English Composition and Rhetoric

PREFACE.

IN re-modelling the Manual of English Composition and Rhetoric, after twenty years' experience of teaching, I have seen fit to narrow its scope, so as to do more ample justice to certain portions of the work chosen for their general utility.

The subject as thus modified has been much enlarged both in exposition and in illustration, and is made to fall under two divisions; a separate volume being given to each. With certain reservations, it may be said, that the first division is occupied with the Elements of Style that concern the Understanding; while the second division, without any reservation, is to comprise the Emotional Qualities.

The topics of the present volume are the following:- Order of Words; Number of Words; the Sentence; the Paragraph; Figures of Speech; and finally, the Qualities of Style named respectively Clearness, Simplicity, Impressiveness and Picturesqueness. Every one of these topics is fully expounded, exemplified, and applied to the arts of criticism and composition.

In further explanation of the mode of treatment, I may refer to the department of Figures of Speech, occupying nearly one-third of the volume. Never before has that branch received so large a share of attention. Under the designation of Figures, the ancient authors of the Rhetorical art not only originated a considerable part of our critical vocabulary, but discussed many of the fundamentals of style and com

position. Their enumeration of Figures in detail was voluminous, while the classification of them was imperfect. Still, the place of these Figures in Rhetoric is now established beyond recall. Under such circumstances, the best thing to do is to select and methodize all such as disclose any capital or leading features of style. This has been my first object. Next, in expounding the kinds so selected, I have steadily endeavoured to prescribe the conditions regulating the efficiency of the several varieties of figure, and to apply these conditions in particular testing examples. This is necessarily a hazardous proceeding; but it cannot be evaded by whoever aims at expounding the Rhetorical art with any degree of thoroughness.

It is under the Figures, that the Intellectual and Emotional Elements are unavoidably mingled; so that special precautions have to be taken to obviate the risk of confusing the learner. While the applications to the Understanding are fully stated, the amount of attention given to the aspects that relate to Feeling is such, as to make it necessary to lay down briefly the principles that regulate this department; the complete handling being reserved for the Second Part.

The rest of the volume bears almost exclusively on the species of composition addressed to the Understanding. As regards this particular aim, the new work differs from the existing one in omitting to handle, under express headings, the so-called KINDS of Composition-namely; Description, Narration, Exposition, Oratory. Much of what was included under those designations is here reproduced in other connexions: the laws of Description are exhaustively treated in the discussion of Picturesqueness; and a considerable part

of what pertains to the Expository art will be found distributed throughout the several topics as now arranged. Still, there is room for separate Manuals, giving an exhaustive treatment of the Kinds of Composition, under their own specific designations, as in the first Rhetoric, where there remain a number of suggestions, as well as illustrations, that have not been transferred to the present work.

As with the Figures, so with the other portions, the laws governing the efficiency of the various devices of style are sedulously applied to individual cases.

It appears to me to be a possible thing, to arrive at a definite code of prescriptions for regulating the Intellectual Qualities of composition. Granting that a

certain progress has been made towards this consummation, the fact would seem to mark out the department as a fit subject for school discipline, at the proper stage; not to mention its direct bearing upon the valuable accomplishment of writing well. The several topics embraced are mostly on a level as regards ease of comprehension; and the exposition is conducted with. the view of bringing the pupil's own judgment into play. The concluding subject of the volume - the quality named Picturesqueness, is properly an introduction to Part Second, but does not very deeply involve the peculiar niceties inseparable from the Emotional Qualities.

The exemplification is conducted partly by short instances adduced under the principles, and partly by the minute and critical analysis of passages of some length; both methods being essential to good teaching.

In most cases, the number of examples adduced for illustration and criticism has been purposely made

large, in order that the principles may be seen in the widest range of their application; and, for the same reason, they have been chosen from a considerable variety of English writers. In the discussion of individual passages, there is frequent room for difference of opinion as regards the judgments pronounced; nevertheless, the object in view is attained, if the pupil is exercised in comprehending the principles, and in discriminating their applications.

There is no attempt to provide additional exercises. These are best obtained in the readings that accompany instruction in literature. No one author, however eminent, is enough for the purpose of reference; and our miscellaneous reading-books are not as yet on a great enough scale. Fortunately, there is a valuable resource in the cheap reprints of English Classics that have lately become common. I may instance the Messrs. Chambers, as having taken a lead in this enterprise. In the Reprints, together with the Miscellany of Tracts, published by them, a little library can be selected for a very small sum, comprehensive enough to illustrate all the matters of importance in the fullest Rhetoric text-book.

The labour bestowed upon the present work, both in its original form and in the revision, has been incurred under the belief that, in any complete course of instruction in Literature, there must be a place for Rhetoric, as methodically expounded. What that place should be, I have discussed at length in a separate treatise, devoted to the entire question of Teaching English.

ABERDEEN, January, 1887.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ORDER OF WORDS.

1. Order of Words, partly in Grammar, partly in Rhetoric,

2. Grammatical rule of Proximity,