this liberty should be used with a of distinctness and accuracy in his sparing hand. In prose, such inno- manner of thinking. vations are more hazardous, and have The words, which a man uses to a worse effect. They are apt to give express his ideas, may be faulty in Style an affected and conceited air; three respects: They may either not and should never be ventured upon express that idea which the author except by such, whose established intends, but some other which only reputation gives them some degree resembles, or is a-kin to it; or, they of dictatorial power over Language. may express that idea, but not quite The introduction of foreign and fully and completely; or, they may learned words, unless where necessi- express it together with something ty requires them, should always be more than he intends. Precision avoided. Barren Languages may stands opposed to all these three need such assistances; but ours is faults; but chiefly to the last. In an not one of these. Dean Swift, one author's writing with propriety, his of our most correct writers, valued being free from the two former faults himself much on using no words but seems implied. The words which such as were of native growth; and he uses are proper; that is, they exhis Language, may, indeed, be con- press that idea which he intends, and sidered as a standard of the strictest they express it fully; but to be PrePurity and Propriety in the choice of cise, signifies that they express that words. At present, we seem to be idea, and no more. There is nothing departing from this standard. A in his words which introduces any multitude of Latin words have, of foreign idea, any superfluous, unsealate, been poured in upon us. On sonable accessory, so as to mix it some occasions, they give an appear- confusedly with the principal object, ance of elevation and dignity to Style. and thereby to render our conception But often, also, they render it stiff of that object loose and indistinct. and forced and, in general, a plain This requires a writer to have, himnative Style, as it is more intelligible self, a very clear apprehension of the to all readers, so, by a proper manage- object he means to present to us; ment of words, it may be made equal- to have laid fast hold of it in his ly strong and expressive with this mind; and never to waver in any Latinized English. Blair. one view he takes of it; a perfection to which, indeed, few writers attain. Ibid. 7. On PRECISION. Precision. The exact import of Precision may 8. On the use and importance of be drawn from the etymology of the word. It comes from "precidere,' to cut off; it imports retrenching all The use and importance of precisuperfluities, and pruning the ex- sion, may be deduced from the nature pression so as to exhibit neither of the human mind. It never can more nor less than an exact copy of view, clearly and distinctly, above his idea who uses it. I observed be- one object at a time. If it must look fore, that it is often difficult to sepa- at two or three together, especially rate the qualities of Style from the objects among which there is resemqualities of Thought; and it is found blance or connexion, it finds itself so in this instance. For in order to confused and embarrassed. It canwrite with Precision, though this be not clearly perceive in what they properly a quality of Style, one must agree, and in what they differ. Thus possess a very considerable degree were any object, suppose some aniVOL. I. Nos. 15 & 16. 2 B mal, to be presented to me, of whose multiplying words, he will needs structure I wanted to form a distinct praise his courage and fortitude; at notion, I would desire all its trap- the moment he joins these words pings to be taken off, I would require together, my idea begins to waver. it to be brought before me by itself, He means to express one quality and to stand alone, that there might more strongly; but he is, in truth, be nothing to distract my attention. expressing two. Courage resists danThe same is the case with words. ger; fortitude supports pain. The If, when you would inform me of occasion of exerting each of these your meaning, you also tell me more qualities is different; and being led than what conveys it; if you join to think of both together, when only foreign circumstances to the princi- one of them should be in my view, pal object; if, by unnecessarily va- my view is rendered unsteady, and rying the expression, you shift the my conception of the object indispoint of view, and make me see tinct. sometimes the object itself, and someFrom what I have said, it appears times another thing that is connected that an author may, in a qualified with it; you thereby oblige me to sense, be perspicuous, while yet he look on several objects at once, and is far from being precise. He uses I lose sight of the principal. You proper words, and proper arrangeload the animal you are showing me ment; he gives you the idea as clear with so many trappings and collars, as he conceives it himself; and so and bring so many of the same spe- far he is perspicuous; but the ideas cies before me, somewhat resem- are not very clear in his own mind: bling, and yet somewhat differing, they are loose and general; and, that I see none of them clearly. therefore, cannot be expressed with This forms what is called a Loose Precision. All subjects do not equalStyle: and is the proper opposite to ly require Precision. It is sufficient Precision. It generally arises from on many occasions, that we have a using a superfluity of words. Feeble general view of the meaning. The writers employ a multitude of words, subject, perhaps, is of the known to make themselves understood, as and familiar kind; and we are in no they think, more distinctly; and they hazard of mistaking the sense of the only confound the reader. They are author, though every word which he sensible of not having caught the uses be not precise and exact. precise expression, to convey what they would signify; they do not, indeed, conceive their own meaning Blair. very precisely themselves; and, there- $9. The Causes of a Loose STYLE. fore, help it out, as they can, by this The great source of a Loose Style, and the other word, which may, as in opposition to Precision, is the inthey suppose, supply the defect, and judicious use of those words termed bring you somewhat nearer to their Synonymous. They are called Syidea they are always going about it, nonymous, because they agree in and about it, but never just hit the expressing one principal idea: but, thing. The image, as they set it be- for the most part, if not always, they fore you, is always seen double; and express it with some diversity in the no double image is distinct. When circumstances. They are varied by an author tells me of his hero's cou-some accessory idea which every rage in the day of battle, the expres- word introduces, and which forms sion is precise, and I understand it the distinction between them. Hardfully. But if, from the desire of ly, in any Language, are there two words that convey precisely the same character of Style impressed on all idea; a person thoroughly conver- his writings, which shall be suited sant in the propriety of the Language, to, and shall mark, his particular will always be able to observe some-genius, and turn of mind. The orathing that distinguishes them. As tions in Livy differ much in Style, they are like different shades of the as they ought to do, from the rest of same colour, an accurate writer can his history. The same is the case employ them to great advantage, by with those in Tacitus. Yet both in using them so as to heighten and Livy's orations, and in those of Tacifinish the picture which he gives us. tus, we are able clearly to trace the He supplies by one, what was want- distinguishing manner of each histoing in the other, to the force, or to rian: the magnificent fulness of the the lustre of the image which he one, and the sententious conciseness means to exhibit. But in order to of the other. The "Lettres Perthis end, he must be extremely atten- sanes," and " L'Esprit de Loix," are tive to the choice which he makes the works of the same author. They of them. For the bulk of writers required very different composition are very apt to confound them with surely, and accordingly they differ each other and to employ them care- widely; yet still we see the same lessly, merely for the sake of filling hand. Wherever there is real and up a period, or of rounding and di- native genius, it gives a determinaversifying the Language, as if the tion to one kind of Style rather than signification were exactly the same, another. Where nothing of this apwhile, in truth, it is not. Hence a pears; where there is no marked nor certain mist, and indistinctness, is peculiar character in the composiunwarily thrown over Style. 10. On the general Characters tions of any author, we are apt to Blair. infer, not without reason, that he is a vulgar and trivial author, who writes from imitation, and not from the impulse of original genius. As the most celebrated painters are known That different subjects require to by their hand; so the best and most be treated of in different sorts of original writers are known and distinStyle, is a position so obvious, that I guished, throughout all their works, shall not stay to illustrate it. Every by their Style and peculiar manner. one sees that Treatises of Philosophy, This will be found to hold almost for instance, ought not to be com- without exception. Ibid. posed in the same Style with Orations. Every one sees also, that different parts of the same composition require a variation in the Style One of the first and most obvious and manner. In a sermon, for in- distinctions of the different kinds of stance, or any harangue, the appli- Style, is what arises from an author's cation or peroration admits of more spreading out his thoughts more or ornament, and requires more warmth, less. This distinction forms what than the didactic part. But what I are called the Diffuse and the Conmean at present to remark is, that, cise Styles. A concise writer comamidst this variety, we still expect to presses his thought into the fewest find, in the compositions of any one possible words; he seeks to employ man, some degree of uniformity or none but such as are most expressconsistency with himself in manner; ive; he lops off, as redundant, every we expect to find some predominant expression which does not ad 1 some 11. On the Concise STYLE. express. thing material to the sense. Orna- For illustrations of these general ment he does not reject; he may be characters, I can only refer to the lively and figured; but his ornament writers who are examples of them. is intended for the sake of force ra- It is not so much from detached pasther than grace. He never gives you sages, such as I was wont formerly the same thought twice. He places to quote for instances, as from the it in the light which appears to him current of an author's Style that we the most striking; but if you do not are to collect the idea of a formed apprehend it well in that light, you manner of writing. The two most need not expect to find it in any oth- remarkable examples that I know, of er. His sentences are arranged with conciseness carried as far as propriecompactness and strength, rather ty will allow, perhaps in some cases than with cadence and harmony. farther, are Tacitus the Historian, The utmost precision is studied in and the President Montesquieu in them; and they are commonly de-"L'Esprit de Loix." Aristotle too signed to suggest more to the read- holds an eminent rank among didacer's imagination than they directly tic writers for his brevity. Perhaps Blair. no writer in the world was ever so frugal of his words as Aristotle; but 12. On the Diffuse STYLE. this frugality of expression frequently darkens his meaning. Of a beautiA diffuse writer unfolds his thought ful and magnificent diffuseness, Cifully. He places it in a variety of cero, is, beyond doubt, the most illights, and gives the reader every lustrious instance that can be given. possible assistance for understanding Addison, also, and Sir William Temit completely. He is not very care- ple, come in some degree under this ful to express it at first in its full class. strength, because he is to repeat the impression; and what he wants in strength, he proposes to supply by copiousness. Writers of this character generally love magnificence The Nervous and the Feeble, are and amplification. Their periods generally held to be characters of naturally run out into some length, Style, of the same import with the and having room for ornament of Concise and the Diffuse. They do every kind, they admit it freely. indeed very often coincide. Diffuse Each of these manners has its pe- writers have, for the most part, some culiar advantages; and each becomes degree of feebleness; and nervous faulty when carried to the extreme. writers will generally be inclined to The extreme of conciseness becomes a concise expression. This, howabrupt and obscure; it is apt also to ever, does not always hold; and there lead into a Style too pointed, and are instances of writers, who, in the bordering on the epigrammatic. The midst of a full and ample Style, extreme of diffuseness becomes weak have maintained a great degree of and languid, and tires the reader. strength. Livy is an example; and However, to one or other of these in the English language Dr. Barrow. two manners a writer may lean, ac- Barrow's Style has many faults. It cording as his genius prompts him is unequal, incorrect, and redundant; and under the general character of but withal, for force and expressivea concise, or of a more open and ness uncommonly distinguished. On diffuse Style, may possess much every subject, he multiplies words beauty in his composition. with an overflowing copiousness; but : Ibid. $ 13. On the Nervous and the Feeble STYLE. it is always a torrent of strong ideas able note in the days of Queen Eliand significant expressions which he zabeth, James I. and Charles I. pours forth. Indeed, the foundations These writers had nerves and of a nervous or a weak Style are laid strength in a high degree, and are in an author's manner of thinking. to this day eminent for that quality If he conceives an object strongly, in Style. But the language in their he will express it with energy: but, hands was exceedingly different from if he has only an indistinct view of what it is now, and was indeed enhis subject; if his ideas be loose and tirely formed upon the idiom and wavering; if his genius be such, or, construction of the Latin in the arat the time of his writing, so careless- rangement of sentences. Hooker, ly exerted, that he has no firm hold for instance, begins the Preface to of the conception which he would his celebrated work of Ecclesiastical communicate to us; the marks of Polity with the following sentence: all this will clearly appear in his "Though for no other cause, yet for Style. Several unmeaning words and this, that posterity may know we loose epithets will be found; his ex- have not loosely, through silence, pressions will be vague and general; permitted things to pass away as in his arrangement indistinct and fee- dream, there shall be, for men's inble; we shall conceive somewhat of formation, extant this much, conhis meaning, but our conception will cerning the present state of the be faint. Whereas a nervous writer, church of God established amongst whether he employs an extended or us, and their careful endeavours a concise Style, gives us always a which would have upheld the same." strong impression of his meaning; Such a sentence now sounds harsh his mind is full of his subject, and in our ears. Yet some advantages his words are all expressive: every certainly attended this sort of Style; phrase and every figure which he and whether we have gained, or lost, uses, tends to render the picture, upon the whole, by departing from which he would set before us, more it, may bear a question. By the freelively and complete. Blair. dom of arrangement, which it permitted, it rendered the language susceptible of more strength, of more 14. On Harshness of STYLE. variety of collocation, and more harAs every good quality in Style has mony of period. But however this an extreme, when pursued to which be, such a Style is now obsolete; it becomes faulty, this holds of the and no modern writer could adopt it Nervous Style as well as others. Too without the censure of harshness great a study of strength, to the neg- and affectation. The present form lect of the other qualities of Style, which the Language has assumed, is found to betray writers into a harsh has in some measure, sacrificed the manner. Harshness arises from un- study of strength to that of perspiusual words, from forced inversions cuity and ease. Our arrangement in the construction of a sentence, of words has become less forciand too much neglect of smoothness ble, perhaps, but more plain and naand ease. This is reckoned the tural; and this is now understood to fault of some of our earliest classics be the genius of our Language. in the English Language; such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Bacon, Hooker, Chillingworth, Milton in his prose works, Harrington, Cud 15. On the Dry STYLE. Ibid. The dry manner excludes all orna worth, and other writers of consider- ment of every kind. Content with |