THE ORNAMENTS OF LANGUAGE. ARRANGED AS A TEXT-BOOK FOR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS WITH A SERIES OF EXERCISES AND NUMEROUS BY HEINRICH REICHARDT, HON. SECRETARY OF THE "GERMAN TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION" (VEREIN AUTHOR OF: ,,DER DEUTSCHE LEHRER IN ENGLAND" ETC. BERLIN. WEIDMANNSCHE BUCHHANDLUNG. 1885. Preface. As the Ornaments of Language form so considerable an element in every tongue, and so much uncertainty still exists as to their classification and use, I have undertaken to present them, systematically arranged, in an easy and perspicuous form. It has been particularly my endeavour to make the definitions throughout as plain as possible, and to illustrate them by a large number of examples from a great variety of sources. A series of exercises has been added; these will not only constitute a test as to whether the subject has been thoroughly understood, but are also calculated to make the study of it more interesting. London, January 1885. THE AUTHOR. 1* § 1. INTRODUCTION. 1. One of the primary essentials of the poetic or higher style is Vivacity, or Animation. 2. Animation and force of language depend very largely upon freshness and vigour of thought, but, however attractive a subject may be in itself, its point is lost, and its interest fails if it be depicted in dry and monotonous terms. 3. On the other hand, a forcible style of expression has a merit of its own, independent of the value of the ideas conveyed: so that the style may command attention though the thoughts be comparatively trivial. 4. The highest degree of Animation is reached when fresh and vigorous thoughts are clothed in vivacious language; but this perfection can only be attained by persons endowed with great mental activity, and powerful imagination. Where these gifts are wanting, where idleness, indifference, narrowness of mind, indecision, languor and other elements antagonistic to vigour exist, every attempt at energetic enunciation will either altogether fail, or degenerate into what is generally known as "flowery", "turgid", or "bombastic" speech. 5. It is not every style of writing that requires Animation. The language of commerce and business admits |