an effect similar to that of the vulgar phrase and so, which occurs so frequently in common conversation,

The academy set up by Cardinal Richlieu, to amuse the wits of that age and country, and divert them from raking into his politics and ministry, brought this in vogue; and the French wits have for this last age been in a manner wholly turned to the refinement of their language, and indeed with such success, that it can hardly be excelled, and runs equally through their verse and their prose.Temple on Poetry.

And then those who are of an inferior condition, that they labour and be diligent in the work of an honest calling, for this is privately good and profitable unto men, and to their families; and those who are above this necessity, and are in better capacity to maintain good works properly so called, works of piety, and charity, and justice; that they be careful to promote and advance them, according to their power and opportunity, because these things are publicly good nd beneficial to mankind.---Tillotson's Sermons.

In the first of these sentences, the conjunction is seven times introduced; in the last, eleven times.

A redundancy of copulatives may be proper upon some occasions.

Dining one day at an alderman's in the city, Peter observed him expatiating after the manner of his brethren, in the praises of his sirloin of beef. "Beef (said the sage magistrate) is the king of "Beef comprehends in it the quintessence of partridge, and quail, and venison, and pheasant, and plumb-pudding, and custard.” -Swift's Tale of a Tub.

meat.

Here the repetition of the conjunction is sufficiently characteristic of the drowsy speaker.

"The army was composed of Grecians, and Carians, and Lyciaus, and Pamphylians, and Phrygians.”

A leisurely survey, which is promoted by the use of so many copulatives, makes the parts seem more numerous than they would appear on a hasty inspection. In the

latter

latter case, the army is viewed as one distinct group: in the former, we seem to take an accurate review of the respective troops of each nation.

These are instances in which a multiplicity of conjunctions may be used with propriety: but it is also to be observed, that the total omission of them often produces a good effect. Longinus observes, that it animates a period to drop the copulative ;* and he produces the following example from Xenophon: "Closing their shields together, they were impelled, they fought, they slew, they were slain." I shall quote an instance of the same kind from Cæsar: Our men, having discharged their javelins, attack with sword in hand; on a sudden the cavalry make their appearance behind; other bodies of men are seen drawing near; the enemies turn their backs; the horsemen meet them in their flight; a great slaughter ensues" From these observations it will appear, that an attention to the several cases when it is proper to omit, and when to redouble the copulative, is of considerable importance, to all those who study eloquence. The crities both of ancient and modern times have thought the subject worthy of their notice.

IV. In arranging a sentence, the most important words ought to be placed in that situation in which they will make the strongest impression. Every one must perceive that in all sentences there are certain words of superior importance: and it is equally obvious

Longinus de Sublimitate, § xix.

+ Xenophon de Rebus Græcis, lib. iv. nec non Orat. de Agisilao. Cæsar de Bello Gallico, lib. vii.

tha

that those words should stand in a conspicuous and distinguished place. But the precise station which they ought to occupy, cannot be ascertained by any general rule. Their position must vary with the nature of the sentence. Perspicuity must ever be studied in the first place; and the structure of our language allows no great liberty in the choice of collocation. For the most part, the important words are placed at the beginning of the sentence; as in the following examples.

A modern Italian is distinguished by sensibility, quickness, and art, while he employs on trifles the capacity of an ancient Roman; and exhibits now, in the scene of amusement, and in search of a frivolous applause, that fire, and those passions with which Graçchus burned in the forum, and shook the assemblies of a severe people.---Ferguson's History of Civil Society.

The state of society, which precedes the knowledge of an extensive property, and the meannesses which flow from refinement and commerce, is in a high degree propitious to women. Stuart's View of Society.

Human society is in its most corrupted state at that period when men have lost their original independence and simplicity of manners, but have not attained that degree of refinement which introduces a sense of decorum and of propriety in conduct, as a restraint on those passions which lead to heinous crimes.-Robertson's View of Society.

It seems the most natural order, thus to place in the front that which forms the chief object of the proposition to be laid down. Sometimes, however, it is of advantage to suspend the meaning for a while, and then unfold it completely at the close of the period.

Why their knowledge is more than ours, I know not what reason can be given, but the unsearchable will of the Supreme Being. Johnson's Rasselas,

. Од

On whatever side we contemplate Homer, what principally strikes us, is his wonderful invention.---Pope's Preface to Homer.

:

The Greek and Latin authors possessed the liberty of inversion in a more eminent degree. The genius of the languages in which they wrote, always permitted them to chuse the most advantageous situation for every word and this privilege tended greatly too add force and vivacity to their sentences. The more ancient English writers have endeavoured to imitate them in this respect; but their forced and unnatural constructions often produce obscurity. Our language, as it is now written and spoken, will not admit, such liberties. Yet the inverted style may still be employed within certain limits. In the following instance an inverted arrangement of words is adopted with evident propriety.

The praise of judgment Virgil has justly contested with him, but his invention remains yet unrivalled.-Pope's Prefuce to Homer. It is evident that, in order to give this sentence its due force, by properly contrasting the two capital words judgment and invention, this is a more happy arrangement than if the author had thus followed the natura. order ; "Virgil has justly contested with him the praise of judgment, but his invention remains yet unrivalled."

Such inversions as our language admits, are more frequently practised by some writers than by others; by Shaftesbury, for instance, much more than by Addison. It is to this sort of arrangement that Shaftesbury's style is chiefly indebted for its appearance of strength, dignity, and varied harmony. But if he has more pomp and majesty than Addison, he certainly must be

allowed

allowed to possess less ease and simplicity, which are beauties highly deserving a writer's attention.

Whether we practise inversion or not, and in whatever part of the sentence we dispose of the most important words, it is always a point of great moment that those words stand clear from others which would entangle them. Thus, when there are any limitations of time, or place, or of any other description, which the principal object of the sentence requires to have connected with it, we must be careful to dispose of them, so as to avoid clouding that object, or burying it under a load of circumstances. This is very hap pily effected in the following quotation, in which the author is speaking of modern poets, as compared with the ancient.

If, whilst they profess only to please, they secretly advise, and, give instruction, they may now, perhaps, as well as formerly, be esteemed with justice the best and most honourable among authors. ---Shaftesbury's Advice to an Author.

This sentence is skilfully constructed. It contains a great number of circumstances necessary to qualify the meaning; yet these are placed with so much art, that they neither weaken nor embarrass. Let us examine what would be the effect of a different arrangement: "If, whilst they profess to please only, they advise and give instruction, secretly, they may be esteemed the best and most honourable among authors, with justice, perhaps, now, as well as formerly.' Here we have precisely the same words and the same sense; but, in consequence of the circumstances being so intermingled as to clog the capital words, the whole ལྷེཌི་མི་ཆེན་

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becomes