Inelegant. Whether a choice altogether unexceptionable has, in any country, been made, seems doubtful. And although persons of a virtuous and learned education may be, and too often are, drawn by the temptations of youth and the opportunities of a large fortune, into some irregularities, when they come forward into the great world, it is ever with reluctance and compunction of mind, be cause their bias to virtue still continues. We came to our journey's end at last, with no small difficulty, after much fatigue, through deep roads, and bad wea Better thus. Whether, in any country, a choice altogether unexceptionable has been made, seems doubtful. And although persons of a virtuous and learned education, when they come forward into the great world, may be, and too often are, drawn by the temptations of youth and the opportunities of a large fortune, into some irregularities, it is ever with reluctance and compunction of mind, be cause their bias to virtue still continues. At last, after much fatigue, through deep roads and bad weather, we came with no small difficulty to our journey's end. F. Instead of being critics Inelegant. Inelegant. criticism on ourselves, instead of being critics on others. Indulging ourselves in imaginary enjoyments, often deprives us of real ones. When they fall into sudden difficulties, they are less perplexed than others in the like circumstances; and when they encounter dangers they are less alarmed. For all your actions you must hereafter give an account, and particularly for the employments of youth. By the perpetual course of dissipation, in which sensualists are engaged; by the riotous revel, and the midnight, or rather morning hours, to which Better thus. on others, let us employ our criticism on ourselves. Indulging ourselves in imaginary, often deprives us of real enjoyments. When they fall into sudden difficulties, they are less perplexed, and when they encounter dangers they are less alarıned, than others in the like circumstances. For all your actions, and particularly for the employments of youth, you must hereafter give an account. By the perpetual course of dissipation, in which sensualists are engaged; by the excesses which they indulge; by the riotous revel, and the midnight, Inelegant. Inelegant. they prolong their festivity; by the excesses which they indulge; they debilitate their bodies; cut themselves off from the comforts and duties of life, and wear out their spirits. By what I have already expressed, the reader will perceive the business which I am to proceed upon. May the happy message be applied to us, in all the virtue, strength, and comfort of it. It is proper to be long in deliberating, but we should execute speedily. Form thy measures with prudence; but all anxiety about the issue divest thyself of. The old may inform Better thus. or rather morning hours, to which they prolong their festivity; they debilitate their bodies; wear out their spirits, and cut themselves off from the comforts and duties of life. By what I have already expressed the reader will perceive the business upon which I am to proceed. May the happy message be applied to us, in all its virtue, strength, and comfort. It is proper to be long in deliberating, but we should speedily execute. Form thy measures with prudence; but divest thyself of all anxiety about the issue. The old may inform Inelegant. the young; and the young may animate those who are advanced in life. If men of eminence are exposed to censure on the one hand, they are as much liable to flattery on the other. If they receive reproaches which are not due to them, they likewise receive praises which they do not de serve. He can bribe, but he is not able to seduce. He can buy, but he has not the power of gaining. He can lie, but no one is deceived by him. He embraced the cause of liberty faintly, and pursued it without resolution; he he tired of it, grew when he had much to He embraced the cause of liberty faintly, and pursued it irresolutely; grew tired of it, when he had much to hope, Inelegant. Inelegant. hope, and gave it up, when there was no ground for apprehension. Better thus. and gave it up, when he had nothing to fear. OF HARMONY IN THE STRUCTUREOF SENTENCES. 1. Or the choice of words. The musical cadence of a sentence will depend upon two circumstances; the choice of words, and the arrangement of them. It is evident, that those words are most agreeable, to the ear which are composed of smooth and liquid sounds; where there is a proper intermixture of vowels and consonants; without too many harsh consonants rubbing against each other; or too many open vowels in succession, to cause a hiatus, or disagreeable aperture of the mouth. It may always be assumed as a principle, that, whatever sounds are difficult in pronunciation, are, in the same propor tion, harsh and painful to the ear. Vowels give sofiness; consonants, strength to the sound of words. The music of language requires a just proportion of both; and will be hurt, will be rendered either grat ing or effeminate, by an excess of either. Long Words are commonly more agreeable to the ear than monosyllables. Among words of any length, those are |