grieves aloud; he who

grieves

ferer, is truly. -. 2. He who silently. 3. We an honorable, we - a disgraceful misfortune. (3.)-1. Alexander wept at the idea that there were no more worlds to He himself was at last by the deadliest of foes; namely, drunkenness. 2. "The patient mind, by yielding, "3. William the First England by his rival Harold; after which he completely the English. 4. Whoever aims at Christian perfection must strive with God's assistance to avarice and pride; to wrath, anger, and the trials and impediments which

temptations, and to

lust; to
obstruct his course.

(4.)-1. The conduct of people is sometimes so veiled by art, that it is not easy to their object; it is necessary to between practice and profession. 2. I trees or houses at a distance; I a steeple among houses, and a river in the landscape. 3. We the truth of a proposi

tion which, perhaps, did not at first strike us obviously. 4. A sagacious mind can truth, though it be mixed up with falsehood or hypocrisy. 5. Long before the vessel reached the shore, I could - the tall elms which skirt our home-field. 6. I soon that the chief's intentions were hostile. 7. The lawless soldiers did not trouble themselves to tween a subject and a rebel.

be

up to the middle of last

- by Cassiwith pride and satis

(5.)-1. No further intelligence had been month. 2. Certain conditions were offered by Cæsar and velaunus. 3. The minister, rising, said that he faction their token of friendship.

(7.)-1. The demand for cotton goods was so great that the manufacturers could not the dealers fast enough. 2. The ships were well fitted out, being with all the necessary nautical instruments, and amply with provisions. 3. The shelves of his library are books. 4. What he wanted in ability was

with rare

by unremitting assiduity.

5. Youth is the season for the mind with sound principles. has never been called in question, we have no reason to of his assertion.

(8.)-As his

doubt the

from the

her against the vioweather by a thick

(9.)-A poor woman besought the magistrate to lence of her husband. He was well

great-coat.

[The definitions and illustrations of Synonyms in this and foregoing Lessons have been derived chiefly from Crabb's and Graham's works on the subject. The latter is the more convenient Manual for use in Schools. The Synonyms are briefly but exceedingly well presented in Webster's University Dictionary, 8vo., published by Lippincott & Co. The Pictorial Unabridged Dictionary of Webster, just published, is more complete in its exposition of synonymous words, and is worthy of diligent study and use.]

LESSON LXXX.

PRECISION OF EXPRESSION.

Coleridge, in the Preface to his valuable "Aids to Reflection," well observes: "Reflect on your own thoughts, actions, circumstances, and—which will be of especial aid to you in forming a habit of reflection—accustom yourself to reflect on the words you use, hear, or read, their birth, derivation, and history. For if words are not things, they are living powers, by which the things of most importance to mankind are actuated, combined, and humanized."

The following sentence shows finely the advantage of giving close attention to the nicer shades of signification belonging to words that to most persons may seem to be perfectly synonymous: "The diligent student may acquire knowledge, obtain rewards, win prizes, gain celebrity, and get high honors, though he earn no money."

Some words, apparently of the same meaning, are yet so different in their application, that they cannot, without a violation of precision, be interchanged: thus, we speak of the truth of a narrative, the veracity of the narrator, and the authenticity of a document.

We abstain from an indulgence, forbear to enforce a right, refrain from committing an injury, and we withstand a temptation.

We consent to a proposal, comply with a desire, accede to a request, and acquiesce in a decision.

We are absorbed in grief, and engrossed in business.

We shun what we dislike, avoid what is wrong, and elude what we fear. We grant permission, bestow charity, present compliments, offer an apology, afford protection, confer a favor, concede a right, and accord consideration.

RULE V.-Be careful not to employ as the same in meaning certain words that greatly resemble each other in form. This rule has been given also under the head of "Propriety of Expression."

EXAMPLES.-Critic, critique; observance, observation; conscience, consciousness; endurance, duration; successively, successfully; contagious, contiguous; eminent, imminent; ingenious, ingenuous; contemptuous, contemptible; continued, continuous, &c.

RULE VI.- Words derived from the ancient languages should not be used in the sense peculiar to such language, and not commonly understood by persons acquainted only with the English language, thus:

"I have considered the subject in its integrity," would be understood to mean, "in its honesty, uprightness," these being its usual significations; whereas, in this sentence, it was designed to mean, "in its entirety or entireness," from integer signifying whole, that is, "I have considered the whole subject."

LESSON LXXXI.

CLEARNESS IN THE STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES.

This essential property is opposed to the expression of our ideas in vague, obscure, inaccurate, or ambiguous phraseology; and it demands the uniform use of such words, phrases, and idiomatic constructions as shall make our thoughts accurately and easily comprehended. Sentences should be so constructed that their meaning cannot easily be misunderstood, or understood with difficulty, provided the nature of the subject be not so abstruse or profound as to involve some difficulty in understanding what is said, however perspicuously expressed. Let sentences be so composed that only one meaning, and that the one intended, shall be conveyed to every attentive reader. Care is to be taken (says Quintilian), not that the hearer may understand if he will, but that he must understand, whether he will or not.

To write with clearness, an accurate knowledge of our language, and a ready practical command of it, is necessary. Besides this, a

logical precision of thought is likewise requisite, for according to Horace, "To think well, is the principle and source of correct writing." ("Scribendi recte sapere est et principium et fons.") We must perfectly know our own meaning, or we cannot convey it to others.

RULE I.-Avoid an ambiguous collocation of the elements of sentences, either in the position of adverbs, or of the rela tive pronouns who, which, whose, &c., or in the repetition of the personal pronouns they, them, their, and similar particles expressing the connection of the parts of speech with one another.

The general rule to guide in this matter, is to place these parts of speech as near as possible to the words to which they relate, and in such positions as to make their mutual relation quite obvious. All the qualifying expressions relating to the subject, the verb, and its object, both in principal and in subordinate sentences, should be placed as near as possible to the qualified word; for the relations of words are understood only by their proper position or arrangement.

The same rule includes particular clauses, in which some circumstance is expressed. It is important, also, to avoid crowding many circumstances together, instead of distributing them to different parts of the sentence, and to join them to the principal words on which they depend.

It impairs clearness to place a circumstance-clause between two principal members of a period; as it embarrasses the mind in determining to which of these it is designed to be referred. Such a clause should either be placed between the parts of that member of the sentence to which it belongs, or it should occupy a position in which it will stand obviously related to its proper member.

RULE II.-Avoid using the same word in different senses, or different words in the same sense, in the same paragraph

or sentence.

Thus, in the quotation, "These men may give more, but cannot give more evident, signs of thought than their fellow-creatures." Here the word more is first an adjective, the comparative of many; next it is an adverb, and the sign of the comparative degree. To render the sentence perspicu

sus it should be, "May give more numerous, but," &c.; or, "May give more, but cannot give clearer signs," &c.

When the same pronoun is used twice or oftener in relation to different things, perspicuity is impaired or destroyed. It is attended with the same disadvantage as the employment of any other word in different senses, in the same connection.

EXAMPLE: "One may have an air which proceeds from a 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." Here the pronoun is used in three senses, successively referring to an air, to knowledge, and to motion of the head and body.

EXERCISES.

1. So alter the following sentences as to render them more perspicuous, and free from ambiguity.

The Romans understood liberty, at least, as well as we.

Theism can only be opposed to polytheism or atheism.

By the pleasures of the imagination I mean only such pleasures as arise originally from sight.

There is not, perhaps, any real beauty or deformity more in one piece of matter than another.

Are these designs which any man, who is born a Briton, in any circumstances, in any situation, ought to be ashamed or afraid to avow?

A great stone that I found, after a long search, by the sea-shore, answered the purpose of an anchor.

What I had the opportunity of mentioning to my friend, some time ago, in conversation, was not a new thought.

The minister of state who grows less by his elevation, like a little statue placed on a mighty pedestal, will always have his jealousy strong about him. For the English are naturally fanciful, and very often disposed, by that gloominess and melancholy of temper which are so frequent in our nation, to many wild notions and extravagances, to which others are not so liable.

For as no mortal author, in the ordinary fate and vicissitude of things, knows to what use his works may, some time or other, be applied, &c. The emperor was so intent on the establishment of his absolute power in Hungary, that he exposed the empire doubly to desolation and ruin for the sake of it.

There is anong the people of all countries, and of all religions, a belief of immortality, arising from the natural desire of living, and strengthened, by tradition, which has certainly some influence upon practice.

And, indeed, in some cases we derive as much or more pleasure from that source than from the thing itself.