435. For illustrations of these general characters, we can only refer to the writers who are examples of them. It is not so much from detached passages, such as we have been quoting as examples in the foregoing pages of this grammar, as from the current of an author's style, that we are to col lect the idea of a formed manner of writing.

Illus. 1. Two of the most remarkable examples of conciseness, carried as far as propriety will allow, perhaps in some cases farther, are Tacitus, the Historian, and the President Montesquieu in "L'Esprit de Loix." Aristotle, too, holds an eminent rank among didactic writers for his brevity. Perhaps no writer in the world was ever so frugal of his words as Aristotle; but this frugality of expression frequently darkens his meaning.

2. Of a beautiful and magnificent diffuseness, Cicero is, beyond doubt, the most illustrious instance that can be given. Addison, also, and Sir William Temple, come, in some degree, under this class.

436. In judging when it is proper to lean to the concise, and when to the diffuse manner, we must be directed by the nature of the composition. Discourses that are to be spoken require a more copious style than books that are to be read.

Illus. When the whole meaning must be caught from the mouth of the speaker, without the advantage which books afford of pausing at pleasure, and reviewing what appears obscure, great conciseness is always to be avoided. We should never presume too much on the quickness of our hearer's understanding; but our style ought to be such, that the bulk of men can go along with us easily, and without effort.

Corol. A flowing, copious style, therefore, is required in all public speakers; guarding, at the same time, against such a degree of diffusion as renders them languid and tiresome; which will always prove to be the case, when they inculcate too much, and present the same thought under too many different views.

437. In written compositions, a certain degree of conciseness possesses great advantages. It is more lively; keeps up attention; makes a brisker and stronger impression; and gratifies the mind by supplying more exercise to a reader's own thought. A sentiment, which, expressed diffusely, will barely be admitted to be just, will, when expressed concisely, be admired as spirited. Description, when we want to have it vivid and animated, should be in a concise strain.

Illus. 1. This is different from the common opinion; most persons being ready to suppose, that upon description a writer may dwell more safely than upon other topics, and that, by a full and extended style, it is rendered more rich and expressive. On the contrary, a diffuse manner generally weakens description. Any redundant words or circumstances encumber the fancy, and make the object that we present to it, appear confused and indistinct.

2. Accordingly, the most masterly describers, Homer, Tacitus, Milton, are almost always concise in their descriptions. They shew

us more of an object at one glance, than a feeble diffuse writer can shew, by turning it round, and exhibiting it in a variety of lights.

Corol. The strength and vivacity of description, whether in prose or poetry, depend much more upon the happy choice of a few striking circumstances, than upon their multiplicity and variety.

438. Addresses to the passions, likewise, ought to be in the concise, rather than the diffuse manner. In these it is dangerous to be diffuse, because it is very difficult to support proper warmth for any length of time. When we become prolix, we are always in hazard of cooling the reader. The fancy and the feelings of the heart, too, run fast; and, if once we can put them in motion, they supply many particulars to greater advantage than an author can display them. The case is different when we address ourselves to the understanding; as for example, in all matters of reasoning, explication, and instruction.

Obs. In these cases, that most elegant rhetorician, Dr. Blair, would prefer a more free and diffuse manner. When you are to strike the fancy, or to move the heart, be concise; when you are to inform the understanding, which moves more slowly, and requires the assistance of a guide, it is better to be full. Historical narration may be beautiful, either in a concise or a diffuse manner, according to the writer's genius. Livy and Herodotus are diffuse; Thucydides and Sallust are succinct; yet all of them are agreeable.

439. A diffuse style generally abounds in long periods; and a concise writer, it is certain, will often employ short

sentences.

Obs. But of long and short sentences, we had occasion formerly to treat, under the head of "The Construction of Periods." (See Chapter I. and the Harmony of Periods, Chapter IX. Book III.)

440. The nervous and the feeble are generally held to be characters of style, of the same import with the concise and the diffuse. They do indeed very often coincide. Diffuse writers have, for the most part, some degree of feebleness; and nervous writers will generally be inclined to a concise mode of expression.

Illus. 1. This, however, does not always hold; and there are instances of writers, who, in the midst of a full and ample style, have maintained a great degree of strength. Their style may have many faults. It may be unequal, incorrect, and redundant, but withal, for force and expressiveness, uncommonly distinguished. On every subject, they will multiply words with an overflowing copiousness; but they ever pour forth a torrent of forcible ideas and significant expressions.

2. Indeed, the foundations of a nervous or a weak style are laid in an author's manner of thinking. If he conceives an object vigorously, he will express it with energy: but if he has only an indistinct view of his subject; if his ideas be loose and wavering; if his genius be such, or, at the time of his writing, so carelessly exerted, that he has no firm

hold of the conception which he would communicate to us, the marks of all this will clearly appear in his style. Several unmeaning words and loose epithets will be found in his composition; his expressions will be vague and general; his arrangement indistinct and feeble; we shall conceive a portion of his meaning, but our conception will be faint. 3. Whereas a nervous writer, whether he employs an extended or a concise style, gives us always a strong impression of his meaning; his mind is full of his subject, and his words are all expressive; every phrase and every figure which he uses, tends to render the picture, which he would set before us, more lively and complete.

441. Under the head of diffuse and concise style, (Art. 436. and 437.) we have shewn that an author might lean either to the one or to the other, and yet be beautiful. This is not the case with respect to the nervous and the feeble. Every author, in every composition, ought to study to express himself with some strength, and in proportion as he approaches to the feeble, he becomes a bad writer.

Obs. In all kinds of writing, however, the same degree of strength is not demanded. But the more grave and weighty any composition is, the more should a character of strength predominate in the style.

Corol. Hence, in history, philosophy, and solemn discourses, it is chiefly expected. One of the most complete models of a nervous style, is Demosthenes in his orations.

442. Every good quality in style, when pursued too far, has an extreme, to which it becomes faulty; and this holds of the nervous style as well as of other styles. Too great a study of strength, to the neglect of other qualities of style, is found to betray writers into a harsh manner.

Illus. Harshness arises from unusual words, from forced inversions in the construction of a sentence, and too much neglect of smoothness and ease. This is reckoned the fault of some of our earliest classics in the English language; writers who, from the nerves and strength which they have displayed, are, to this day, eminent for that quality in style. But the language in their hands was exceedingly different from what it is now, and was indeed entirely formed upon the idiom and construction of the Latin, in the arrangement of sentences. The present form which the language has assumed, has, in some measure, sacrificed the study of strength to that of perspicuity and ease. arrangement of words has become less forcible, perhaps, but more plain and natural: and this is now understood to be the genius of our language.

Our

443. The restoration of King Charles II. seems to be the æra of the formation of our present style. Lord Clarendon was one of the first who laid aside those frequent inversions which prevailed among writers of the former age. After him, Sir William Temple polished the language still more. But Dryden is the author, who, by the number and reputa tion of his works, formed it more than any of his predeces sors or contemporaries, into its present state.

Mus. 1. Dryden began to write at the Restoration, and continued long an author both in poetry and prose. He had made the language his study; and though he wrote hastily, and often incorrectly, though his style is not free from faults, yet there is a richness in his diction, a copiousness, ease, and variety in his expression, which has not been surpassed by any who have come after him.*

2. Since his time, considerable attention has been paid to purity and elegance of style; but it is elegance rather than strength, that forms the distinguishing quality of most of the good English writers. Some of them compose in a more manly and nervous manner than others; but whether it be from the genius of our language, or from whatever other cause, it appears, that we are far from the strength of several of

the Greek and Roman authors.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE DRY, PLAIN, NEAT, ELEGANT, AND FLOWERY STYLE.

444. HITHERTO we have considered style under those characters that respect its expressiveness of an author's meaning. Let us now proceed to consider it in another view, with respect to the degree of ornament employed to beautify it. Here, the style of different authors seems to rise, in the following gradation a DRY, a PLAIN, a NEAT, an ELEGANT, and a FLOWERY manner. Of each of these in its order.

445. First, a DRY MANNER. This excludes ornament of every kind. Content with being understood, it has not the least aim to please, either the fancy or the ear. This is tolerable only in pure didactic writing; and even there, to make us bear it, great weight and solidity of matter are requisite; and entire perspicuity of language.

Illus. 1. Aristotle is the most complete example of a dry style. Never, perhaps, was there any author who adhered so rigidly to the strictness of a didactic manner throughout all his writings, and conveyed so much instruction, without the least approach to ornament. With the most profound genius and extensive views, he writes, says Dr. Blair, like a pure intelligence, who addresses himself solely to the understanding, without making any use of the channel of the imagination. 2. But this is a manner which deserves not to be imitated. For, al

* Dr. Johnson, in his life of Dryden, gives the following character of his prose style: His prefaces have not the formality of a settled style, in which the first half of the sentence betrays the other. The clauses are never balanced, nor the periods módelled; every word seems to drop by chance, though it falls into its proper place. Nothing is cold or languid; the whole is airy, animated, and vigorous what is little, is gay; what is great, is splendid. Though all is easy, nothing is feeble; though all seems careless, there is nothing harsh; and though, since his earlier works, more than a century has passed, they have nothing yet uncouth or obsolete."

though the goodness of the matter may compensate the dryness or harshness of the style, yet is that dryness a considerable defect; as it fatigues attention, and conveys our sentiments, with disadvantage, to the reader or hearer.

446. A PLAIN STYLE rises one degree above a dry style. A writer of this character employs very little ornament of any kind, and rests almost entirely upon his sense. But, if he is at no pains to engage us by the employment of figures, musical arrangement, or any other art of writing, he studies, however, to avoid disgusting us like a dry and a harsh writer. Besides perspicuity, he pursues propriety, purity, and precision, in his language; which form one degree, and no inconsiderable one, of beauty. Liveliness, too, and force, may be consistent with a very plain style: and, therefore, such an author, if his sentiments be good, may be abundantly agreeable.

Obs. The difference between a dry and plain writer, is, that the former is incapable of ornament, and seems not to know what it is; the latter seeks not after it. He gives us his meaning in good language, distinct and pure; he gives himself no farther trouble about ornament; either because he thinks it unnecessary to his subject; or because his genius does not lead him to delight in it; or because it leads him to despise it.

447. What is called a NEAT STYLE comes next in order; and here we have arrived in the region of ornament; but that ornament not of the highest or most sparkling kind.

Illus. 1. A writer of this character shews, that he does not despise the beauty of language. It is an object of his attention. But his attention is shewn in the choice of words, and in a graceful collocation of them; rather than in any high efforts of imagination, or eloquence. 2. His sentences are always clean, and free from the incumbrance of superfluous words; of a moderate length; rather inclining to brevity, than a swelling structure; closing with propriety; without any appendages, or adjections dragging after the proper close.

3. His cadence is varied; but not of the studied musical kind.

4. His figures, if he uses any, are short and correct, rather than bold and glowing.

Scholia. 1. Such a style as this may be attained by a writer who has no great powers of fancy or genius; merely by industry and careful attention to the rules of writing; and it is a style always agreeable.

2. It imprints a character of moderate elevation on our composition, and carries a decent degree of ornament, which is not unsuitable to any subject whatever.

3. A familiar letter, or a law paper, on the dryest subject, may be written with neatness; and a sermon or a philosophical treatise, in a neat style, will be read with pleasure.

448. AN ELEGANT STYLE is a character expressing a higher degree of ornament than a neat one; and, indeed, is the