By greatness, I do not only mean the bulk of any singie object, but the largeness of a whole view.-Addison, Spectator,

Here the position of the adverb only, renders it a limitation of the word mean; as if the author intended to say that he did something besides meaning. The ambiguity may be removed by the following arrangement; "By greatness, I do not mean the bulk of any single object only, but the largeness of a whole view.

In common conversation, the tone and emphasis which we use in pronouncing such words as only, wholly, at least, generally serve to shew their reference, and to render the meaning clear and obvious and hence we acquire a habit of throwing them in loosely in the course of a period. But, in written discourses, which address the eye, and not the ear, greater accuracy is requisite. These adverbs should be so connected with the words which they are meant to qualify, as to prevent all appearance of ambiguity.

II. Words expressing things connected in the thought, should be placed as near together as possible. This rule is derived immediately from the principles of human nature; in which we may discover a remarkable propensity to place together objects that are in any matter connected. When objects are arranged according to their connexions, we have a sense of order: *when they are placed fortuitously, we have a sense of disorder.

The connective parts of sentences are the most im**portant of all, and require the greatest care and attention; for it is by these chiefly, that the train of thought, the course of reasoning, and the whole progress of the

mind, in continued discourse of all kinds, is laid open; and on the right use of these depend perspicuity, the greatest beauty of style.

The bad effect of a violent separation of words or members which are intimately connected, will appear from the following examples.

The English are naturally fanciful, and very often disposed, by that gloominess and melancholy of temper which is so frequent in our nation, to many wild notions and visions, to which others are not so liable.---Addison, Spectator.

Here the verb disposed is, by a long clause, violently separated from the subject to which it refers. This harsh construction is the less excusable, as the fault is easily prevented by the following arrangement: "The English are naturally fanciful, and by that gloominess and melancholy of temper which is so frequent in our nation, are often disposed to many wild notions, to which others are not liable."

No mortal author, in the ordinary fate and vicissitude of things knows to what use his works may, some time or other, be applied. ---Spectator.

It cannot be impertinent or ridiculous, therefore, in such a country, whatever it might be in the abbot of St. Real's, which was Savoy I think; or in Peru, under the Incas, where Garcilasso de la Vega says is was lawful for none but the nobility to study; for men of all degrees to instruct themselves in those affairs wherein they may be actors, or judges of those that act, or controllers of those that judge.--Bolingbroke on the Study of History.

If Scipio, who was naturally given to women, for which anecdote we have, if I mistake not, the anthority of Polybius, as well as some verses of Navius, preserved by Aulus Gellius, had been educated by Olympias at the court of Philip, it is improbable that he would have restored the beautiful Spaniard.---Ibid.

May

My we not conjecture, for it is but conjecture, something more. -Boilngbroke's Dissert. on Parties.

The works of Lord Bolingbroke abound with improper arrangements of this kind.

The foregoing rule is very frequently transgressed in the disposition of pronouns. The relative who or which, when introduced in order to avoid the repetition of the name of some person or thing, ought always to be placed as near as possible to the name of that person or thing. Where it is out of its proper place, we constantly find something awkward or disjointed in the structure of the sentence.

. This kind of wit was very much in vogue among our countrymen, about an age or two ago, who did not practise it for any oblique reas on, but purely for the sake of being witty.---Addison, Spectator.

In this sentence the meaning is sufficiently obvious; but the construction would be evidently improved by disposing of the circumstance, "about an age or two ago," in such a manner as not to separate the relative who from its antecedent countrymen. "About an age or two ago, this kind of wit was very much in vogue among our countrymen, who did not practise it for any oblique reason, but purely for the sake of being witty."

It is folly to pretend to arm ourselves against the accidents of life, by heaping up treasures, which nothing can protect us against, but the good providence of our heavenly father. Sherlock's Sermons.

Tis construction implies, that it is treasures, and not

accidents of life, from which no mortal can protect himself by his own exertions. The sentence ought to have stood thus: "It is folly to pretend, by heaping

up

up treasures, to arm ourselves against the accidents of life, against which nothing can protect us, but the good providence of our heavenly father."

Thus I have fairly given you, Sir, my own opinion, as well as that of a great majority of both houses here, relating to this weighty affair; upon which I am confident you may securely reckon.Swift on the Sacramental Test,

Here the author seems to advise his correspondent to reckon upon this weighty affair; though he certainly meant that it was the great majority upon which he might reckon. The obscurity will be removed by arranging the sentence thus: "Thus, Sir, I have given you my own opinion relating to this weighty affair, as well as that of a great majority of both houses here; upon which I am confident you may securely reckon."

I allude to the article BLIND in the Encyclopedia Britannica, published at Edinburgh in the year 1783, which was written by nim.-Mackenzie's Life of Blacklock,

This arrangement leaves us to suppose that Dr. Black+ lock was the sole author of a book to which he only contributed an essay on blindness. His biographer's meaning might have been expressed thus: "I allude to the article BLIND, which was written by him, and published at Edinburgh in the year 1783, in the Encyclopædia Britannica.”

We no where meet with a more glorious and pleasing shew in nature, than what appears in the heavens at the rising and setting of the sun, which is wholly made up of those different stains of light, that shew themselves in clouds of a different situation.-Addison, Spectator.

Which is here designed to connect with the word shew as its antecedent; but it is removed to such a distance, that without a careful attention to the sense, we should

be led, by the rules of syntax, to reter it to the rising and setting of the sun, or to the sun itself. Hence an indistinctness is thrown over the whole sentence.

From a habit of saving time and paper, which they acquired at the university, they write in so diminutive a manner, with such -frequent blots and interlineations, that they are hardly able to go on without perpetual hesitations, or extemporary expletives.—Swift's Letter to a Young Gentleman.

The author certainly does not mean that the clergymen of whom he speaks, had acquired time and paper at the university, but that they had there acquired a habit of saving time and paper. The sentence ought to have run thus: "From a habit which they have acquired at the university of saving time and paper, they write in so diminutive a manner, with such frequent blots," &c.

III. Another great source of ambiguity is the too frequent repetition of pronouns, when we have occasion to refer to different persons. The subsequent examples will serve to illustrate this observation..

They were summoned occasionally by their kings, when compelled by their wants aud by their fears to have recourse to their aid. Robertson's View of Society.

Men look with an evil eye upon the good that is in others; and think that their reputation obscures them, and that their commendable qualities do stand in their light and therefore they do what they can to cast a cloud over them, that the bright shining of their virtues may not obscure them.-Tillotson's Sermons.

The Earl of Falmouth and Mr. Coventry were rivals, who should have most influence with the duke, who loved the earl best, but thought the other the wiser man, who supported Pen, who disobliged all the courtiers, even against the earl, who contemned Pen as a fellow of no sense.---Clarendon's Continuation.

All which with the king's and queen's so ample promises to him (the treasurer) so few hours before the conferring the place on ano

ther,