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On the Nature and Structure of Sentences, the General Principles
of Perspicuity, and the Harmony of Periods.
CHAPTER I.-Of the Nature of Sentences and Periods
Simple Sentences.
Complex Sentences
Short Sentences
The full Period.
CHAPTER II.-Of the Errors to be avoided in the Structure of
Sentences, and the Arrangement of Single Words.
The Arrangement of the Agent, the Action, and the Subject
Of the Arrangement of the other Parts of Speech, Pronouns,
Participles, Prepositions, and Conjunctions.
CHAPTER III.-On the Structure of Sentences
The Distinction of Long and Short ones...
The Properties most essential to a perfect Sentence
Clearness and Precision
In the Position of Adverbs
In Circumstances in the Middle of a Sentence
In the proper Disposition of the relative Pronouns, who, which,
what, whose
Unity...
Strength
Redundant Words, redundant Members, new Ideas, new Thoughts 97
The Copulative Particle
97
Disposition of the capital Word or Words..
100
The Members of Sentences rising and growing in their Impor-
tance above one another
102
The Unintelligible from Affectation of Excellence
The Unintelligible from want of Meaning in the Writer
CHAPTER VIII.-The various Species of the Unintelligible..
The Puerile
The learned Nonsense
Page
116
117
118
119
All Appearances affecting Harmony are disagreeable
The Current of Sound adapted to the Tenor of a Discourse.
CHAPTER X.-Resemblance between Sound and Sense-In-
version
CHAPTER I.-Of the Character and Advantage of Figures
Table of Figures, which, among related Objects, extend the
Properties one to another
All Metaphor imports Comparison, and is, in that Respect, a
Figure of Thought...
143
Of all the Figures of Speech, none comes so near to Painting as
Metaphor.
144
Metaphors must be suited to the Nature of the Subject of which
we treat
The Choice of Objects from whence Metaphors and other Figures
are to be drawn
145
Metaphors drawn from Objects of Resemblance, which is the
Foundation of the Metaphors, be clear and perspicuous, not far-
fetched, nor difficult to discover...
146
In the Conduct of Metaphors, we are never to jumble metaphori-
cal and plain Language together
147
Never make two different Metaphors meet on one Object
148
Addison's Rule for examining the Propriety of Metaphors
Metaphors must not be too far pursued
149
150
CHAPTER III.-Comparisons or Similes
The Difference between Comparisons or Similes
All Comparisons may be reduced to the following Heads
Explaining Comparisons
Embellishing Comparisons
...
156
Comparisons employed to elevate or depress the principal Object. 155
Comparisons should not be instituted between Objects, the Resem-
blance of which is either obscure, faint or remote
Comparisons should not be deduced from Objects which rise much
above the primary Object.
.....
Comparisons destitute of Dignity, transfer Insignificance to the
principal Object
Comparisons are censurable when they prompt Feelings discordant
with the Aim of the principal Object, or when they suggest
Sentiments painful or disagreeable
157
158
Comparisons should never be founded on Resemblances which are
too obvious and familiar, nor on those which are imaginary .... 158
Extended Similes may be introduced with Advantage on various
Occasions
159
Improper Occasions on which circumstantial Similes make their
Appearance
160
Short Similes appear in the most passionate Scenes
CHAPTER IV.-Personification
161
162
Descriptive Personification
Passionate Personification.
164
The English Language possesses a singular Advantage in marking
Personification
166
A capital Error in Personification, is to deck the Figure with fan-
tastic and trifling Circumstances
A principal Error in the Use of Apostrophe, is to deck the Object
addressed with affected Ornaments
175
Another frequent Error is, to extend this Figure to too great
Length
Hyperboles are not properly introduced till the Mind of the
Reader is prepared to relish them
180
Hyperboles improper when they may be turned against the Argu-
ment of the Author who uses them
CHAPTER VIII.-Climax, or Amplification
.......
The Effect of this Figure
Climax appears with Grace in the calmer Parts of Oratory
It is consistent with moderate Agitation
CHAPTER IX.-The Antithesis
....
............
Antithesis makes the most brilliant Appearance in the Delineation
of Characters, particularly in History
181
182
183
......
184
.........
Unsuccessful Attempts have been made to acquire it
185
A Climax and Antithesis conjoined and carried on through several
Sentences
CHAPTER X.-Interrogation, Repetition, Exclamation, Irony,
Vision proper only in animated and warm Compositions
Vision in Tragedy
On the Nature of Taste, and the Sources of its Pleasures.
CHAPTER I.-Taste
........
Taste is possessed in different Degrees by different Men
Taste, an improvable Faculty, and refined by Education
Exercise is the Source of Improvement in all our Faculties, in
our bodily, in our mental Powers, and even in our external
Senses
The Improvement of Taste, from the Application of Reason and
good Sense, to Works of Composition, and Productions of
Genius
192
193
194
Delicacy and Correctness the Characters of Taste, when brought
to its most improved State
195
Correctness of Taste
Delicacy and Correctness of Taste mutually imply each other
The Diversity of Tastes which prevails among Mankind
Standard of Taste
196
197
Uniformity of Taste and Sentiment resulting from our Conviction
of a common Standard
A Genius for any of the fine Arts always supposes Taste
203
CHAPTER IV.-The Sources of the Pleasures of Taste
The Pleasures of Imagination
The Pleasure which arises from Sublimity or Grandeur
Of external Grandeur
204
205
The terribly Sublime, Darkness, Solitude, and Silence
The moral or sentimental Sublime
High Virtue the most natural and fertile Source of this moral
Sublimity
CHAPTER V.-The Sublime in Writing
The sacred Scriptures afford us the highest Instances of the
Sublime
Homer greatly admired for Sublimity
The Works of Ossian abound with Examples of the Sublime
Conciseness and Simplicity essential to sublime Writing
Miiton an author whose Genius led him eminently to the Sub-
lime
Strength is another necessary Requisite in sublime Writing
The Sublime depends upon a just Selection of Circumstances
The Faults opposite to the Sublime, are chiefly two; first, the
Frigid; and, secondly, the Bombast...
CHAPTER VI.-Beauty, and other Pleasures of Taste
Colour, the simplest Instance of Beauty
Figure opens to us Forms of Beauty complex and diversified
208
209
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
Beauty arising from the Perception of Means being adapted to an
End.
221
This Sense of Beauty, in Fitness and Design, has an extensive
Influence over many of our Ideas ....
222
Of Beauty, as it is applied to Writing or Discourse
Wit, Humour, and Ridicule, open a Variety of Pleasures to
The Nervous and the Feeble of the same Import with the Concise
and the Diffuse ..
230
CHAPTER II.-Of the Dry, Plain, Neat, and Flowery Style.... 232
A dry Manner
232