SECTION 4.

The fourth rule for promoting the strength of sentences, is, that a weaker assertion or proposition should never come after a stronger one: and that, when our sentence consists of two members, the longer should, generally, be the concluding one.

CHARITY breathes long suffering to enemies, courtesy to strangers, habitual kindness towards friends.

Gentleness ought to diffuse itself over our whole behaviour, to form our address, and regulate our speech.

The propensity to look forward into life, is too often grossly abused, and immoderately indulged.

The regular tenor of a virtuous and pious life, will prove the best preparation for immortality, for old age, and death. These rules are intended to teach young persons to write with propriety, elegance, and perspicuity.

Sinful pleasures blast the opening prospects of human felicity, and degrade human honour,

In this state of mind, every employment of life becomes an oppressive burden, and every object appears gloomy.

They will acquire different views by applying to the ho nourable discharge of the functions of their station, and entering on a virtuous course of action.

By the perpetual course of dissipation, in which sensualists are engaged; by the riotous revel, and the midnight, or rather morning hours, to which 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.

SECTION 5.

A fifth rule for the strength of sentences, is, to avoid concluding them with an adverb, a preposition, or any inconsiderable word.

By what I have already expressed, the reader will per ceive 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!

Generosity is a showy virtue, which many persons are very fond of.

These arguments were, without hesitation, and with great eagerness, laid hold of.

It is proper to be long in deliberating, but we should speedily execute.

Form your measures with prudence; but all anxiety about the issue divest yourselves of.

We are struck, we know not how, with the symmetry of any thing we see; and immediately acknowledge the beauty of an object, without inquiring into the particular causes and occasions of it.

With Cicero's writings, these persons are more conversant, than with those of Demosthenes, who, by many degrees excelled the other; at least, as an orator.

SECTION 6.

A sixth rule relating to the strength of a sentence, is, that in the members of a sentence, where two things are compared or contrasted with one another; where either a resemblance, or an opposition, is intended to be expressed; some resemblance, in the language and construction, should be preserved. For when the things themselves correspond to each other, we naturally expect to find a similar correspondence in the

words.

Our British gardeners, instead of humouring nature, love to deviate from it as much as possible.

I have observed of late the style of some great ministers, very much to exceed that of any other productions.

The old may inform the young; and the young may animate those who are advanced in life.

The account is generally balanced; for what we are losers on the one hand, we gain on the other.

The laughers will be for those who have most wit; the serious part of mankind, for those who have most reason on their side.

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 deserve.

temerity, and cast the anchor of repentance in the port of sincerity and justice, which is the port of safety; lest the tempest of our vengeance make thee perish in the sea of the punishment thou deservest."

It is pleasant to be virtuous and good; because that is to excel many others: it is pleasant to grow better; because that is to excel ourselves: it is pleasant to command our appetites and passions, and to keep them in due order, within the bounds of reason and religion; because this is empire: nay, it is pleasant even to mortify and subdue our lusts; because that is victory.

CHAPTER V.

VIOLATIONS OF THE RULES RESPECTING PERSPICUOUS AND
ACCURATE Writing, PROMISCUOUSLY DISPOSED.

See the Key, Part 5. Chap. 5.

SECTION 1.

WHAT is human life to all, but a mixture, with various cares and troubles, of some scattered joys and pleasures? When favours of every kind are conferred speedily, they are doubled.

He will soon weary the company, who is himself wearied. He must endure the follies of others, who will have their kindness.

For the last years of man the first must make provision. Perpetual light-mindedness must terminate in ignorance. In these, and in such like cases, we should, in our alms, generally suffer none to be witnesses, but Him who must see every thing.

The reason why he is so badly qualified for the business, is because be neglected his studies, and opportunities of improvement.

That Plutarch wrote lives of Demosthenes and Cicero at Chæronea, it is clear from his own account.

I wish to cultivate your further acquaintance.

He may probably make the attempt, but he cannot possibly succeed.

No pains were spared by his tutor, in order to his being improved in all useful knowledge.

In no scene of her life was ever Mary's address more remarkably displayed.

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 grew tired of it, when he had much to hope; and gave it up, when there was no ground for apprehension.

There may remain a suspicion that we over-rate the greatness of his genius, in the same manner as bodies appear more gigantic, on account of their being disproportioned and misshapen.

SECTION 7.

The seventh rule for promoting the strength and effect of sentences, is, to attend to the sound, the harmony and easy flow, of the words and members.

SOBERMINDEDNESS suits the present state of man.

As conventiclers, these people were seized and punished. To use the Divine name customarily, and without serious consideration, is highly irreverent.

From the favourableness with which he was at first received, great hopes of success were entertained.

They conducted themselves wilily, and ensnared us before we had time to escape.

It belongs not to our humble and confined station, to censure, but to adore, submit, and trust.

Under all its labours, hope is the mind's solace; and the situations which exclude it entirely are few.

The humbling of those that are mighty, and the precipitation of persons who are ambitious, from the towering height that they had gained, concern but little the bulk of men.

Tranquillity, regularity, and magnanimity, reside with the religious and resigned man.

Sloth, ease, success, naturally tend to beget vices and follies.

By a cheerful, even, and open temper, he conciliated general favour.

We reached the mansion before noon. It was a strong, grand, Gothic house.

I had a long and perilous journey, but a comfortable companion, who relieved the fatigue of it.

The speech was introduced by a sensible preamble, which made a favourable impression.