"Allow me to tell you," said Xantippus, "that your armies have been hitherto overthrown, not by the strength of the enemy, but by the ignorance of your own generals. All, therefore, that I require is a ready obedience to my orders, and I assure you of an easy victory."

1. I come now to speak upon what, indeed, I would have gladly avoided, had I not been particularly pointed at, for the part I have taken in these proceedings. It has been said by a noble lord on my left hand, that I likewise am running the race of popularity. If the noble lord means by popularity, that applause bestowed by after-ages on good and virtuous actions, I have long been struggling in that race to what purpose, all-trying time can alone determine. But if the noble lord means that mushroom popularity which is raised without merit, and lost withont a crime, he is much mistaken in his opinion. I defy the noble lord to point out a single action of my life, in which the popularity of the times ever had the smallest influence on my determinations.

2. The decemvir then began to excuse himself, saying, that he was willing to give liberty to all deliberations upon the question, but could not bear an oration, which, leaving the point in debate, only seemed calculated to promote sedition: that he and his colleagues had received an unlimited power from the people, till the great work of forming the laws was finished, during which they were resolved to act to the extent of their power, and then would be answerable for their administration: he therefore demanded, that they should have the power of levying and commanding the forces that were to be sent against the enemy.

3. With regard to my poverty, the king has, indeed, been justly informed. My whole estate consists of a house of but mean appearance, and a little spot of ground, from which, by my own labour, I draw my support. But if, by any means, thou hast been persuaded to think that this poverty renders me of less consequence in my own country,

I

or in any degree unhappy, thou art greatly deceived. have no reason to complain of fortune: she supplies me with all that nature requires; and if I am without superfluities, I am also free from the desire of them. With these, I confess I should be more able to succour the necessitous, the only advantage for which the wealthy are to be envied but small as my possessions are, I can still contribute something to the support of the state, and the assistance of my friends. 4. Pericles maintained that they had failed in nothing of their duty, as they had given orders that the dead bodies should be taken up; that, if any one were guilty, it was the accuser himself, who, being charged with these orders, had neglected to put them in execution; but that he blamed nobody; and that the tempest, which came on unexpectedly at the very instant, was an unanswerable apology, and entirely discharged the accused from all guilt. He demanded that a whole day should be allowed them to make their defence, a favour not denied to the most criminal; and that they should be tried separately.*

SECTION IV.-ARRANGEMENT IN SENTENCES.

The arrangement of words in sentences is either grammatical or rhetorical.

Grammatical arrangement is the order in which words are usually placed in speaking and writing. Rhetorical arrangement is that order of the words, in which the emphatical members of the sentence are placed first.

The rhetorical arrangement is used chiefly in poetry and impassioned prose.

* These Exercises may be multiplied from any ordinary reading-book, or text-book of history.

The principal rules for arranging words in sentences are as follows:

I. In sentences grammatically arranged, the subject or nominative is generally placed before the verb; as, 'The birds sing;'To obey is better than sacrifice.'

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the subject or nominative is often placed after the verb; as, 'Shines forth the cheerful sun;' 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.'

The nominative is also placed after the verb in the following instances:—

1. When the sentence is interrogative; as, 'Do riches make men happy?'

2. When the sentence is imperative; as, 'Go thou.'

3. When a supposition is expressed by an ellipsis; as, 'Were it true,' for, 'if it were true.'

4. When the sentence begins with there, here, etc.; as, 'There was a commotion among the people;' 'Here are five loaves.'

5. In such parenthetical clauses as, said he, replied they, etc.

II. In sentences grammatically arranged, the adjective is generally placed before the noun which it qualifies; as, 'A beautiful tree;' 'A swift horse.'

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the adjective, when it is emphatic, is sometimes placed at the beginning of the sentence; as, 'Just and true are all thy ways.'

The adjective is frequently placed after the noun in the following instances:

1. When it is used as a title; as 'Alexander the Great.' 2. When other words depend upon it; as, ' A man generous to his enemies.'

3. When several adjectives belong to one noun; as, ‘A man wise, just, and charitable.'

4. When the adjective expresses dimension; as, 'A wall ten feet high.'

5. When it expresses the effect of an active verb; as, 'Vice renders men miserable.'

6. When a neuter verb comes between it and the noun or pronoun; as, 'It seems strange.'

III. In sentences grammatically arranged, the active verb is generally placed before the word which it governs; as, 'If you respect me, do not despise my friend.'

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the active verb is frequently placed after the word which it governs; as, 'Silver and gold have I none.'

The active verb is also placed after relative pronouns; as, 'He is a man whom I greatly esteem.'

IV. In sentences grammatically arranged, the infinitive mood is placed after the verb which governs it; as, 'He loves to learn.'

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the infinitive mood, when emphatic, is placed before the word which governs it; as, 'Go I must, whatever may, ensue.'

V. Adverbs are generally placed immediately before or immediately after the words which they qualify; as, 'Very good;' 'He acted wisely.'

Adverbs, when emphatic, are sometimes placed at the beginning of a sentence; as, 'How completely his passion has blinded him!'

1. TRANSPOSITION.

Exercise 30.

Vary the arrangement of the following sentences by transposing

the members or clauses:

EXAMPLE.

I had long before now repented of my roving course of life, but I could not free my mind from the love of travel.

Of my roving course of life I had long before now repented, but from the love of travel I could not free my mind.

I could not free my mind from the love of travel, though I had long before now repented of my roving course of life.

From the love of travel I could not free my mind, though of my roving course of life I had long before now repented.

1. The Roman state evidently declined in proportion to the increase of luxury.

2. For all that you think, and speak, and do, you must account at the last day.

3. The greatness of mind which shows itself in dangers and labours, if it wants justice, is blamable.

4. It is a fact, about which men now rarely differ, that the paper-mill and the printing-press are inventions for which we cannot be too thankful.

5. In all speculations upon men and human affairs, it is of no small moment to distinguish things of accident from permanent causes.

6. He who made light to spring from primeval darkness, will, at last, make order to rise from the seeming confusion of the world.

7. Early one summer morning, before the family was stirring, an old clock, that, without giving its owner any cause of complaint, had stood for fifty years in a farmer's kitchen, suddenly stopped.

8. Those things which appear great to one who knows nothing greater, will sink into a diminutive size, when he becomes acquainted with objects of a higher nature.

9. Let us not conclude, while dangers are at a distance, and do not immediately approach us, that we are secure, unless we use the necessary precautions to prevent them,*

* Exercises similar to those under this Section may be prescribed from the reading-lessons of the class.