what he said, to the disadvantage of those of the present

times."

But I have now done with Mr. Gay as a politician; and shall consider him henceforward only as author of the Beggar's Opera; wherein he hath, by a turn of humour entirely new, placed vices of all kinds in the strongest and most odious light; and thereby done eminent service, both to religion and morality.

The position of the adverb only leaves us uncertain whether it be intended to qualify what precedes or what follows. Better thus: "But I have now done with Mr. Gay as a politician; and henceforward shall only consider him as author of the Beggar's Opera."

This appears from the unparalleled success he hath met with. All ranks, parties, and denominations of men either crowding to see his opera, or reading it with delight in their closets; even ministers of state, whom he is supposed to have most offended (next to those whom the actors represent) appearing frequently at the theatre, from a consciousness of their own innocence, and to convince the world how unjust a parallel malice, envy, and disaffection to the government, have made.

At the beginning of this quotation the pronoun this refers not to any particular word that has formerly occurred, but to the general tenor of the foregoing sentence. This practice is not consistent with complete accuracy of diction. After the words he hath met with, there ought to have been only a semi-colon; in its present state, the succeeding sentence has a mutilated appearance. The corresponding words ministers of state, and appearing, stand at too great distance from each

other.

I am assured that several worthy clergymen in this city went privately to see the Beggar's Opera represented; and that the fleering coxcombs in the pit, amused themselves with making discoveries, and spreading the names of those gentlemen round the audience.

This sentence is smooth and correct.

I shall not pretend to vindicate a clergyman, who would appear openly in his habit at a theatre, with such a vicious crew as might probably stand round him, at such comedies and profane tragedies as are often represented. Besides, I know very well, that persons

of their function are bound to avoid the appearance of evil, or of giving cause of offence.

The latter of these periods exhibits a confusion of ideas. The author speaks of avoiding the appearance of giving cause of offence; but in such cases as that to which he alludes, it is only by appearances that offence can be given.

But when the lords chancellors, who are keepers of the king's conscience; when judges of the land, whose title is reverend; when ladies who are bound by the rules of their sex to the strictest decency, appear in the theatre without censure; I cannot understand why a young clergyman, who comes concealed, out of curiosity to see an innocent and moral play, should be so highly condemned; nor do I much approve the rigour of a great prelate, who said he hoped none of his clergy were there.

In the expression, "a young clergyman who comes concealed out of curiosity," there is some degree of ambiguity it seems rather to imply that he is concealed out of curiosity, than that he visits the theatre out of curiosity. The following arrangement is more correct: "I cannot understand why a young clergyman who, out of curiosity, comes concealed to see an innocent and moral play, should be so highly condemned."

I am glad to hear there are no weightier objections against that reverend body planted in this city, and I wish there never may. But I should be very sorry, that any of them should be so weak as to imitate a court-chaplain in England, who preached against the Beggar's Opera; which will probably do more good than a thousand sermons of so stupid, so injudicious, and so prostitute a divine.▾ The author speaks of a body planted in the city of Dublin; and thus employs a metaphor which is somewhat exceptionable, or at least unpleasing. The conclusion of the first period is lame. It should run, "there never may be." The clause being elliptical, we naturally look for the verb in the foregoing clause, where, however, we find not be but are.

Intelligencer, No. 3.

THE METHOD OF ATTAINING A GOOD STYLE.

THE professed teachers of rhetoric do not undertake to impart capacity or talent to their pupils; nor do they pretend to communicate the art of fine writing by a series of mechanical rules. But as the best talents are inefficient without the aid of cultivation, the young student, who is less capable of directing his own enquiries, may derive some benefit from a few plain suggestions concerning the proper method of attaining a style correct and elegant.

We must always endeavour to obtain a clear and precise idea of the subject of which we propose to treat. This is a direction which may at first appear to have little relation to style; but its relation is extremely close. The foundation of fine writing is good sense, accompanied with a lively imagination. The style and thoughts of a writer are so intimately connected, that it is frequently a difficult task to distinguish what depends upon the one, and what upon the other. If the impressions of objects upon the mind are faint and indistinct, or perplexed and confused, our style in treating of such objects cannot be luminous or beautiful; on the other hand, what we conceive clearly and feel strongly, we shall generally be able to express with clearness and with strength, provided we have attained to any practice in composition. This then we may be

"Neque enim conamur docere eum dicere, qui loqui nesciat; nec sperare, qui Latine non possit, hunc ornate esse dicturum; neque vero, qui non dicat quod intelligamus hunc posse quod admiremur dicere." (Cicero de Oratore, lib. ii. cap. x.) "Taste," says Dr. Beattie, "as far as it depends on the knowledge of rules, may be further improved by reading good books of criticism; and comparing them with the authors whom they illustrate. Sound judgment however we must acknowledge to be in a great measure constitutional; and no person will ever acquire true taste, unless nature has made him a man of sense." e." (Dissertations Moral and Critical.)

assured is an important, rule, to think closely on the subject, till we have obtained a full and distinct view of the matter which we are to treat of, till we become warm and interested in it: then, and not till then, shall we find expression begin to flow. Generally speaking, the best and most proper expressions are those which a clear view of the subject suggests, without much labour or enquiry.

To form a good style, frequent practice in composing is indispensably necessary. Many rules concerning style have been delivered; but no rules will answer the end without exercise and experiment. At the same time, it is not every mode of composing that will improve style: this is so far from being the case, that by careless and hasty composition, we shall inevitably acquire a very bad style; we shall have more trouble afterwards in unlearning faults and correcting negligencies, than if we had been totally unaccustomed to composition. At first, therefore, we ought to write slowly and with much care. Let the facility and speed of writing be the fruit of longer practice.

"I enjoin," says Quinctilian, "that such as are beginning the practice of composition, write slowly and with anxious deliberation. Their great object at first should be, to write as well as possible: practice will enable them to write speedily. By degrees, matter will offer itself still more readily; words will be at hand; composition will flow; everything, as in the arrangement of a well-ordered family, will present itself in its proper place. The sum of the whole is this; that by hasty composition, we shall never acquire the art of composing well; by writing well, we shall come to write speedily."*

We must not, however, be too anxious about words; we must not retard the course of thought, nor cool the heat of imagination, by pausing too long on every word which we employ. There is, on certain occasions, a glow of composition which should be preserved, though at the expense of allowing some inadvertencies to pass. These must afterwards be scrutinized with a critical

* Quinctilian. de Institut. Orator. lib. x. cap. iii.

eye. If the practice of composition be useful, not less so is the laborious work of correcting; it is absolutely. necessary to our reaping any benefit from the habit of composing. What we have written, should be laid aside till the ardour of composition be past, till our fondness for the expressions which we have used have in a great measure subsided, and the expressions themselves be forgotten. By reviewing our work with a critical eye, as if it were the performance of another, we shall discern many imperfections which at first escaped our observation. This is the season for pruning redundancies; for examining the arrangement of sentences; and for reducing style to a regular, correct, and rhythmical form. To this labour of correction all those must submit who would communicate their thoughts to others with proper advantage; and practice in it will render the task much more easy and practicable than might at first be imagined.

With respect to the assistance which is to be derived from the writings of others, it is obvious that we ought to render ourselves well acquainted with the style of the best authors. This is requisite both to form a just taste in style, and to supply us with an ample stock of words adapted to every subject.

But we must be aware of falling into a servile imitation of any author whatsoever. Imitation is always dangerous: it fetters genius, and is likely to produce a stiff manner. Those who are addicted to close imitation, generally imitate an author's faults as well as his beauties. No man will ever become a good writer or speaker, who has not sufficient confidence in himself to follow his own genius. We ought, in particular, to beware of adopting any author's noted phrases. Such a habit will prove fatal to all genuine composition: it is much better to have something that is our own, though of moderate beauty, than to affect to shine in borrowed ornaments, which will at last betray the utter poverty of our talents. A preposterous ambition to imitate or rival the characteristic manner of Johnson or Gibbon, has rendered many authors ridiculous who