in buskins; and dressed out with magnificent elegance. Johnson is clad in the leaves of his dictionary; he lived upon it, as Boniface did upon his ale. In every sentence of Lord Shaftsbury, we see the marks of labour and art; nothing of that ease, which expresses a sentiment coming natural and warm from the heart. Johnson is a perfect machinist of style. Having once studied him, you will know his style among a thousand; so exactly do the counters he presents to you, correspond with the Roman die, whence they were turned out. Of figures and ornaments of every kind, Lord Shaftsbury is exceedingly fond; sometimes happy in them; but his fondness for them is too visible; and, having once laid hold of some metaphor or allusion that pleases him, he knows not how to part with it. The coldness of Johnson's heart, did not allow him to indulge at pleasure in figures and ornament. His figures are always correct, but artificial and stately; and his alegories, in the Rambler, are awkwardly classical, though some of them are not deficient in wit and elegance. His Allegory of Criticism, an early paper in the Rambler, is a pertinent illustration.

464. Having now said so much to recommend simplicity, or the easy and natural manner of writing, and having pointed out the defects of an opposite manner; in order to prevent mistakes on this subject, it is necessary to observe, that it is very possible for an author to write simply, and yet not beautifully. One may be free from affectation, and not have merit.

Illus. 1. The beautiful simplicity supposes au author to possess real genius; to write with solidity, purity, and liveliness of imagination. In this case, the simplicity or unaffectedness of his manner, is the crowning ornament; it heightens every other beauty; it is the dress of nature, without which all beauties are imperfect.

2. But if mere unaffectedness were sufficient to constitute the beauty of style, weak, trifling, and dull writers might often lay claim to this beauty. And, accordingly, we frequently meet with pretended critics, who extol the dullest writers, on account of what they call the "chaste simplicity of their manner;" which, in truth, is no other than the absence of every ornament, through the mere want of genius and imagination.

3. We must distinguish, therefore, between that simplicity which accompanies true genius, and which is perfectly compatible with every proper ornament of style, and that which is no other than a careless and slovenly manner. Indeed the distinction is easily made from the effect produced. The one never fails to interest the reader; the other is insipid and tiresome.

465. We proceed to mention one other manner or character of style different from any that has yet been

Y

spoken of; and which may be distinguished by the name of the vehement. This always implies strength; and is not, by any means, inconsistent with simplicity but, in its predominant character, it is distinguishable from either the strong or the simple man

ner.

Illus. It has a peculiar ardour; it is a glowing style; the language of a man, whose imaginations and passions are heated, and strongly affected by what he writes; who is therefore negligent of minor graces, but pours himself forth with the rapidity and fullness of a torrent. It belongs to the higher kinds of oratory; and, indeed, is rather expected from a man who is speaking, than from one who is writing in his closet. The orations of Demosthenes furnish the full and perfect example of this species of style.

466. Among English writers, the one who has most of this character, though mixed, indeed, with several defects, is Lord Bolingbroke. His lordship was formed by nature to be a factious leader; the demagogue of a popular assembly. Accordingly the style that runs through all his political writings, is that of one declaiming with heat, rather than writing with deliberation.

Illus. He abounds in rhetorical figures; and pours himself forth with great impetuosity. He is copious to a fault; places the same thought before us in many different views; but generally with life and ardour. He is bold, rather than correct; a torrent that flows strong, but often muddy. His sentences are varied as to length and shortness; inclining, however, most to long periods, sometimes including parentheses, and frequently crowding and heaping a multitude of things upon one another, as naturally happens in the warmth of speaking. In the choice of his words, there is great felicity and precision. In exact construction of sentences, he is much inferior to Lord Shaftsbury; but greatly superior to him in life and ease.→ Upon the whole, his merit, as a writer, would have been very considerable, if his matter had equalled his style. But whilst we find many things to commend in the latter, in the former, as we before remarked, we can hardly find any thing to commend. In his reasonings, for the most part, he is flimsy and false; in his political writings, factions; in what he calls his philosophical ones, sophistical in the highest degree.

467. Some other characters of style, beside those which we have mentioned, might be pointed out; but it is very difficult to separate such general considera

tions of the style of authors from their peculiar turn, of sentiment, which it is not the business of this work to criticise.

Illus. Conceited writers, for instance, discover their spirit so rauch in their composition, that it imprints on their style a character of pertness; though it is difficult to say, whether this can be classed among the attributes of style, or is rather to be ascribed entirely to the thought. In whatever class we rank it, all appearances of it ought to be avoided with care, as a most disgusting blemish in writing. Under general heads, it is no difficult task to classify the character of many of the eminent writers in the English language.

Scholia. From what has been said on this subject, it may be inferred, that to determine among all these different manners of writing, what is precisely the best, is neither easy nor necessary. Style is a field that admits of great latitude. Its qualities in different authors may be very different; and yet in them all, beautiful. Room must be left here for genius; for that particular determination which one receives from nature to one manner of expression. more than another.

2. Some general qualities, indeed, there are of such importance, as should always, in every kind of composition, be kept in view; and some defects we should always study to avoid.

3. An ostentatious, a feeble, a harsh, or an obscure style, for instance, is always faulty; and perspicuity, strength, neatness, and simplicity, are beauties to be always aimed at. But as to the mixture of all, or the degree of predominacy of any one of these good qualities, for forming our peculiar distinguishing manner, no precise rules can be given; nor would it be prudent to point out any one model as absolutely perfect.

4. It will be more to the purpose, that we conclude these dissertations upon style, with a few directions concerning the proper method of attaining a good style, in general; leaving the particular character of that style to be either formed by the subject on which we write, or prompted by the bent of genius.

CHAPTER IV.

DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING STYLE.

468. THE first direction which we give for this purpose, is, to study clear ideas on the subject con cerning which you are to write or speak. This is a direction which may at first appear to have small

relation to style. Its relation to it, however, is ex: tremely close. The foundation of all good style, is good sense, accompanied with a lively imagination.

Ilus. 1. The style and thoughts of a writer are so intimately connected, that it is frequently hard to distinguish them. (Art. 332.) Whenever the impressions of things upon our minds are faint and indistinct, or perplexed and confused, our style in treating of such things will infallibly be so too. Whereas, what we conceive clearly and feel strongly, we shall naturally express with clearness and with strength. (Illus. Art. 465.)

2. This, then, we may be assured, is a capital rule as to style, to think closely on the subject, till we have attained a full and distinct view of the matter which we are to clothe in words, till we become warm and interested in it; then, and not till then, shall we find expression begin to flow.

3. Generally speaking, the best and most proper expressions are those which a clear view of the subject suggests, without much labour or inquiry after them. This is Quinctilian's observation: the most proper words for the most part adhere to the thoughts which are to be expressed by them, and may be discovered as by their own light. But we hunt after them as if they were hidden, and only to be found in a corner. Hence, instead of conceiving the words to fie near the subject, we go in quest of them to some other quarter, and endeavour to give force to the expressions we have found out*.

469. In the second place, in order to form a good style the frequent practice of composing is indispensably necessary. We have delivered many rules concerning style; but no rules will answer the end, without exercise and habit. At the same time, it is not every sort of composing that will inprove style.

Illus. This is so far from being the case, that by frequent, careless, and hasty composition, we shall certainly acquire a very bad style; we shall have more trouble afterwards in unlearning faults, and correcting negligences, than if we had not been accustomed to composition at all. In the beginning, therefore, we ought to write slowly, and with much care. Let the facility and speed of writing be the fruit of longer practice. "I enjoin," says Quinctilian, "that such as are beginning the practice of composition, write slowly, and with anxious deliberation. Their great object at first should be, to

*Flerumque optima verba rebus cohærent, et cernuntur suo lumine. At nos quærimus illa, tanquam lateant seque subducant. Ita nunquam putamus verba esse circa id de quo dicendum est; sed ex aliis locis potimus, et inventus vim afferimus. Lib. viii. c. I.

write as well as possible; practice will enable them to write speedily. By degrees, matter will offer itself still more readily; words will be at hand; composition will flow; every thing, as in the arrangement of a well-ordered family, will present itself in its proper place. The sum of the whole is this: by hasty composition, we shall never acquire the art of composing well; by writing well, we shall come to write speedily*."

470. We must observe, however, that there may be an extreme, in too great and anxious care about words. We must not retard the course of thought, nor cool the heat of imagination, by pausing too long on every word we employ. There is, on certain occasions, a glow of composition, which should be kept up, if we hope to express ourselves happily, though at the expence of allowing some inadvertencies to pass. A more severe examination of these must be left for the work of correction. For, if the practice of composition be useful, the laborious work of correcting is no less so; it is indeed absolutely necessary to our reaping any benefit from the habit of composition,

Obs. 1. What we have written should be laid by for some little time, till the ardour of composition be past, till the fondness for the expressions which we have used be worn off, and the expressions themselves be forgotten; and then reviewing our work with a cool and critical eye, as if it were the performance of another, we shall discern many imperfections which at first escaped us.

2. Then is the season for pruning redundance; for examining the arrangement of sentences; for attending to the juncture of the particles connecting the whole; and bringing style into a regular, correct and supported form.

3. This "labour at the beginning," must be submitted to by all who would communicate their thoughts with proper advantage to others; and some practice in it will soon sharpen their eye to the most necessary objects of attention, and render it a much more easy and practicable work than might at first be imagined.

*"Moram et solicitudinem, initiis impero. Nam primum hoc constituendum ac obtinendum est, ut quam optime scribamus: celeritatem dabit consuetudo. Paulatim res facilius se ostendent, verba respondebunt, compositio prosequetur. Cuncta denique ut in familiâ bene institutâ in officio erunt. Summa hæc est rei; cito scribendo non fit ut bene scribatur; bene scribendo, sit ut cito. 1. x. c. 3,