cannot be doubted, that the want of it is the greateft defect. Nothing therefore in the structure of language ought more to be studied, than to prevent all obfcurity in the expreffion; for to have no meaning, is but one degree worse than to express it fo as not to be understood. Want of perfpicuity from a wrong arrangement, belongs to the next branch. I fhall give a few examples where the obfcurity arifes from a wrong choice of words and as this defect is so common in ordinary writers as to make examples from them unneceffary, I confine myself to the most celebrated authors. Livy, fpeaking of a rout after a battle, Multique in ruina majore quam fuga oppreffi obtruncatique. L. 4. §. 46. Unde tibi reditum certo fubtemine Parcæ Rupere. Qui perfæpe cava teftudine flevit amorem, Non elaboratum ad pedem. Horace, epod. xiii. 22. Horace, epod. xiv. II. Me fabulofe Vulture in Appulo, Altricis extra limen Apuliæ, Ludo, fatigatumque fomno,toroll 616) Texere. Horace, Carm. 1. 3. ode 4... Puræ rivus aquæ, filvaque jugerumani There is want of neatnefs even in an ambiguity fo flight, as that is which arifes from the conftruction merely; as where the period commences with a member which is conceived to be in the nominative cafe, and which afterward is found to be in the accufative. Example: "Some emotions more pe"culiarly connected with the fine arts, I propose. to handle in feparate chapters *." Better thus: "Some emotions more peculiarly connected with "the fine arts, are proposed to be handled in fe"parate chapters." The rule next in order, becaufe next in importance, is, That the language ought to correfpond to the fubject. Grand or heroic actions or fentiments require elevated language: tender fentiments ought to be expreffed in words foft and flowing; and plain language devoid of ornament, is adapted to fubjects grave and didactic. Language may be confidered as the drefs of thought; and where the one is not fuited to the other, we are fenfible of incongruity, in the fame manner as where a judge is dreffed like a fop, or a peasant like a man of quality. The intimate connection that words have with their meaning, requires that both be in the fame tone. Or, to exprefs the thing more plainly, the impreffion made by the words ought as nearly as poffible to refemble the impreffion made by the thought. The fimilar emotions mix fweetly in the mind, and augment the pleasure. On the other hand, where the impreffions made by the thought and the words are diffimilar, they are forc'd into la fort of unnatural union, which is difagreeable †. In the preceding chapter, concerning the language of paffion, I had occafion to give many ex Elements of criticifin, vol. 1. p. 26. Chap. 2. part 4. amples amples of deviations from this rule with regard to the manner of expreffing paffions and their fentiments. But as the rule concerns the manner of expreffing thoughts and ideas of all kinds, it has an extenfive influence in directing us to the choice of proper materials. In that view it must be branched out into feveral particulars. And I muft obferve, in the first place, that to write with elegance, it is not fufficient to exprefs barely the conjunction or disjunction of the members of the thought. It is a beauty to find a fimilar conjunction or disjunction in the words. This may be illuftrated by a familiar example. When we have occafion to mention the intimate connection that the foul has with the body, the expreffion ought to be the foul and body; because the particle the, relative to both, makes a connection in the expreffion, which refembles in fome degree the connection in the thought. But when the foul is diftinguished from the body, it is better to say the foul and the body, because the disjunction in the words refembles the disjunction in the thought. In the following examples the connection in the thought is happily imitated in the expreffion. Conftituit agmen; et expedire tela animofque, equitibus juffis, &c. Again: Livy, I. 38. § 25. Quum ex paucis quotidie aliqui eorum caderent aut vulnerarentur, et qui fuperarent, feffi et corporibus et animis effent, &c. Livy, 1. 38. § 29. Poft acer Mnestheus adducto conftitit arcu, The following paffage of Tacitus appears to me not fo happy. It approaches to wit by connecting in the foregoing manner things but flightly related, which is not altogether fuitable to the dignity or gravity of history. Germania omnis a Galliis, Rhætiifque, et Pannoniis, Rheno et Danubio fluminibus; a Sarmatis Dacifque, mutuo metu aut montibus feparatur. De moribus Germanorum. I am more doubtful about this other inftance: -The fiend look'd up, and knew His mounted scale aloft; nor more, but fled Murm'ring, and with him fled the fhades of night. Paradife Loft, B. 4. at the end. I fhall add fome other examples where the oppofition in the thought is imitated in the words; an imitation that is diftinguished by the name of antithefis. Speaking of Coriolanus foliciting the people to be made conful: With a proud heart he wore his humble weeds. Coriolanus. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and die all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all free men? Julius Cæfar. He hath cool'd my friends and heated mine enemies. Shakespear. Why, if two gods fhould play fome heav'nly match, And on the wager lay two earthly women, And Portia one, there must be something else Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow. Merchant of Venice, act 3. fc. 6. This rule may be extended to govern the conftruction of fentences or periods. A fentence or period in language ought to exprefs one entire thought or mental propofition; and different thoughts thoughts ought to be feparated in the expreffion by placing them in different sentences or periods. It is therefore offending against neatness, to crowd into one period entire thoughts which require more than one; for this is conjoining in language things that are separated in reality; and confequently rejecting that uniformity, which ought to be preferved betwixt thought and expreffion. Of errors against this rule take the following examples. Cæfar, defcribing the Suevi: Atque in eam fe confuetudinem adduxerunt, ut locis frigidiffimis, neque veftitus, præter pelles, habeant quidquam, quarum, propter exiguitatem, magna eft corporis pars aperta, et lavantur in fluminibus. Commentaria, 1. 4. prin. Burnet, in the history of his own times, giving Lord Sunderland's character, fays, His own notions were always good; but he was a man of great expence. I have feen a woman's face break out in heats, as fhe has been talking against a great lord, whom fhe had never feen in her life; and indeed never knew a party-woman that kept her beauty for a twelvemonth. Spectator, No 57. Lord Bolingbroke, fpeaking of Strada: I fingle him out among the moderns, because he had the foolish prefumption to cenfure Tacitus, and to write history himself; and your Lordship will forgive this fhort excurfion in honour of a favourite author. Letters on hiftory, vol. 1. let. 5. It seems to me, that in order to maintain the moral fyftem of the world at a certain point, far below that of ideal perfection, (for we are made capable of conceiving what we are incapable of attaining), |