I hope to have this entertainment in a readiness for the next winter; and doubt not but it will please more than the opera or puppet-show. Spectator, No. 28. Manifold have been the judgments which Heaven from time to time, for the chastisement of a finful people, has inflicted upon whole nations. For when the degeneracy becomes common, 'tis but just the punishment fhould be general. OF this kind, in our own unfortunate country, was that deftructive peftilence, whofe mortality was fo fatal as to sweep away, if Sir William Petty may be believed, five millions of Chriftian fouls, befides women and Jews. God's revenge against punning. Arbuthnot. Such alfo was that dreadful conflagration enfuing in this famous metropolis of London, which confumed, according to the computation of Sir Samuel Morland, 100,000 houfes, not to mention churches and stabless Ibid. But on condition it might pafs into a law, I would gladly exempt both lawyers of all ages, fubaltern and field officers, young heirs, dancing-mafters, and players.. An infallible fcheme to pay the public debts. Swift. t Circumstances in a period refemble small stones in a building employ'd to fill up vacancies among thofe of a larger fize. In the arrangement of a period, fuch under-parts crowded together make a poor figure; and never are graceful but when interspersed among the capital parts. I fhall illustrate this rule by the following example. It is likewife urged, that there are, by computation, in this kingdom, above 10,000 parfons, whofe C 2 whose revenues, added to thofe of my Lords the bishops, would fuffice to maintain, &c. Argument against abolishing Chriftianity. Swift. Here two circumftances, viz. by computation and in this kingdom, are crowded together unneceffarily. They make a better appearance feparated in the following manner. It is likewife urged, that in this kingdom there are, by computation, above 10,000 persons, &c. . If there be room for a choice, the fooner a circumstance be introduced, the better. Circumftances are proper for that coolnefs of mind, with which a period as well as a work is commenced. In the progrefs, the mind warms, and has a greater relish for matters of importance. When a circumstance is placed at the beginning or near the beginning of the period, the tranfition from it to the principal fubject is agreeable: it is like afcending or mounting upward. On the other hand, to place it late in the period has a bad effect; for after being engaged in the principal fubject, one is with reluctance brought down to give attention to a circumstance. Hence evidently the preference of the following arrangement. Whether in any country a choice altogether unexceptionable has been made, feems doubtful, before this other, Whether a choice altogether unexceptionable has in any country been made, &c. For this reafon the following period is exceptionable in point of arrangement: I have confidered formerly, with a good deal of attention, the fubject upon which you command me to communicate my thoughts to you. Bolingbroke of the ftudy of biftory, letter 1. which, with a flight alteration, may be improved thus:. I have formerly, with a good deal of attention, confidered the fubject, &c. The bad effect of placing a circumftance laft or late in a period, will appear from the following examples. Let us endeavour to establish to ourselves an intereft in him who holds the reins of the whole creation in his hand. Better thus : Spectator, No. 12. Let us endeavour to establish to ourselves an intereft in him, who, in his hand, holds the reins of the whole creation. Virgil, who has caft the whole fyftem of platonic philofophy, fo far as it relates to the foul of man, into beautiful allegories, in the fixth book of bis Eneid, gives us the punishment, &c. Spectator, No. 90: Better thus : Virgil, who in the fixth book of his neid has caft, &c. And Philip the Fourth was obliged at last to conclude a peace, on terms repugnant to his inclination, to that of his people, to the interest of Spain, and to that of all Europe, in the Pyrenean treaty. Letters on hiftory, vol. 1. letter 6. Bolingbroke. Better thus: And at laft, in the Pyrenean treaty, Philip the Fourth was obliged to conclude a peace, &c. In arranging a period, it is of importance to determine in what part of it a word makes the greateft figure, whether in the beginning, during the currency, C 3 currency, or at the clofe. The breaking filence roufes the attention to what is faid; and therefore deeper impreffion is made at the beginning than during the currency. The beginning, however, muft yield to the clofe; which being fucceeded by a paufe, affords time for a word to make its deepest impreffion. Hence the following rule, That to give the utmost force to a period, it ought if poffible to be clofed with that word which makes the greateft figure. The opportunity of a pause should not be thrown away upon acceffories, but referved for the principal object, in order that it may make a full impreffion. This is an additional reason against closing a period with a circumftance. There are however periods that admit not this ftructure; and in that cafe, the capital word ought if poffible to be placed in the front, which next to the clofe is the most advantageous for making an impreffion. Hence, in directing our difcourfe to any man, we ought to begin with his name; and one will be fenfible of a degradation, when this rule is neglected, as it frequently is for the fake of verfe. I give the following examples. Integer vitæ, fcelerifque purus, Non eget Mauris jaculi, neque arcu, Nec venenatis gravidâ fagittis, Fufce, pharetrâ. Horat. Carm. 1. 1. ode 22. Je crains Dieu, cher Abner, et n'ai point d'autre crainte. In thefe examples the name of the perfon addreffed to makes a mean figure, being like a circumftance flipt into a corner. That this criticism is well founded, we need no other proof than Addifon's tranflation of the laft example. O Abner! I fear my God, and I fear none but him. Guardian, No. 117. O father, what intends thy hand, the cry'd, Paradife Loft, book 2. 1.727. Every one must be fenfible of a dignity in the invocation at the beginning, which that in the middle is far from reaching. I mean not however to cenfure this expreflion. On the contrary it appears beautiful, by diftinguifhing the refpect due to a father and to a fon. The fubftance of what is faid in this and the foregoing fection, upon the method of arranging the words of a period fo as to make the ftrongeit impreffion with refpect to found as well as fignification, is comprehended in the following obfervation. That order of the words in a period will always be the most agreeable, where, without obfcuring the fense, the most important images, the most fonorous words, and the longest members, bring up the rear. Hitherto of arranging fingle words, fingle memhers, and fingle circumftances. But the enumeration of many particulars in the fame period is often neceffary; and the question is, In what order they fhould be placed. It does not feem eafy at first view to bring a fubject apparently fo loofe under any general rules, But luckily reflecting upon what is faid in the first chapter about order, we find rules laid down to our hand, fo as to leave us no harder task than their application to the present queftion. And, first, with respect to the enumerating a number of particulars of equal rank, it is laid down in the place cited, that as there is no foundation for preferring any one before the reft, it is indifferent to the mind in what order they be viewed. And it is only neceflary to be added here, C 4 that |