As this is a truth which has been proved inconteftably by many modern philofophers, and is indeed one of the finest fpeculations in that fcience, if the English reader would fee the notion explained at large, he may find it in the eighth chapter of the fecond book of Mr. Locke's effay on human understanding.

Better thus:

Spectator, No. 413.

As this is a truth, &c. the English reader, if he would fee the notion explained at large, may find it, &c.

A woman feldom asks advice before fhe has bought her wedding-cloaths. When the has made her own choice, for form's fake the fends a conge d'elire to her friends. Ibid. No. 475.

Better thus:

friends.

-fhe fends, for form's fake, a conge d'elire to her

And fince it is neceffary that there fhould be a perpetual intercourse of buying and felling, and dealing upon credit, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage.

Better thus:

Gulliver's Travels, part 1. chap. 6.

And fince it is neceffary that there fhould be a perpetual intercourfe of buying and felling, and dealing upon credit, the honeft dealer, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punifh it, is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage.

From thefe examples, the following obfervation will occur, that a circumftance ought never to be VOL. II.

D

placed

placed between two capital members of a period : for by fuch fituation it must always be doubtful, as far as we gather from the arrangement, to which of the two members it belongs; where it is interjected, as it ought to be, between parts of the member to which it belongs, the ambiguity is removed, and the capital members are kept diftinct, which is a great beauty in compofition. In general, to preferve members diftinct that fignify things diftinguished in the thought, the best method is, to place firft in the confequent member, fome word that cannot connect with what precedes it.

If it fhall be thought, that the objections here are too fcrupulous, and that the defect of perfpicuity is eafily fupplied by accurate punctuation; the anfwer is, That punctuation may remove an ambiguity, but will never produce that peculiar beauty which is perceived when the fenfe comes out clearly and diftinctly by means of a happy arrangement. Such influence has this beauty, that by a natural tranfition of perception, it is communicated to the very found of the words, fo as in appearance to improve the mufic of the period. But as this curious fubject comes in more properly afterward, it is fufficient at prefent to appeal to experience, that a period fo arranged as to bring out the fenfe clear, feems always more mufical than were the fenfe is left in any degree doubtful.

A rule defervedly occupying the fecond place, is, That words expreffing things connected in the thought, ought to be placed as near together as poffible. This rule is derived immediately from human nature, prone in every inftance to place together things in any manner connected:* where things are arranged

* See chap. 1.

arranged according to their connections, we have a fenfe of order; otherwife we have a fenfe of diforder, as of things placed by chance and we naturally place words in the fame order in which we would place the things they fignify. The bad effect of a violent feparation of words or members thus intimately connected, will appear from the following examples.

For the English are naturally fanciful, and very often difpofed, by that gloominefs and melancholy of temper which is fo frequent in our nation, to many wild notions and visions, to which others are not fo liable.

Spectator, No. 419.

Here the verb or affertion is, by a pretty long circumstance, violently separated from the fubject to which it refers: this makes a harsh arrangement; the less excufable that the fault is eafily prevented by placing the circumstance before the verb, after the following manner :

For the English are naturally fanciful, and, by that gloominefs and melancholy of temper which is fo frequent in our nation, are often difpofed to many wild notions, &c.

For as no mortal author, in the ordinary fate and viciffitude of things, knows to what ufe his works may, fome time or other be applied, &c.

Better thus:

Spectator, No. 85.

For as, in the ordinary fate and viciffitude of things, no mortal author knows to what ufe, fome time or other, his works may be applied, &c.

From whence we may date likewife the rivalfhip of the houfe of France, for we may reckon that of Valois and that

D 2

of

of Bourbon as one upon this occafion, and the house of Auftria, that continues at this day, and has oft colt fo much blood and fo much treasure in the course of it.

Letters on hiftory, vol. 1. let. 6. Bolingbroke.

It cannot be impertinent or ridiculous therefore in fuch a country, whatever it might be in the Abbot of St. Real's, which was Savoy I think; or in Peru, under the Incas, where Garcilaffo de la Vega fays it was lawful for none but the nobility to study-for men of all degrees to instruct themselves, in thofe affairs wherein they may be actors, or judges of thofe that act, or controllers of thofe that judge.

Letters on hiflory, vol. 1. let. 5. Bolingbroke.

If Scipio, who was naturally given to women, for which anecdote we have, if I miflake not, the authority of Polybius, as well as fome verfes of Nevius preferved by Aulus Gellius, had been educated by Olympias at the court of Philip, it is improbable that he would have reftored the beautiful Spaniard.

Ibid. let. 3.

If any one have a curiofity for more fpecimens of this kind, they will be found without number in the works of the fame author.

A pronoun which faves the naming a perfon or thing a fecond time, ought to be placed as near as poffible to the name of that perfon or thing. This is a branch of the foregoing rule; and with the reafon there given another concurs, viz. That if other ideas intervene, it is difficult to recal the perfon or thing by reference:

If I had leave to print the Latin letters tranfmitted to me from foreign parts, they would fill a volume, and be a full defence againit all that Mr. Partridge, or his accomplices of the Portugal inquifition, will be ever able to object; who,

who, by the way, are the only enemies my predictions ď have ever met with at home or abroad.

Better thus:

-and be a full defence againft all that can be objected by Mr. Partridge, or his accomplices of the Portugal inquifition; who, by the way, are, &c.

There being a round million of creatures in human figure, throughout this kingdom, whofe whole fubfiftence, &c. A modeft propofal, &c. Swift.

Better:

There being throughout this kingdom, a round million of creatures in human figure, whofe whole fubfiftence, &c.

Tom is a lively impudent clown, and has wit enough to have made him a pleafant companion, had it been polished and rectified by good manners.

Guardian, No. 162.

It is the custom of the Mahometans, if they fee any printed or written paper upon the ground to take it up, and lay it afide carefully, as not knowing but it may contain fome piece of their Alcoran.

Spectator, No. 85.

The arrangement here leads to a wrong fenfe, as if the ground were taken up, not the paper.Better thus :

It is the custom of the Mahometans, if they fee upon the ground any printed or written paper, to take it up, &c.

The following rule depends on the communication of emotions to related objects; a principle in human nature that hath an extenfive operation: and