of this ill-usage, this usage; and upon that
Blake whereupon Blake sent a messenger sent a trumpet to the viceroy to to
the viceroy to demand the demand the priest who was the priest who was the
instigator of chief (1) instrument in that the outrage. The viceroy answered
ill-usage. The viceroy answered that he could not touch him, as he he had no
authority over the had no authority over the priests. (15) priests, and so could
not To this Blake replied, that he did dispose of him. Blake upon that not
intend to inquire to whom the sent him word that he would not authority
belonged, but, if the inquire who had the (1) power to priest were not sent
within three send the priest to him, but if hours, he would burn the town. The
he were not sent within three townspeople being in no condition hours, he
would burn their town; to resist, the priest was at once (43) and (5) they,
being in no sent. On his arrival, he defended condition to resist him, sent
himself, alleging the insolence of the priest to him, (43) (44) who the sailors.
But the English (50) justified himself upon the Admiral replied that a
complaint petulant behaviour of the seamen. should have been forwarded to
him, and then he would have punished (44) Blake answered that, if (5) them
severely, for none of his he had sent a complaint to (5) sailors should be
allowed to him of(5) it, (5) he would affront the established religion have
punished them severely, since of any place where they touched. (5) he would
not suffer his "But," he added, "I take it ill men to affront the established that
you should set on your religion of any place at which (5) countrymen to do
my work; for I he touched; but (5) (6) he will have all the world know that
took it ill, that he set on the an Englishman is only to be Spaniards to do (5)
it; for he punished, by an Englishman." Then, would have all the world to
know satisfied with having had the (50) that an Englishman was only to be
offender at his mercy, Blake punished by an Englishman; (43) entertained
him civilly and sent (44) and so he treated the priest him back. civilly, and
sent him back (30), being satisfied that he had him at his mercy.

Cromwell was much delighted with Cromwell was much delighted with (5)
this, (43) and read the Blake's conduct. Reading the letters in council with
great letters in council with great satisfaction; and said he (6) satisfaction, he
said, "I hope I hoped he should make the name of shall make the name of an
an Englishman as great as ever Englishman as much respected as that of a
Roman (15 a) had ever was the name of Roman." been. (44) The States of
Holland Among other countries the States were in such dread of (5) him that
of Holland were in such dread of they took care to give him no sort Cromwell
that they took care to of umbrage; (43) (44) and when give him no sort of
umbrage. at any time the king or his Accordingly, whenever the king or
brothers came to see their sister his brothers came to see the the Princess
Royal, (23) within a Princess Royal their sister, they day or two after, (5) they
used were always warned in a day or two to send a deputation to let them by a
deputation that Cromwell had know that Cromwell had required of required
of the States to give the States that (5) they should them no harbourage. give
them no harbour.

**********

Cromwell's favourite alliance was The free kingdom of Sweden was Sweden.
[30] (44) Carolus Gustavus Cromwell's favourite ally; not and he lived in
great conjunction only under Charles Gustavus, with of counsels. (44) Even
Algernon whom he was on most confidential Sydney, (10 a) who was not
terms, but also under Christina. inclined to think or speak well of Both these
sovereigns had just kings, commended him (5) to me; notions of public
liberty; at and said he (5) had just least, Algernon Sydney, a man notions of
public liberty; (44) certainly not prejudiced in favour (43) and added, that
Queen of royalty, assured me this was Christina seemed to have them true of
Gustavus. He also held the likewise. But (44) she was same opinion of Queen
Christina; much changed from that, when but, if so, she was much changed I
waited on her at Rome; for when I waited on her at Rome; for she
complained of us as a factious she then complained of the factious nation,
that did not readily and unruly spirit of our nation. comply with the
commands (47 a) of our princes. (44) All Italy All Italy, no less than trembled
at the name of Cromwell, Holland,[31] trembled at the name and seemed
under a (1) panic as of Cromwell, and dreaded him till long as he lived; (43)
his fleet he died. Nor durst the Turks scoured the Mediterranean; and the
offend the great (50) Protector Turks durst not offend him; but whose fleet
scoured the delivered up Hyde, who kept up the Mediterranean; and they
even gave character of an ambassador from up Hyde, who, for keeping up in
the king there (23) (43), and was Turkey the character of ambassador brought
 over and executed for (5) from the king, was brought to it. England and
executed.

(44) (11 a) The putting the In another instance of severity

brother of the king of Portugal's towards foreigners—the execution
ambassador to death for murder, of the brother of the Portuguese
was (11 a) carrying justice ambassador for murder—Cromwell
very far; (43) since, though in carried justice very far. For,
the strictness of the law of though in strictness the law of
nations, it is only the nations exempts from foreign
ambassador's own person that is jurisdiction the ambassador alone,
exempted from (4) any authority yet in practice the exemption has
(47 a) but his master's that extended to the whole of the
sends him, yet the practice has ambassador's suite.
gone in favour of all that the
ambassador owned (47 a) to Successful abroad, Cromwell was no
belong to him. (41) (44) Cromwell less successful at home in
showed his good (11) selecting able and worthy men for
understanding in nothing more public duties, especially for the
than in seeking[32] out capable courts of law. In nothing did he
and worthy men for all employments, show more clearly his great
but most particularly for the natural insight, and nothing
courts of law, (43) (30 a) contributed more to his popularity.
(10 a) which gave a general
satisfaction.

FOOTNOTES:

[28] The meaning is "his, and therefore the nation's, ministers." There is a kind
of antithesis between "the nation" and "the nation's ministers."

[29] No instance has yet been mentioned.

[30] The thought that is implied, and should be expressed, by the words, is this:
"Cromwell's favourite ally was a free country."

[31] The remarks about Christina are a digression, and Burnet is now returning
to the respect in which Cromwell was held by foreign nations.
[32] He not only sought, but sought successfully. That "find" is not necessarily
implied by "seek out" seems proved by the use of the word in the Authorized
Version, 2 Tim. ii. 17: "He sought me out very diligently, and found me."

BISHOP BUTLER.

The principal faults in this style are (a) a vague use of pronouns (5), and
sometimes (b) the use of a phrase, where a word would be enough (47 a).

ORIGINAL VERSION. PARALLEL VERSION.

Some persons, (15) upon Some persons avowedly reject all pretence[33] of
the sufficiency of revelation as[34]essentially the light of Nature, avowedly
incredible and necessarily reject all revelation as, in its fictitious, on the
ground that the (47 a) very notion, light of Nature is in itself incredible, and
what (47 a) sufficient. And assuredly, had the must be fictitious. And indeed
light of Nature been sufficient in (32) it is certain that no such a sense as to
render revelation would have been given, revelation needless or useless, no
(32) had the light of Nature been revelation would ever have been sufficient
in such a sense as to given. But let any man consider render (5) one not[35]
wanting, the spiritual darkness that once or useless. But no (15 b) man in (41)
prevailed in the heathen seriousness and simplicity can world before
revelation, and that possibly think it (5) so, who (41) still prevails in those
considers the state of religion in regions that have not yet received the
heathen world before the light of revealed truth; above revelation, and its (5)
present all, let him mark not merely the state in those (11) places (8) natural
inattention and ignorance which have borrowed no light of the masses, but
also the from (5) it; particularly (19) the doubtful language held even by a
doubtfulness of some of the (12) Socrates on even so vital a greatest men
concerning things of subject as[36] the immortality of the utmost (11)
importance, as the soul; and then can he in well as the (15 a) natural
seriousness and sincerity maintain inattention and ignorance of that the light
of Nature is mankind in general. It is (34) sufficient? impossible to say (12)
who would have been able to have reasoned It is of course impossible to deny
out that whole system which we that some second[36] Aristotle call natural
religion, (30) in its might have reasoned out, in its genuine simplicity, clear of
genuine simplicity and without superstition; but there is a touch of
superstition, the certainly no ground to affirm whole of that system which we
 that the generality could. call natural religion. But there (44) If they could,
there is is certainly no ground for no sort of probability that affirming that
this complicated they would. (44) Admitting there process would have been
possible were, they would highly want a for ordinary men. Even if they had
standing admonition to remind them had the power, there is no of (5) it, and
inculcate it upon probability that they would have them. And further still,
were (5) had the inclination; and, even if they as much disposed (47 a) we
admit the probable inclination, to attend to religion as the they would still
need some better sort of men (15 a) are; standing admonition, whereby yet,
even upon this supposition, natural religion might be there would be various
occasions suggested and inculcated. Still for supernatural instruction and
further, even if we suppose these assistance, and the greatest ordinary men to
be as attentive to advantages (50) might be religion as men of a better sort,
afforded (15 a) by (5) yet even then there would be them. So that, to say
revelation various occasions when is a thing superfluous, what supernatural
instruction and there (47 a) was no need of, assistance might be most and
what can be of (47 a) no beneficially bestowed. service, is, I think, to talk
wildly and at random. Nor would it Therefore, to call revelation be more
extravagant to affirm that superfluous, needless, and (40 a) mankind is so
entirely useless, is, in my opinion, to (40 a) at ease in the present talk wildly
and at random. A man state, and (40 a) life so might as reasonably assert that
we completely (40 a) happy, that are so entirely at ease and so (5) it is a
contradiction to completely happy in this present suppose (40 a) our
condition life that our condition cannot capable of being in any respect
without contradiction be supposed (47 a) better.—(Analogy of capable of
being in any way Religion, part ii. chap. 1.) improved.

FOOTNOTES:

[33] "To pretend" once meant "to put forward," "maintain."

[34] It has been suggested, however, that by "in its very notion incredible," is
meant "inconceivable."

[35] "Wanting" is used for modern "wanted."

[36] This use of the particular for the general would be out of place in Butler's
style, but it adds clearness.
BREVITY.

SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON.

The following extract exhibits examples of tautology and lengthiness. The

"implied statement" (50) can often be used as a remedy, but, more often, the best
remedy is omission.

ORIGINAL VERSION. PARALLEL VERSION.

The Russian empire is (50) a Russia, with her vast strength and
state of (54) such vast boundless resources, is obviously
strength and boundless destined to exercise on the course
resources, that it is of history a great and lasting
obviously destined to make a influence. The slowness of her
great and lasting impression on progress only renders her
human affairs. Its (50) progress durability more probable. The
has been slow, but (5) it[37] is Russian Empire has not, like the
only on that account the more empires of Alexander the Great and
likely to be durable. (5) It has Napoleon, been raised to sudden
not suddenly risen to greatness, greatness by the genius of
like the empire of Alexander in individuals or the accidents of
ancient (19) (31), or that of fortune, but has been slowly
Napoleon in modern, times, from enlarged and firmly consolidated
the force of individual genius, or by well-guided ambition and
the accidents of (54) casual persevering energy,[38] during a
fortune, but has slowly advanced, long succession of ages.
and (40 a) been firmly
consolidated (15) during a
succession of ages, from the
combined influence of ambition
skilfully directed and energy (15
a) perseveringly applied.

**********

The extent and fertility of the The extent and fertility of her Russian territory
are such (54) territory furnish unparalleled as to furnish facilities of facilities
for the increase of her increase and elements of strength population and
power. European which no nation (47 a) in the Russia, that is, Russia to the
world enjoys. European west of the Ural Mountains, Russia—that is, Russia
to the contains one million two hundred westward of the Ural thousand
square geographical Mountains—contains a hundred and miles, or ten times
the surface of fifty thousand four hundred square Great Britain and Ireland.
marine leagues, or about one million two hundred thousand square
geographical miles, being ten times the surface of the British Islands, which
contain, including Ireland, one hundred and twenty-two thousand. Great part,
This vast territory is intersected no doubt, of this immense (54, by no
mountain ranges, no arid see below) territory is covered deserts; and though
much of it is with forests, or (40 a) lies rendered almost unproductive of so
far to the north as to be food either by the denseness of almost unproductive
of food; but forests, or by the severity of the no ranges of mountains or arid
northern winter, yet almost all, deserts intersect the vast (54, except that part
which touches see above) extent, and almost the Arctic snows, is capable of
the whole, excepting that which yielding something for the use touches the
Arctic snows, is of man. capable of yielding something for the use of man.
The (3) (54) The steppes of the south present boundless steppes of the south
an inexhaustible pasturage to present (54) inexhaustible those nomad tribes
whose numerous fields of pasturage, and give and incomparable horsemen
form the birth to those nomad tribes, in chief defence of the empire. whose
numerous and incomparable horsemen the chief defence of the empire,[39] as
of all Oriental states, (15 a) is to be found. The rich arable lands in the heart
The rich arable lands in the of the (54) empire produce an interior produce
grain enough to (2) incalculable quantity of support four times the present
grain, capable not only of population of the empire, and yet maintaining four
times (5) its leave a vast surplus to be present inhabitants, but affording
transported by the Dnieper, the a vast surplus for exportation by Volga, and
their tributaries, into the Dnieper, the Volga, and their the Euxine or other
seas. tributary streams, (30) which form so many (54) natural outlets into the
Euxine or other seas; (44) while the cold and Lastly, the cold bleak plains
shivering plains which stretch stretching towards Archangel and towards
Archangel and the shores towards the shores of the White of the White Sea
are (48) covered Sea, and covered with immense with immense forests of fir
and forests of oak and fir, furnish oak, furnishing at once (54)[40] materials
for shipbuilding and inexhaustible materials for supplies of fuel that will for
shipbuilding and supplies of fuel. many generations supersede the (54) These
ample stores for many necessity of searching for coal. generations will
supersede the necessity of searching in the (14 a) bowels of the earth for the
purposes of (54) warmth or manufacture.
 Formidable as the power of Russia Much as we may dread Russia for is from
the vast extent of its the vastness of her territory and territory, and the great
and of her rapidly increasing numbers, rapidly increasing number of there is
greater cause for fear its (54) subjects, (5) it is in the military spirit and the
still more (5) so from the docility of her people. military spirit and docile
disposition by which they are (54)[41] distinguished. The prevailing (54)
passion of the A burning thirst for conquest is nation is the (54) love of as
prevalent a passion in Russia conquest, and this (54) ardent as democratic
ambition in the free (54) desire, which (54) burns states of Western Europe.
This as (54) fiercely in them as passion is the unseen spring[2] democratic
ambition does in the which, while it retains the free states of Western Europe,
is Russians in the strictest the unseen spring[42] which both discipline,
unceasingly impels retains them submissive (54) their united forces against
all under the standard of their adjoining states. chief and impels their
accumulated forces in ceaseless The national energy, which is as violence
over all the adjoining great as the national territory, states. The energies of the
rarely wastes itself in disputes people, great as[43] the territory about
domestic grievances. For all they inhabit, are rarely wasted in internal evils,
how great soever, internal disputes. Domestic the Russians hope to find a
grievances, how great soever, are compensation, and more than a (54)
overlooked in the thirst for compensation, in the conquest of foreign
aggrandizement. (15) In the world. the conquest of the world the people hope
to find a compensation, and more than a compensation, (15 a) for all the evils
of their interior administration.

FOOTNOTES:

[37] Apparently "it" means, not "progress," but the "Russian empire."

[38] Not "energy," but "a long succession of ages," needs to be emphasized.

[39] There is nothing in the context that requires the words, "as of all Oriental
states."

[40] If they were really "inexhaustible," the "necessity of searching in the bowels
of the earth" would be "superseded," not for "many," but for all generations.
[41] The words can be implied, and besides they are expressed in the following
sentence.

[42] The metaphor is questionable; for a "spring," qua "spring," does not retain
at all; and besides, "a passion" ought not to "burn" in one line, and be a "spring"
in the next.

[43] The meaning appears not to be, "great as" (is), i.e. "though the territory is
great."
THE END.

*****

ENGLISH LESSONS

FOR

ENGLISH PEOPLE.

BY

THE REV. EDWIN A. ABBOTT, M.A.,

HEAD MASTER OF THE CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL;

AND

J. R. SEELEY, M.A.,

PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

"It is not so much a merit to know English as it is a shame not to know it; and I
look upon this knowledge as essential for an Englishman, and not merely for a
fine speaker."—ADAPTED FROM CICERO.

BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
 1883.

[Illustration: QUI LEGIT REGIT]

UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON & SON,

CAMBRIDGE.

TO THE

REV. G. F. W. MORTIMER, D.D.,

Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral, late Head Master of the City of London
School.

DEAR DOCTOR MORTIMER,

We have other motives, beside the respect and gratitude which must be felt for
you by all those of your old pupils who are capable of appreciating the work you
did at the City of London School, for asking you to let us dedicate to you a little
book which we have entitled "English Lessons for English People."

Looking back upon our school life, we both feel that among the many
educational advantages which we enjoyed under your care, there was none more
important than the study of the works of Shakspeare, to which we and our
school-fellows were stimulated by the special prizes of the Beaufoy Endowment.

We owe you a debt of gratitude not always owed by pupils to their teachers.
Many who have passed into a life of engrossing activity without having been
taught at school to use rightly, or to appreciate the right use of, their native
tongue, feeling themselves foreigners amid the language of their country, may
turn with some point against their teachers the reproach of banished
Bolingbroke:—

My tongue's use is to me no more

Than an unstringed viol or a harp,
Or like a cunning instrument cased up,
Or, being open, put into his hands
That knows no touch to tune the harmony;
Within my mouth you have engaoled my tongue,
 Doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips,
And dull, unfeeling, barren ignorance
Is made my gaoler to attend on me.
I am too old to fawn upon a nurse,
Too far in years to be a pupil now.

It is our pleasant duty, on the contrary, to thank you for encouraging us to study
the "cunning instrument" of our native tongue.

Our sense of the benefits which we derived from this study, and our recollection
that the study was at that time optional, and did not affect more than a small
number of the pupils, lead us to anticipate that when once the English language
and literature become recognized, not as an optional but as a regular part of our
educational course, the advantages will be so great as to constitute nothing short
of a national benefit.

The present seems to be a critical moment for English instruction. The subject
has excited much attention of late years; many schools have already taken it up;
others are on the point of doing so; it forms an important part of most
Government and other examinations. But there is a complaint from many
teachers that they cannot teach English for want of text-books and manuals; and,
as the study of English becomes year by year more general, this complaint
makes itself more and more distinctly heard. To meet this want we have written
the following pages. If we had had more time, we might perhaps have been
tempted to aim at producing a more learned and exhaustive book on the subject;
but, setting aside want of leisure, we feel that a practical text-book, and not a
learned or exhaustive treatise, is what is wanted at the present crisis.

We feel sure that you will give a kindly welcome to our little book, as an
attempt, however imperfect, to hand on the torch which you have handed to us;
we beg you also to accept it as a token of our sincere gratitude for more than
ordinary kindnesses, and to believe us

Your affectionate pupils,

J. R. SEELEY. EDWIN A. ABBOTT.

*****
Messrs. Roberts Brothers' Publications.

ENGLISH LESSONS FOR ENGLISH PEOPLE. By Rev. E. A. ABBOTT,

M.A., and
Prof. J. R. SEELEY, M.A. Part I.—Vocabulary. Part II—Diction. Part
III.—Metre. Part IV.—Hints on Selection and Arrangement. Appendix.
16mo. Price $1.50.

From the London Athenæum.

The object of this book is evidently a practical one. It is intended for

ordinary use by a large circle of readers; and though designed
principally for boys, may be read with advantage by many of more
advanced years. One of the lessons which it professes to teach, "to use
the right word in the right place," is one which no one should despise.
The accomplishment is a rare one, and many of the hints here given are
truly admirable.

From the Southern Review.

The study of Language can never be exhausted. Every time it is looked

at by a man of real ability and culture, some new phase starts into view.
The origin of Language; its relations to the mind; its history; its laws;
its development; its struggles; its triumphs; its devices; its puzzles; its
ethics,—every thing about it is full of interest.

Here is a delightful book, by two men of recognized authority,—the

head Master of London School, and the Professor of Modern History in
the University of Cambridge, the notable author of "Ecce Homo." The
book is so comprehensive in its scope that it seems almost
miscellaneous. It treats of the vocabulary of the English Language;
Diction as appropriate to this or that sort of composition; selection and
arguments of topics; Metre, and an Appendix on Logic. All this in less
than three hundred pages. Within this space so many subjects cannot
be treated exhaustively; and no one is, unless we may except Metre, to
which about eighty pages are devoted, and about which all seems to be
said that is worth saying,—possibly more. But on each topic some of
the best things are said in a very stimulating way. The student will
desire to study more thoroughly the subject into which such pleasant
 openings are here given; and the best prepared teacher will be thankful
for the number of striking illustrations gathered up to his hand.

The abundance and freshness of the quotations makes the volume very
attractive reading, without reference to its didactic value.

Sold by all booksellers. Mailed, postpaid, by the Publishers,

ROBERTS BROTHERS, BOSTON.

PREFACE.

This book is not intended to supply the place of an English Grammar. It

presupposes a knowledge of Grammar and of English idiom in its readers, and
does not address itself to foreigners, but to those who, having already a familiar
knowledge of English, need help to write it with taste and exactness. Some
degree of knowledge is presumed in the reader; nevertheless we do not presume
that he possesses so much as to render him incapable of profiting from lessons.
Our object is, if possible, not merely to interest, but to teach; to write lessons,
not essays,—lessons that may perhaps prove interesting to some who have
passed beyond the routine of school life, but still lessons, in the strictest sense,
adapted for school classes.

Aiming at practical utility, the book deals only with those difficulties which, in
the course of teaching, we have found to be most common and most serious. For
there are many difficulties, even when grammatical accuracy has been attained,
in the way of English persons attempting to write and speak correctly. First, there
is the cramping restriction of an insufficient vocabulary; not merely a loose and
inexact apprehension of many words that are commonly used, and a consequent
difficulty in using them accurately, but also a total ignorance of many other
words, and an inability to use them at all; and these last are, as a rule, the very
words which are absolutely necessary for the comprehension and expression of
any thought that deals with something more than the most ordinary concrete
notions. There is also a very common inability to appreciate the differences
between words that are at all similar. Lastly, where the pupil has studied Latin,
and trusts too much for his knowledge of English words to his knowledge of
their Latin roots, there is the possibility of misderiving and misunderstanding a
word, owing to ignorance of the changes of letters introduced in the process of
derivation; and, on the other hand, there is the danger of misunderstanding and
pedantically misusing words correctly derived, from an ignorance of the changes
of meaning which a word almost always experiences in passing from one
language to another. The result of all this non-understanding or slovenly half-
understanding of words is a habit of slovenly reading and slovenly writing,
which when once acquired is very hard to shake off.

Then, following on the difficulties attending the use of words, there are others
attending the choice and arrangement of words. There is the danger of falling
into "poetic prose," of thinking it necessary to write "steed" or "charger" instead
of "horse," "ire" instead of "anger," and the like; and every teacher, who has had
much experience in looking over examination papers, will admit that this is a
danger to which beginners are very liable. Again, there is the temptation to
shrink with a senseless fear from using a plain word twice in the same page, and
often from using a plain word at all. This unmanly dread of simplicity, and of
what is called "tautology," gives rise to a patchwork made up of scraps of poetic
quotations, unmeaning periphrases, and would-be humorous circumlocutions,—
a style of all styles perhaps the most objectionable and offensive, which may be
known and avoided by the name of Fine Writing. Lastly, there is the danger of
obscurity, a fault which cannot be avoided without extreme care, owing to the
uninflected nature of our language.

All these difficulties and dangers are quite as real, and require as much attention,
and are fit subjects for practical teaching in our schools, quite as much as many
points which, at present, receive perhaps an excessive attention in some of our
text-books. To use the right word in the right place is an accomplishment not less
valuable than the knowledge of the truth (carefully recorded in most English
Grammars, and often inflicted as a task upon younger pupils) that the plural of
cherub is cherubim, and the feminine of bull is cow.

To smooth the reader's way through these difficulties is the object of the first
three Parts of this book. Difficulties connected with Vocabulary are considered
first. The student is introduced, almost at once, to Synonyms. He is taught how to
define a word, with and without the aid of its synonyms. He is shown how to
eliminate from a word whatever is not essential to its meaning. The processes of
Definition and Elimination are carefully explained: a system or scheme is laid
down which he can exactly follow; and examples are subjoined, worked out to
illustrate the method which he is to pursue. A system is also given by which the
reader may enlarge his vocabulary, and furnish himself easily and naturally with
those general or abstract terms which are often misunderstood and misused, and
still more often not understood and not used at all. Some information is also
given to help the reader to connect words with their roots, and at the same time
to caution him against supposing that, because he knows the roots of a word, he
necessarily knows the meaning of the word itself. Exercises are interspersed
throughout this Part which can be worked out with, or without, an English
Etymological Dictionary,[44] as the nature of the case may require. The
exercises have not been selected at random; many of them have been subjected
to the practical test of experience, and have been used in class teaching.

The Second Part deals with Diction. It attempts to illustrate with some detail the
distinction—often ignored by those who are beginning to write English, and
sometimes by others also—between the Diction of Prose, and that of Poetry. It
endeavors to dissipate that excessive and vulgar dread of tautology which,
together with a fondness for misplaced pleasantry, gives rise to the vicious style
described above. It gives some practical rules for writing a long sentence clearly
and impressively; and it also examines the difference between slang,
conversation, and written prose. Both for translating from foreign languages into
English, and for writing original English composition, these rules have been
used in teaching, and, we venture to think, with encouraging results.

A Chapter on Simile and Metaphor concludes the subject of Diction. We have

found, in the course of teaching, that a great deal of confusion in speaking and
writing, and still more in reading and attempting to understand the works of our
classical English authors, arises from the inability to express the literal meaning
conveyed in a Metaphor. The application of the principle of Proportion to the
explanation of Metaphor has been found to dissipate much of this confusion. The
youngest pupils readily learn how to "expand a Metaphor into its Simile;" and it
is really astonishing to see how many difficulties that perplex young heads, and
sometimes old ones too, vanish at once when the key of "expansion" is applied.
More important still, perhaps, is the exactness of thought introduced by this
method. The pupil knows that, if he cannot expand a metaphor, he does not
understand it. All teachers will admit that to force a pupil to see that he does not
understand any thing is a great stride of progress. It is difficult to exaggerate the
value of a process which makes it impossible for a pupil to delude himself into
the belief that he understands when he does not understand.

Metre is the subject of the Third Part. The object of this Part (as also, in a great
measure, of the Chapter just mentioned belonging to the Second Part) is to
enable the pupil to read English Poetry with intelligence, interest, and
appreciation. To teach any one how to read a verse so as to mark the metre on
the one hand, without on the other hand converting the metrical line into a
monotonous doggerel, is not so easy a task as might be supposed. Many of the
rules stated in this Part have been found of practical utility in teaching pupils to
hit the mean. Rules and illustrations have therefore been given, and the different
kinds of metre and varieties of the same metre have been explained at
considerable length.

This Chapter may seem to some to enter rather too much into detail. We desire,
however, to urge as an explanation, that in all probability the study of English
metre will rapidly assume more importance in English schools. At present, very
little is generally taught, and perhaps known, about this subject. In a recent
elaborate edition of the works of Pope, the skill of that consummate master of
the art of epigrammatic versification is impugned because in one of his lines he
suffers the to receive the metrical accent. When one of the commonest customs
(for it is in no sense a license) of English poets—a custom sanctioned by
Shakspeare, Dryden, Milton, Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, and Tennyson—can
be censured as a fault, and this in a leading edition of a leading poet of our
literature, it must be evident that much still remains to be done in teaching
English Metre. At present this Part may seem too detailed. Probably, some few
years hence, when a knowledge of English Metre has become more widely
diffused, it will seem not detailed enough.

The Fourth Part (like the Chapter on Metaphor) is concerned not more with
English than with other languages. It treats of the different Styles of
Composition, the appropriate subjects for each, and the arrangement of the
subject-matter. We hope that this may be of some interest to the general reader,
as well as of practical utility in the higher classes of schools. It seems desirable
that before pupils begin to write essays, imaginary dialogues, speeches, and
poems, they should receive some instruction as to the difference of arrangement
in a poem, a speech, a conversation, and an essay.

An Appendix adds a few hints on some Errors in Reasoning. This addition may
interfere with the symmetry of the book; but if it is found of use, the utility will
be ample compensation. In reading literature, pupils are continually meeting
instances of false reasoning, which, if passed over without comment, do harm,
and, if commented upon, require some little basis of knowledge in the pupil to
enable him to understand the explanation. Without entering into the details of
formal Logic, we have found it possible to give pupils some few hints which
have appeared to help them. The hints are so elementary, and so few, that they
cannot possibly delude the youngest reader into imagining that they are any
thing more than hints. They may induce him hereafter to study the subject
thoroughly in a complete treatise, when he has leisure and opportunity; but, in
any case, a boy will leave school all the better prepared for the work of life,
whatever that work may be, if he knows the meaning of induction, and has been
cautioned against the error, post hoc, ergo propter hoc. No lesson, so far as our
experience in teaching goes, interests and stimulates pupils more than this; and
our experience of debating societies, in the higher forms of schools, forces upon
us the conviction that such lessons are not more interesting than necessary.

Questions on the different paragraphs have been added at the end of the book,
for the purpose of enabling the student to test his knowledge of the contents, and
also to serve as home lessons to be prepared by pupils in classes.[45]

A desire, expressed by some teachers of experience, that these lessons should be

published as soon as possible, has rather accelerated the publication. Some
misprints and other inaccuracies may possibly be found in the following pages,
in consequence of the short time Which has been allowed us for correcting them.
Our thanks are due to several friends who have kindly assisted us in this task,
and who have also aided us with many valuable and practical suggestions.
Among these we desire to mention Mr. Joseph Payne, whose labors on Norman
French are well known; Mr. T.G. Philpotts, late Fellow of New College, Oxford,
and one of the Assistant Masters of Rugby School; Mr. Edwin Abbott, Head
Master of the Philological School; Mr. Howard Candler, Mathematical Master of
Uppingham School; and the Rev. R. H. Quick, one of the Assistant Masters of
Harrow School.

In conclusion, we repeat that we do not wish our book to be regarded as an

exhaustive treatise, or as adapted for the use of foreigners. It is intended
primarily for boys, but, in the present unsatisfactory state of English education,
we entertain a hope that it may possibly be found not unfit for some who have
passed the age of boyhood; and in this hope we have ventured to give it the title
of English Lessons for English People.

FOOTNOTES:

[44] An Etymological Dictionary is necessary for pupils studying the First Part.
Chambers's or Ogilvie's will answer the purpose.
[45] Some of the passages quoted to illustrate style are intended to be committed
to memory and used as repetition-lessons.—See pp. 180, 181, 212, 237, 238, etc.

*****

ON THE RIGHT USE OF BOOKS.

A LECTURE. By WILLIAM P. ATKINSON, Professor of English and History

in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 16mo. Cloth. Price 50 cents.

"Full of good sense, sound taste, and quiet humor…. It is the easiest
thing in the world to waste time over books, which are merely tools of
knowledge like any other tools…. It is the function of a good book not
only to fructify, but to inspire, not only to fill the memory with
evanescent treasures, but to enrich the imagination with forms of
beauty and goodness which leave a lasting impression on the
character."—N. Y. Tribune.

"Contains so many wise suggestions concerning methods in study and

so excellent a summary of the nature and principles of a really liberal
education that it well deserves publication for the benefit of the reading
public. Though it makes only a slight volume, its quality in thought
and style is so admirable that all who are interested in the subject of
good education will give to it a prominent and honorable position
among the many books upon education which have recently been
published. For it takes only a brief reading to perceive that in this
single lecture the results of wide experience in teaching and of long
study of the true principles of education are generalized and presented
in a few pages, each one of which contains so much that it might be
easily expanded into an excellent chapter."—The Library Table.

*****

READING AS A FINE ART.

By ERNEST LEGOUVÉ, of the Académie Française. Translated from the

Ninth Edition by ABBY LANGDON ALGER. 16mo. Cloth. 50 cents.

(Dedication.)
TO THE SCHOLARS OF THE HIGH AND NORMAL SCHOOL.

For you this sketch was written: permit me to dedicate it to you, in fact,
to intrust it to your care. Pupils to-day, to-morrow you will be teachers;
to-morrow, generation after generation of youth will pass through your
guardian hands. An idea received by you must of necessity reach
thousands of minds. Help me, then, to spread abroad the work in which
you have some share, and allow me to add to the great pleasure of
having numbered you among my hearers the still greater happiness of
calling you my assistants. E. LEGOUVÉ.

We commend this valuable little book to the attention of teachers

and others interested in the instruction of the pupils of our
public schools. It treats of the "First Steps in Reading,"
"Learning to Read," "Should we read as we talk," "The Use and
Management of the Voice," "The Art of Breathing,"
"Pronunciation," "Stuttering," "Punctuation," "Readers and
Speakers," "Reading as a Means of Criticism," "On Reading
Poetry," &c., and makes a strong claim as to the value of reading
aloud, as being the most wholesome of gymnastics, for to
strengthen the voice is to strengthen the whole system and
develop vocal power.

*****

HOW TO PARSE.

AN ATTEMPT TO APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF SCHOLARSHIP TO

ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
With Appendixes in Analysis, Spelling, and Punctuation. By EDWIN A.
ABBOTT, M.A., Head Master of the City of London School. 16mo. Cloth.
Price $1.00.

"We recommend this little book to the careful attention of teachers and
others interested in instruction. In the hands of an able teacher, the
book should help to relieve parsing from the reproach of being the
bane of the school-room. The Etymological Glossary of Grammatical
Terms will also supply a long-felt want." N.Y. Nation.
 "'How to Parse' is likely to prove to teachers a valuable, and to scholars
an agreeable, substitute for most of the grammars in common
use."—Boston Daily Advertiser.

"The Rev. E.A. Abbott, whose books, 'English Lessons for English
People,' and 'How to Write Clearly,' have been accepted as standard
text-books on both sides of the ocean, has added another work to his
list of sensible treatises on the use of English. It is called 'How to
Parse,' and is best described by the further title, 'An Attempt to apply
the Principles of Scholarship to English Grammar, with Appendices on
Analysis, Spelling, and Punctuation.' The little book is so sensible and
so simple that the greater number of its readers will perhaps forget to
observe that it is profoundly philosophical also, but it is so in the best
sense of the term."—N. Y. Evening Post.

"Of all subjects of study, it may be safely admitted that grammar

possesses as a rule the fewest attractions for the youthful mind. To
prepare a work capable of imparting a thorough knowledge of this
important part of education in an attractive and entertaining form, to
many may appear extremely difficult, if not impossible; nevertheless,
the task has been accomplished in a highly successful manner by
Edwin A. Abbott, Head Master of the City of London School, in a neat
little volume entitled 'How to Parse.' The author has succeeded
admirably in combining with the exercises a vast amount of useful
information, which impacts to the principles and rules of the main
subject a degree of interest that renders the study as attractive as
history or fiction. The value of the book is greatly increased by an
excellent glossary of grammatical forms and a nicely arranged index.
The work deserves the attention and consideration of teachers and
pupils, and will doubtless prove a highly popular addition to the list of
school-books."—N.Y. Graphic.

*****

Messrs. Roberts Brothers' Publications.

GOETHE'S

HERMANN AND DOROTHEA.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN

BY ELLEN FROTHINGHAM.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

Thin 8vo, cloth, gilt, bevelled boards. Price $2.00. A cheaper edition, 16mo,
cloth. Price $1.00.

"Miss Frothingham's translation is something to be glad of: it lends

itself kindly to perusal, and it presents Goethe's charming poem in the
metre of the original…. It is not a poem which could be profitably used
in an argument for the enlargement of the sphere of woman: it teaches
her subjection, indeed, from the lips of a beautiful girl, which are
always so fatally convincing; but it has its charm, nevertheless, and
will serve at least for an agreeable picture of an age when the ideal
woman was a creature around which grew the beauty and comfort and
security of home."—Atlantic Monthly.

"The poem itself is bewitching. Of the same metre as Longfellow's

'Evangeline,' its sweet and measured cadences carry the reader onward
with a real pleasure as he becomes more and more absorbed in this
descriptive wooing song. It is a sweet volume to read aloud in a select
circle of intelligent friends."—Providence Press.

"Miss Frothingham has done a good service, and done it well, in

translating this famous idyl, which has been justly called 'one of the
most faultless poems of modern times.' Nothing can surpass the
simplicity, tenderness, and grace of the original, and these have been
well preserved in Miss Frothingham's version. Her success is worthy of
the highest praise, and the mere English reader can scarcely fail to read
the poem with the same delight with which it has always been read by
those familiar with the German. Its charming pictures of domestic life,
the strength and delicacy of its characterization, the purity of tone and
ardent love of country which breathe through it, must always make it
one of the most admired of Goethe's works."—Boston Christian
Register.

Sold everywhere. Mailed, postpaid, by the Publishers,

ROBERTS BROTHERS, BOSTON

*****

DR. ABBOTT'S WORKS.

HOW TO PARSE. An Attempt to Apply the Principles of Scholarship to

English Grammar. With Appendixes on Analysis, Spelling, and
Punctuation. 16mo. Cloth. Price, $1.00.

HOW TO TELL THE PARTS OF SPEECH. An Introduction to English

Grammar. American edition, revised and enlarged by Prof. JOHN G. R.
McELROY, of the University of Pennsylvania. 16mo. Cloth. Price, 75 cents.

HOW TO WRITE CLEARLY. Rules and Exercises in English Composition.

16mo. Cloth. Price, 60 cents.

ENGLISH LESSONS FOR ENGLISH PEOPLE. Jointly by Dr. ABBOTT and

Prof. J. R. SEELEY, M.A., of Cambridge University, Eng. 16mo. Cloth. Price,
$1.50.

ROBERTS BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS,

Boston.

*****

[Transcriber's Notes:

Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible,
including obsolete and variant spellings and other inconsistencies.

The transcriber made the following changes to the text to correct obvious errors:

1. p. 90, "inpugned" —> "impugned" 2. p. 51, to qualify "enemy. —> to qualify

"enemy."

Text set in bold print is indicated by asterisks, i.e., *Bold*.

It is common to have footnotes referenced multiple times in the text.

Advertisements for Dr. Abbott's other works published by Roberts

Brothers have been moved from the front of the book to the end.

End of Transcriber's Notes]

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