language, relations of this kind are commonly expreffed by prepofitions. Examples: That wine from Cyprus. He is going to Paris. The fun is below the horizon.

This form of connecting by prepofitions, is not confined to fubftantives. Qualities, attributes, manner of existing or acting, and all other circumstances, may in the fame manner be connected with the fubftances to which they relate. This is done artificially by converting the circumstance into a fubftantive; in which condition it is qualified to be connected with the principal fubject by a prepofition, in the manner above defcribed. For example, the adjective wife being converted into the substantive wisdom, gives opportunity for the expreffion" a man of wildom," instead of the more fimple expreflion a wife man this variety in the expreflion, enriches language. I obferve, befide, that the ufing a prepofition in this cafe, is not always a matter of choice: it is indifpenfable with refpect to every circumftance that cannot be expreffed by a single adjective or adverb.'

To pave the way for the rules of arrangement, one other preliminary is neceffary; which is, to explain the difference between a natural ftyle, and that á where tranfpofition or inverfion prevails. There are, it is true, no precife boundaries between them, for they run into each other like the fhades of different colours. No perfon, however, is at a lofs to diftinguish them in their extrêmes: and it is neceffary to make the diftinction: becaufe though fome of the rules I fhall have occafion to mention are common to both, yet each have rules peculiar to itself. In a natural ftyle, relative words are by juxtapofition connected with thofe to which they relate, going before or after, according to the peculiar genius of the lan guage. Again, a circumfiance connected by a prepofition,

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ofition, follows naturally the word with which it is connected. But, this arrangement may be varied, when a different order is more beautiful: a circumftance may be placed before the word with which it is connected by a prepofition; and may be interjected even between a relative word and that to which it relates. When fuch liberties are frequently taken, the style becomes inverted or tranfpofed.

But as the liberty of inverfion is a capital point in the prefent fubject, it will be neceffary to examine it more narrowly, and in particular to trace the feveral degrees in which an inverted ftyle recedes more and more from that which is natural. And first, as to the placing a circumftance before the word with which it is connected, I obferve, that it is the easiest of all inverfion, even fo eafy as to be consistent with a ftyle that is properly termed natural: witness the following examples.

In the fincerity of my heart, I profess, &c.

By our own ill management, we are brought to fo low an ebb of wealth and credit, that, &c.

On Thursday morning there was little or nothing transacted in Change-alley.,

At St Bribe's church in Fleet-ftreet, Mr. Woolston, (who writ againft the miracles of our Saviour) in the utmoit terrors of confcience, made a public recantation.

The interjecting a circumftance between a relative word, and that to which it relates is more properly termed inverfion; because by a disjunction of words intimately connected, it recedes farther from a nafu-. ral ftyle. But this licence has degrees; for the dif junction is more violent in fome inftances than in others.

others. And to give a juft notion of the difference, there is a neceffity to enter a little more into an abftract fubject, than would otherwife be my inclina

tion.

In nature, though a fubject cannot exist without its qualities, nor a quality without a fubject; yet in our conception of thefe, a material difference may be remarked. I cannot conceive a quality but as belonging to fome fubject: It makes indeed a part of the idea which is formed of the fubject. But the oppofite holds not; for though I cannot form a conception of a fubject void of all qualities, a partial conception may be formed of it, abftracting from any particular quality: I can, for example, form the idea of a fine Arabian horfe without regard to his colour, or of a white horse without regard to his fize. Such partial conception of a fubject, is ftill more eafy with respect to action or motion; which is an occafional attribute only, and has not the fame permanency with colour or figure: I cannot form an idea of motion independent of a body; but there is nothing more eafy than to form an idea of a body at reft. Hence it appears, that the degree of inverfion depends greatly on the order in which the related words are placed when a fubftantive occupies the first place, the idea it fuggefts muft fubfift in the mind at least for a moment, independent of the relative words afterward introduced; and that moment may without difficulty be prolonged by interjecting a circumftance between a fubftantive and its connections. This liberty, therefore, however frequent, will fcarce alone be fufficient to denominate a ftyle inverted. The cafe is very different, where the word that occupies the first place denotes a quality or an action; for as thefe cannot be conceived without a fubject, they cannot without greater violence

be

be feparated from the fubject that follows; and for that reafon, every fuch feparation, by means of an interjected circumftance belongs to an inverted style.

To illuftrate this doctrine, examples are neceflary, and I fhall begin with thofe where the word first introduced does not imply a relation.

-Nor Eve to iterate

Her former trefpafs fear'd.

Hunger and thirst at once,

Powerful perfuaders, quicken'd at the fcent
Of that alluring fruit, urg'd me fo keen.

Moon that now meet'ft the orient fun, now fii'st
With the fix'd ftars, fix'd in their orb that flies,
And ye five other wand'ring fires that move
In myftic dance not without fong, refound
His praife.

In the following examples, where the word firft introduced imports a relation, the disjunction `will be found more violent.

Of man's firft difobedience, and the fruit.
Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our wo,
With lofs of Eden, till one greater man
Reftore us, and regain the blissful feat,
Sing heav'nly mufe.

-Upon the firm opacious globe

Of this round world, whofe first convex divides

The luminous inferior orbs inclos'd

From chaos and th' inroad of darkness old,
Satán alighted walks.

On

On a fudden open fly •

With impetuous recoil and jarring found,

Th' internal doors.

-Wherein remain'd,

For what could elfe to our almighty foe

Clear victory, to our part lofs and rout.

-Forth rufh'd, with whirlwind found

The chariot of paternal Deity.

Language would have no great power, were it confined to the natural order of ideas. I fhall foon have opportunity to make it evident, that by inverfion a thoufand beauties may be compaffed, which · must be relinquished in a natural arrangement. In the mean time it ought not to efcape obfervatior, that the mind of man is happily fo conftituted as to relifh inverfion, though in one refpe&t unnatural; and to relish it fo much, as in many cafes to admit a feparation between words the most intimately connected. It can fcarce be faid that inverfion has any limits; though I may venture to pronounce, that the disjunction of articles, conjunctions, or prepofitions, from the words to which they belong, has very feldom a good effect. The following example with relation to a prepofition, is perhaps as tolerable as any of the kind:

He would neither feparate from nor act against them.

I give notice to the reader, that I am now ready to enter on the rules of arrangement; beginning with a natural ftyle, and proceeding gradually to what is the moft inverted. And in the arrangement of a period, as well as in a right choice of words, the firt and great object being perfpicuity, the rule