Thus, aiming at one common end,
Each proves to all a needful friend.

4. Common reports, if ridiculous rather than dangerous, are best confuted by neglect. Seriously to endeavour a confutation, gives a suspicion of somewhat at bottom. Fame has much of the scold: you silence her, if you be silent yourself. She will soon be out of breath with blowing her own trumpet.

5. As two young bears, in wanton mood,

Forth issuing from a neighb'ring wood,
Came where the industrious bees had stored,
In waxen cells, their luscious hoard;
O'erjoyed they seized, with eager haste,
Luxurious on the rich repast.

Alarmed at this, the little crew

About their ears vindictive flew.

The beasts, unable to sustain

The unequal combat, quit the plain;
Half-blind with rage, and mad with pain,
Their native shelter they regain;
There sit, and now discreeter grown,
Too late their rashness they bemoan;
And this by dear experience gain,

That pleasure's ever bought with pain.

6. That no man can promise himself perpetual exemption from suffering, is a truth obvious to daily observation. Nay, amid the shiftings of the scene in which we are placed, who can say that for one hour his happiness is secure? The openings through which we may be assailed are so numerous and unguarded, that the very next moment may see some messenger of pain piercing the bulwarks of our peace. Our body may become the seat of incurable disease: our mind may become a prey to unaccountable and imaginary fears: our fortune may sink in some of those revolutionary tempests, which overwhelm so often the treasures of the wealthy: our honours may wither on our brow, blasted by

the slanderous breath of an enemy: our friends may prove faithless in the hour of need, or they may be separated from us for ever: our children, the fondest hopes of our hearts, may be torn from us in their prime; or they may wound us still more deeply by their undutifulness and misconduct. Where then, in this uncertainty of worldly blessings, is the joy on earth, in which thou canst repose thy confidence? or what temporal defence canst thou rear against the inroads of adversity?

PART IV.-STYLE.

SECTION I.-QUALITIES OF STYLE.

Style is the manner in which ideas are expressed in language. It embraces all those qualities which make a composition clear, forcible, and elegant. A writer's style is good or bad in proportion to his success in making these qualities characteristic of his composition.

The most important quality in a good style is perspicuity.

Perspicuity of style depends upon the choice of words and phrases, and the structure of sentences. Perspicuity in the use of words and phrases requires purity, propriety, and precision.

Perspicuity in the structure of sentences requires clearness, unity, strength, and harmony.

1. PURITY.

Purity of style consists in the use of such words and constructions as belong to the idiom of the

language, and are sanctioned by the use of the best authors.

To attain purity of style, avoid-I. Grammatical errors;-II. Foreign, obsolete, and new-coined words and phrases.

Exercise 47.

Correct the grammatical errors in the following sentences :

1. A variety of pleasing objects charm the eye.

2. If the privileges to which he has an undoubted right, and has so long enjoyed, should now be wrested from him, would be flagrant injustice.

3. The religion of these people, as well as their customs and manners, were strangely misrepresented.

4. Whether one person or more was concerned in the business, does not yet appear.

5. The mind of man cannot be long without some food to nourish the activity of his thoughts.

6. They ought to have contributed the same proportion as us, yet we gave a third more than them.

7. Who should I meet the other evening but my old friend?

8. Those sort of favours do real injury under the appearance of kindness.

9. I saw one or more persons enter the garden.

10. Every person, whatever be their station, is bound by the duties of morality and religion.

11. The conspiracy was the easier discovered from its being known to many.

12. The pleasures of the understanding are more preferable than those of the senses.

13. Virtue confers the supremest dignity on man, and should be his chiefest desire.

14. Eve was the fairest of all her daughters.

15. I cannot tell who has befriended me, unless it is him from whom I have received so many favours.

16. The confession is ingenious, and I hope more from thee now, than I could if you had promised.

17. Each of these words imply some pursuit or object relinquished.

18. No nation gives greater encouragement to learning than we do; yet, at the same time, none are so injudicious in the application.

19. I should be obliged to him, if he will gratify me in that particular.

20. We have done no more than it was our duty to have done.

21. The not attending to this rule is the cause of a very

common error.

22. His vices have weakened his mind, and broke his health.

23. They could not persuade him, though they were never so eloquent.

24. We need not, nor do not, limit the divine purposes. 25. The greatest difficulty was found of fixing just senti

ments.

26. The error was occasioned by compliance to earnest entreaty.

27. You know the esteem I have of his philosophy.

28. He is resolved of going abroad.

29. Neither the one nor the other shall make me swerve out of the path which I have traced to myself.

30. Though conformable with custom, the practice is

wrong.

31. This remark is founded in truth.

32. Every office of command should be entrusted to persons on whom parliament can confide.

33. The Saxons reduced the greater part of Britain to their own power.

34. He was accused with having acted unfairly.

35. Their conduct was agreeable with their profession. 36. She has an abhorrence to all deceitful conduct.

37. The wisest princes need not think it any diminution

to their greatness, or derogation to their sufficiency, to rely upon counsel.*

Exercise 48.

Correct the errors in the use of foreign, obsolete, or new-coincd words and phrases, in the following sentences:

1. The king soon found reason to repent him of provoking such dangerous enemies.

2. The popular lords did not fail to enlarge themselves on the subject.

3. The queen, whom it highly imported that the two monarchs should be at peace, acted the part of mediator. 4. Removing the term from Westminster, sitting the parliament, was illegal.

5. All these things required abundance of finesse and delicatesse to manage with advantage, as well as a strict observance after time and seasons.

6. The hauteur of Florio was very disgracious, and disgusted both his friends and strangers.

7. When I made some à propos remarks upon his conduct, he began to quiz me; but he had as lief let it alone.

8. The gardens were void of simplicity and elegance, and exhibited much that was glaring and bizarre.

9. They thought it an important subject, and the question was strenuously debated pro and con.

10. It irks me to see so perverse a disposition.

11. They have manifested great candidness in the whole transaction.

12. It is difficult to discover the spirit and intendment of some laws.

13. It grieveth me to look over so many blank leaves in the book of my life.

14. Methinks I am not mistaken in an opinion, which I have so well considered.

* If his Pupils have not been thoroughly instructed in Grammar, the Teacher may revert to the Rules of Syntax, on which he will find abundance of Exercises in all the ordinary text-books.