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SECONDLY,

Exercises to promote perspicuity and accuracy, with respect to the construction of Sentences.

CHAPTER I.

Containing sentences in which the Rules of CLEARNESS are violated.

See Volume I. Page 423.

SECTION 1.

In the position of Adverbs.

HENCE the impossibility appears, that an undertaking managed so, should prove successful. May not we here say with the poet, that “virtue is its own reward?"

Had he died before, would not then this art have been wholly unknown?

Not to exasperate him, I only spoke a very few words.

The works of art receive a great advantage, from the resemblance which they have to those of nature, because here the similitude is not only pleasant, but the pattern is perfect.

It may be proper to give some account of those practices, anciently used on such occasions, and only

discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy of later times.

Sixtus the fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books at least.

If Louis XIV. was not the greatest king, he was the best actor of majesty, at least, that ever filled a throne.

These forms of conversation, by degrees multiplied and troublesome.

grew

Nor does this false modesty expose us only to such actions as are indiscreet, but very often to such as are highly criminal.

By greatness, I do not only mean the bulk of any single object, but the largeness of a whole view. I was engaged formerly in that business, but I never shall be again concerned in it.

We do those things frequently, which we repent of afterwards.

By doing the same thing it often becomes habitual.

Most nations, not even excepting the Jews, were prone to idolatry.

his

Raised to greatness without merit, he employed power for the gratification solely of his passions.

SECTION 2.

In the position of circumstances, and of particular members.

THE embarrassments of the artificers, rendered

the progress very slow of the work.

He found the place replete with wonders, of which he proposed to solace himself with the contemplation, if he should never be able to accomplish his flight.

They are now engaged in a study, of which they have long wished to know the usefulness.

This was an undertaking, which, in the execution, proved as impracticable, as had turned out every other of their pernicious, yet abortive schemes.

He thought that the presbyters would soon become more dangerous to the magistrates, than had ever been the prelatical clergy.

Frederic, seeing it was impossible to trust, with safety, his life in their hands, was obliged to take the Mahometans for his guard.

The emperor refused to convert at once, the truce into a definitive treaty.

However, the miserable remains were, in the night, taken down.

I have settled the meaning of those pleasures of the imagination, which are the subject of my present undertaking, by way of introduction, in this paper; and endeavoured to recommend the pursuit of those pleasures to my readers, by several considerations: I shall examine the several sources from whence these pleasures are derived, in my next paper.

Sir Francis Bacon, in his Essay upon Health, has not thought it improper to prescribe to his reader a poem, or a prospect, where he particularly dissuades him from knotty and subtle disquisitions; and ad

vises him to pursue studies that fill the mind with splendid and illustrious objects, as history, poetry, and contemplations of nature.

If the English reader would see the notion explained at large, he may find it in Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding,

Fields of corn form a pleasant prospect; and if the walks were a little taken care of that lie between them, they would display neatness, regularity, and elegance.

Though religion will indeed bring us under some restraints, they are very tolerable, and not only so, but desirable on the whole.

I have confined myself to those methods for the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince, limited like ours, by a strict execution of the laws.

This morning, when one of the gay females was looking over some hoods and ribands, brought by her tirewoman, with great care and diligence, I employed no less in examining the box which contained them.

Since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or has no law to punish it, the honest dealer is often undone, and the knave gets the advantage.

Though energetic brevity is not adapted alike to every subject, we ought to avoid its contrary, on every occasion, a languid redundancy of words.

It is proper to be copious sometimes, but never to be verbose.

A monarchy, limited like ours, may be placed, for aught I know, as it has been often represented, just in the middle point, from whence a deviation leads, on the one hand, to tyranny, and, on the other, to anarchy.

Having already shown how the fancy is affected by the works of nature, and afterwards considered, in general, both the works of nature and of art, how they mutually assist and complete each other, in forming such scenes and prospects as are most apt to delight the mind of the beholders; I shall in this paper throw together some reflections, &c.

Let but one great, brave, disinterested, active man arise, and he will be received, venerated, and followed.

Ambition creates seditions, wars, discords, hatred, and shiness.

The scribes made it their profession to teach and to study the law of Moses.

Sloth pours upon us a deluge of crimes and evils, and saps the foundation of every virtue.

The ancient laws of Rome were so far from suffering a Roman citizen to be put to death, that they would not allow him to be bound, or even to be whipped.

His labours to acquire knowledge have been productive of great satisfaction and success.

He was a man of the greatest prudence, virtue, justice, and modesty.

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