271. There are seven principal rules for the preservation of propriety. 1. Avoid low expressions. 2. Supply words that are wanting.* 3. Be careful not to use the same word in different senses. 4. Avoid the injudicious use of technical terms; that is, terms or expressions, which are used in some art, occupation or profession. 5. Avoid equivocal or ambiguous words. 6. Avoid unintelligible and inconsistent words or phrases. 7. Avoid all such words and phrases as are not adapted to the ideas, intended to be communicated. 272. The pupil may correct the following sentences in which the following rule is violated: namely, Avoid low expressions: such as, "Topsy turvy, hurly burly, pellmell; having a month's mind for a thing; currying favor with a person; dancing attendance on the great," &c. "Meantime the Britons, left to shift for themselves, were forced to call in the Saxons for their defence." The phrase "left to shift for themselves," is rather a low phrase, and too much in the familiar style to be proper in a grave treatise. I had as lief do it myself, as persuade another to do it. Of the justness of his measures he convinced his opponent by dint of argument. He is not a whit better than those whom he so liberally condemns. The favorable moment should be embraced; for he does not hold long in one mind. He exposed himself so much amongst the people, that he had like to have gotten one or two broken heads. He was very dexterous in smelling out the views and designs of others. 273. In the following sentences the second rule is to be applied, namely: Supply words that are wanting. "Arbitrary power I look upon as a greater evil than anarchy itself, as much as a savage is a happier state of life than a slave at the oar :" it should have been, " as much as the state of a savage is happier than that of a slave at the oar." "This generous action greatly increased his former services :" it should have been,"greatly increased the merit of his former services." "By the pleasures of the imagination or fancy (which I shall use promiscuously) I here mean," &c. This passage ought to have had the word "terms" supplied, which would have made it correct: "terms which I shall use promiscuously." * See Ellipsis, page 80, Part 1st. and also the Index. The repetition of articles and prepositions is proper, when we intend to point out the objects of which we speak, as distinguished from each other, or in contrast; and when we wish that the reader's attention should rest on that distinction; as, "Our sight is at once the most delightful, and the most useful of all our senses." Let us consider the works of nature and art, with proper attention. He is engaged in a treatise on the interests of the soul and body. Some productions of nature rise in value, according as they more or less resemble those of art. The Latin tongue, in its purity, was never in this island. For some centuries, there was a constant intercourse between France and England, by the dominions we possessed there, and the conquests we made. He is impressed with a true sense of that function, when chosen from a regard to the interests of piety and virtue. 274. In the following sentences the third rule is violated, namely: In the same sentence, be careful not to use the same word too frequently, nor in different senses. "One may have an air which proceeds from a just sufficiency and knowledge of the matter before him, which may naturally produce some motions of his head and body, which might become the bench better than the bar." In this sentence the pronoun which is thrice used in such a manner as to throw obscurity over the sentence. An eloquent speaker may give more, but cannot give more convincing arguments, than this plain man offered. They were persons of very moderate intellects, even before they were impaired by their passions. True wit is nature dressed to advantage; and yet some works have more wit than does them good. The sharks who prey upon the inadvertency of young heirs, are more pardonable than those, who trespass upon the good opinion of those who treat them with great confidence and respect. Honor teaches us properly to respect ourselves, and to violate no right or privilege of our neighbor: it leads us to support the feeble, to relieve the distressed, and to scorn to be governed by degrading and injurious passions: and yet we see honor is the motive which urges the destroyer to take the life of his friend. He will be always with you to support and comfort you, and in some measure to succeed your labors; and he will also be with all his faithful ministers, who shall succeed you in his service. 275. In the following sentences the fourth rule is to be applied, namely: "Avoid the injudicious use of technical terms. To inform those who do not undertand sea-phrases, that "We tacked to the larbord, and stood off to sea," would be expressing ourselves very obscurely. Technical phrases not being in current use, but only the peculiar dialect of a particular class, we should never use them but when we know they will be understood. Most of our hands were asleep in their births, when the vessel shipped a sea, that carried away our pinnace and binnacle. Our dead-lights were in, or we should have filled. The mainmast was so sprung, that we were obliged to fish it, and bear away for Lisbon. The book is very neatly printed: the scale-boarding is ample and regular, and the register exact. 276. In the following sentences the fifth rule is to be applied, namely: Avoid equivocal or ambiguous words. The following sentences are exceptionable in this respect. "As for such animals as are mortal or noxious, we have a right to destroy them." "I long since learned to like nothing but what you do." "He aimed at nothing less than the crown," may denote either, "Nothing was less aimed at by him than the crown," or "Nothing inferior to the crown, could satisfy his ambition." "They were both much more ancient among the Persians, than Zoroaster or Zerdusht." The or in this sentence is equivocal. It serves either as a copulative to synonymous words, or as a disjunctive of different things. If, therefore, the student should not know that Zoroaster and Zerdusht mean the same person, he will mistake the sense." "And thus the son the fervent sire addrest." "Did the son address the sire, or the sire the son." It may be justly said, that no laws are better than the English. The pretenders to polish and refine the English language, have chiefly multiplied abuses and absurdities. It has been said, that not only Jesuits can equivocate. Solomon the son of David, who built the temple of Jerusalem, was the richest monarch that reigned over the Jewish people. Solomon the son of David, who was persecuted by Saul, was the richest monarch of the Jews. Lisias promised to his father never to abandon his friends. The Divine Being heapeth favors on his servants, ever liberal and faithful. He was willing to spend a hundred or two pounds rather than be enslaved. Imprudent associations disqualify us for the instruction or reproof of others. 277. In the following sentences the sixth rule is to be applied, namely: Avoid unintelligible and inconsistent words or phrases. "1 have observed," says Steele," that the superiority among these coffeehouse politicians, proceeds from an opinion of gallantry and fashion." This sentence, considered in itself, evidently conveys no meaning. First, it is not said whose opinion, their own, or that of others Secondly, it is not said what opinion, or of what sort, favorable or unfavorable, true or false, but in general," an opinion of gallantry and fashion," which contains no definite expression of any meaning. With the joint assistance of the context, reflection, and conjecture, we shall perhaps conclude that the author intended to say, "That the rank among these politicians was determined by the opinion generally entertained of the rank, in point of gallantry and fashion, that each of them had attained." I seldom see a noble building, or any great piece of magnificence and pomp, but I think, how little is all this to satisfy the ambition, or to fill the idea, of an immortal soul! A poet, speaking of the universal deluge, says; Yet when the flood in its own depth was drown'd, The author of the Spectator says, that a man is not qualified for a bust, who has not a good deal of wit and vivacity, even in the ridiculous side of his character. And in the lowest deep a lower deep* Still threat'ning to devour me, opens wide. 278. In the following sentences, the seventh rule is to be applied, namely: Avoid all such words and phrases, as are not adapted to the ideas you mean to communicate; or which are less significant than others, of those ideas. He feels any sorrow that can arrive at man, should be, happen to man. The conscience of approving one's self a benefactor, is the best recompense for being so; it should be consciousness. He firmly believes the divine precept, “There is not a sparrow that falls to the ground," &c. It should be doctrine. It is but opening the eye and the scene enters. A scene cannot be said to enter an actor enters, but a scene presents itself, or appears. No less than two hundred scholars have been educated in that school. He is our mutual benefactor, and deserves our respect and obedience. Vivacity is often promoted, by presenting a sensible object to the mind, instead of an intelligible one. *Perhaps this expression may be justified as a poetic license in the use of the figure called 'hyperbole. See No. 235. They broke down the banks, and the country was soon overflown. The garment was decently formed, and sown very neatly. The proposition, for each of us to relinquish something, was complied with, and produced a cordial reconcilement. A fop is a risible character, in every one's view but his own. An action that excites laughter, without any mixture of contempt, may be called a ridiculous action. The negligence of timely precaution was the cause of this great loss. My friend was so ill that he could not set up at all, but was obliged to lay continually in bed. A certain prince, it is said, when he invaded the Egyptians, placed, in the front of his army, a number of cats and other animals, which were worshipped by those people. A reverence for these phantoms, made the Egyptians lie down their arms, and become an easy conquest. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter set down among them. He died with violence; for he was killed by a sword. He had scarcely taken the medicine, than he began to feel himself relieved. Galileo discovered the telescope; Hervey invented the circulation of the blood. A hermit is rigorous in his life; a judge, austere in his sentences. A candid man avows his mistake, and is forgiven; a patriot acknowledges his oppositions to a bad minister, and is applauded. We have enlarged our family and expenses; and increased our garden and fruit orchard. The good man is not overcome by disappointment, when that which is mortal passes away; when that which is mutable, dies; and when that which he knew to be transient, begins to change. PRECISION. 279. Precision signifies the retrenching of superfluities and the pruning of the expression, so as to exhibit neither more nor less than an exact copy of the person's idea who uses it. 280. The words used to express ideas may be faulty in three respects. First, They may not express the idea which the author intends, but some other which only resembles it; secondly, They may express that idea, but not fully and completely; thirdly, They may express it, together with something more than is intended. Precision stands opposed to these three faults, but chiefly to the last. Propriety implies a freedom from the two |