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and then proceed to confider those qualities of speech which are peculiarly oratorical.

It was also observed before*, that the art of the logician is univerfal, the art of the grammarian particular. By confequence, my prefent fubject being language, it is neceffary to make choice of fome particular tongue, to which the obfervations to be made will be adapted, and from which the illuftrations to be produced, will be taken. Let English be that tongue. This is a preference to which it is furely entitled from those who write in it. Pure English then, implies three things; first, that the words be English; fecondly, that their conftruction, under which, in our tongue, arrangement alfo is comprehended, be in the English idiom; thirdly, that the words and phrases be employed to express the precife meaning which custom hath affixed to them.

FROM the definition now given, it will be evident on reflection, that this is one of those qualities, of which, though the want exposes a writer to much cenfure, the poffeffion hardly entitles him to any praife. The truth is, it is • Book I. Chap. iv,

a kind of negative quality, as the name imports, confifting more in an exemption from certain. blemishes, than in the acquifition of any excellence. It holds the fame place among the virtues of elocution, that juftice holds among the moral virtues. The more neceffary each is, and the more blamable the tranfgreffion is, the less merit has the obfervance. Grace and energy, on the contrary, are like generofity and public fpirit. To be deficient in these virtues, is not treated as criminal; but to be eminent for the practice of them, is accounted meritorious. As, therefore, in what regards the laws of purity, the violation is much more confpicuous than the obfervance, I am under the difagreeable neceffity of taking my illuftrations on this article, folely from the former.

PURITY, it was faid, implies three things. Accordingly, in three different ways it may be injured. First, the words used may not be Englith. This fault hath received from grammarians the denomination of barbarifm. Secondly, the conftruction of the fentence may not be in the English idiom. This hath gotten the name of folecifm. Thirdly, the words and phrafes may not be employed to exprefs the precife meaning

which cuftom hath affixed to them. This is

termed impropriety *.

SECTION

I.

The Barbarifm.

THE reproach of barbarism may be incurred by three different ways; by the ufe of words entirely obfolete, by the use of words entirely new, or by new formations and compofitions, from fimple and primitive words in present use.`

PART 1. By the ufe of obfolete words. OBSOLETE Words, though they once were English, are not so now; though they were both proper and expreffive in the days of our forefathers, are become as ftrange to our ears, as many parts of their garb would be to our eyes. And if fo, fuch words have no more title than foreign words, to be introduced at present; for though they are not fo totally unknown as to occafion obscurity, a fault which I fhall confider afterwards, their appearance is fo unusual, and their form is fo antiquated, that, if not perfectly ridiculous, they at least suggest the notion of

Quintilian hath fuggefted this diftribution. Inftit. lib. i. cap. 5. Deprehendat quæ barbara, quæ impropria, quæ contra legem loquendi composta,

ftiffness

Atiffness and affectation. We ought, therefore, not only to avoid words, that are no longer understood by any but critics and antiquarians, fuch as hight, cleped, uneath, erft, whilom; we must alfo, when writing in profe, and on ferious fubjects, renounce the aid of those terms, which, though not unintelligible, all writers of any name have now ceased to ufe. Such are beheft, fantafy, tribulation, erewhile, whenas, peradventure, selffame, anon. All thefe offend more or less against the third criterion of good ufe formerly given", that it be fuch as obtains at prefent.

SOME indulgence, however, on this, as well as on feveral other articles, as was hinted already. muft be given to poets, on many accounts; and particularly on account of the peculiar inconve piences to which the laws of verfification fubje& them. Befides, in treating fome topics, paffages of ancient ftory, for example, there may be found fometimes a fuitablenefs in the introduction of old words. In certain kinds of style, when used fparingly and with judgment, they serve to add the venerable air of antiquity to the narrative. In burlesque alfo, they often produce a good effect. But it is admitted on all fides, that this

Book I. Chap. xi,

fpecies

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fpecies of writing is not ftrictly subjected to the laws of purity.

PART II. By the use of new words.

ANOTHER tribe of barbarifms much more numerous, is conftituted by new words. Here indeed the hazard is more imminent, as the tendency to this extreme is more prevalent. Nay, our language is in greater danger of being overwhelmed by an inundation of foreign words, than of any other fpecies of deftruction. There is, doubtlefs, fome excufe for borrowing the affiftance of neighbours, when their affiftance is really wanted; that is, when we cannot do our business without it; but there is certainly a meannefs in choofing to be indebted to others, for what we can easily be fupplied with out of our own stock. When words are introduced by any writer, from a fort of neceflity, in order to avoid tedious and languid circumlocutions, there is reafon to believe they will foon be adopted by others convinced of the neceffity, and will at length be na

turalifed by the public.

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But it were to be with

ed, that the public would ever reject thofe which are obtruded on it merely through a licentious affectation of novelty. And of this kind certainly are most of the words and phrases which

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