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Ch. XVIII. that for the fame reafon, it is indifferent in what order they be named. 2dly, If a number of objects of the fame kind, differing only in fize, are to be ranged along a straight line, the most agreeable order to the eye is that of an increasing feries. In furveying a number of such objects, beginning at the leaft and proceeding to greater and greater, the mind fwells gradually with the fucceffive objects, and in its progrefs has a very fenfible pleasure. Precifely for the fame reason, the words expreffive of fuch objects ought to be placed in the fame order. The beauty of this figure, which may be termed a climax in fenfe, has escaped Lord Bolingbroke in the first member of the following period.

Let but one great, brave, difinterested, active man arise, and he will be received, followed, and almost adored.

The following arrangement has fenfibly a better effect.

Let but one brave, great, active, difinterested man arife, &c.

Whether the fame rule ought to be followed in enumerating men of different ranks, seems doubtful. On the one hand, a proceffion of a number of perfons, prefenting the loweft clafs first, and rising upon the eye in fucceffion till it terminate upon the higheft, is undoubtedly the most agreeable order. On the other hand, in every lift of names, it is customary to fet the perfon of the greatest dignity at the top, and to defcend gradually through his inferiors. Where the purpose is to honour the perfons named according to their rank, the latter order ought to be followed; but every one who regards himself only, or his reader, will chufe the former order. 3dly, As the fenfe of order directs the eye to defcend from the principal to its greatest acceffory,

acceffory, and from the whole to its greatest part, and in the fame order through all the parts and acceffories till we arrive at the minuteft; the fame order ought to be followed in the enumeration of fuch particulars. I fhall give one familiar example. Talking of the parts of a column, viz. the bafe, the fhaft, the capital, these are capable of fix different arrangements, and the question is, Which is the beft? When one has in view the erection of a column, he will naturally be led to exprefs the parts in the order above mentioned; which. at the fame time is agreeable by mounting upward. But confidering the column as it ftands without reference to its erection, the fenfe of order, as obferved above, requires the chief part to be named firft.. For that reafon we begin with the fhaft; and the bafe comes next in order, that we may cend from it to the capital. Laftly, In tracing the particulars of any natural operation, order requires that we follow the course of nature. Hiftorical facts are related in the order of time. We begin at the founder of a family, and proceed from him to his defcendants. But in defcribing a lofty oak,. we begin with the trunk, and afcend to the branches...

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When force and liveliness of expreffion are aim ed at, the rule is, to fufpend the thought as much as poffible, and to bring it out full and entire at the clofe. This cannot be done but by inverting the natural arrangement, and by introducing a word or member before its time. By fuch inverfion our curiofity is raised about what is to follow; and it is agreeable to have our curiofity gratified at the clofe of the period. Such arrangement produceth: on the mind an effe&t fimilar to a stroke exerted upon the body by the whole collected force of the agent. On the other hand, where: a period is fo conftructed:

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conftructed as to admit more than one complete clofe in the fenfe, the curiofity of the reader is exhausted at the firft clofe, and what follows appears languid or fuperfluous. His difappointment contributes alfo to this appearance, when he finds, that, contrary to his expectation, the period is not yet finished. Cicero, and, after him Quintilian, recommend the verb to the last place. This method evidently tends to fufpend the fenfe till the close of the period; for without the verb the sense cannot be complete. And when the verb happens to be the capital word, which is frequently the cafe, it ought at any rate to be put laft, according to another rule, above laid down. I proceed as ufual to illuftrate this rule by examples. The following period is placed in its natural order.

Were inftruction an effential circumftance in epic poetry, I doubt whether a fingle inftance could be given of this fpecies of composition, in any language.

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The period thus arranged admits a full clofe upon

the word compofition; after which it goes on languidly, and clofes without force. This blemish will be avoided by the following arrangement.

Were inftruction an effential circumftance in epic poetry, I doubt whether, in any language, a fingle inftance could be given of this fpecies of compofition.

Some of our most eminent divines have made ufe of this Platonic notion, as far as it regards the fubfiftence of our paffions after death, with great beauty and ftrength of reafon.

Spectator, No. 90.

Better thus:

Some

Some of our most eminent divines have, with great beauty and strength of reason, made use of this Platonic notion, &c.

Men of the beft fenfe have been touched, more or lefs, with thefe groundlefs horrors and prefages of futurity, upon furveying the most indifferent works of nature. Spectator, No. 505.

Better:

Upon furveying the most indifferent works of nature, men of the best fenfe, &c.

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She foon informed him of the place he was in, which, notwithstanding all its horrors, appeared to him more fweet than the bower of Mahomet, in the company of his Balfora.

Better:

Guardian, No. 167.

She foon, &c. appeared to him, in the company of his Balfora, more fweet, &c.

The Emperor was fo intent on the establishment of his abfolute power in Hungary, that he expofed the Empire doubly to defolation and ruin for the fake of it.

Letters on hiftory, vol. 1. let. 7. Bolingbroke.

Better:

that for the fake of it he expofed the Empire doubly to defolation and ruin.

None of the rules for the compofition of periods are more liable to be abufed, than thofe laft mentioned: witnefs many Latin writers, among the moderns especially, whofe ftyle, by inverfions too violent, is rendered harth and obfcure. Sufpenfion of the thought till the clofe of the period, ought never to be preferred before perfpicuity. Neither ought

ought fuch fufpenfion to be attempted in a long period; because in that cafe the mind is bewildered among a profufion of words.. A traveller, while he is puzzled about the road, relishes not the finest profpects.

All the rich prefents which Aftyages had given him at parting, keeping only fome Median horfes, in order to propagate the breed of them in Perfia, he diftributed among his friends whom he left at the court of Ecbatana.

Travels of Cyrus, book 1.

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The foregoing rules concern the arrangement of a fingle period. I fhall add one rule more concerning the diftribution of a discourse into different periods. A fhort period is lively and familiar. A long period, requiring more attention, makes an impreffion grave and folemn. In general, a writer ought to study a mixture of long and short periods, which prevents an irkfome uniformity, and entertains the mind with variety of impreffions. In par ticular, long periods ought to be avoided till the reader's attention be thoroughly engaged; and therefore a difcourfe, efpecially of the familiar kind, ought never to be introduced with a long period For that reason, the commencement of a letter to a very young lady on her marriage is faulty.

.

Madam, the hurry and impertinence of receiving and paying vifits on account of your marriage, being now oyer, you are beginning to enter into a courfe of life, where you will want much advice to divert you from falling into many errors, fopperies, and follies, to which your fex is fubject.

Swift.

See a stronger example in the commencement of Cicero's oration, Pro Archia Poeta.

Before

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