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History and Poetry are the two chief Branches of those Studies, that are distinguish'd by the Name of Polite. But because, Sir, your Enquiry seems more particularly concerning Language, I shall confine my Discourse to the Style of Prose, as being that which is the most necessary. For Poetry, tho' it want not Arguments to recommend it, yet it may be dispensed with, and is either to be taken, or let alone at Pleasure.

All the Qualifications of a good Style I think may be reduced under these four Heads, Propriety, Perspicuity, Elegance, and Cadence: And each of these, except the last, has some relation to the Thoughts, as well as to the Words.

Propriety of Thoughts is two-fold; the first is when the Thoughts are proper in themselves, and so it is opposed to Nonsense; and the other when they are proper to the Occasion, and so it is opposed to Impertinence.

Propriety of Words, the first Qualification of a good Style, is when the Words do justly and exactly represent, or signify, the Thoughts which they stand for. The Knowledge of this is not to be sought for in Etymologies; for general Acceptation, which is the only Standard of Speech, has given many Words a quite different Sense from their Original. Your best Direction then will be a diligent and careful Perusal of the most correct Writers of the Language in their various Kinds, with the Conversation of People of Fashion, that speak well and without Affectation. The most correct Writers that I know, are Sir William Temple, Dr. Sprat, and Dr. Tillotson for Prose, and Mr. Waller for Verse. I mention the last, because Propriety both of Thoughts and Words is his chief Excellency, in which he has scarce any Equal. I have heard that Archbishop Tillotson took the pains to study all the synonymous Words of the Language, with

the nice Differences of them, which are commonly very little observed, yet contribute very much to the Propriety of Expression. There is another Particular which I shall mention here, because I think it differs but little from Propriety, and that is Purity, which I take more particularly to respect the Language, as it is now spoke or written. The Rule of this is modern Use, according to that of Horace,

Multa renascentur quæ jam cecidêre, cadentque Quæ nunc sunt in honore vocabula, si volet usus, Quem penes arbitrium est, & jus & norma loquendi.

By this Rule, all obsolete Words are to be avoided. But to a Man of long Practice and Reputation in the Language, the Privilege may be allow'd sometimes of reviving old, or bringing in new Words, where the common ones are deficient. For this reason, we dare not censure so great a Man as Milton for his antiquated Words, which he took from Spenser. A good Instance, in my Opinion, of a new Word is the Verb falsify, which Mr. Dryden borrows from the Italian, to signify not to be of Proof.

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Is falsify'd, and round with Jav'lins fill'd.

But this Liberty, tho' indulg'd to the Force and Majesty of Verse, if it were made use of in Prose, which is the Style of Business, wou'd be Affectation; and is therefore, as was said before, carefully to be avoided.

Little need be said of the second Qualification, viz. Perspicuity. If your Thoughts be not clear, 'tis impossible your Words shou'd, and consequently you can't be understood: The chief Secret here is to express your self in such a manner as to transfer your Ideas into the

Reader's Mind, and to set the thing before him in the very same Light, in which it appears to yourself. Here an Extreme is to be shunn'd, lest, while you aim to make your Meaning fully understood, you become Verbose. So that the Art lies in expressing your Thought clearly in as few Words as possible. Practice is the best way to attain this; and it may be useful to write some Essay, and lay it by, till you have forgot it; and then look it over as the Work of a Stranger. By this means you may discover a great many Faults which escaped you in the heat of Writing, and be able to correct them.

Elegance of Thought is what we commonly call Wit, which adds to Propriety, Beauty, and pleases our Fancy, while Propriety entertains our Judgment. This depends so much on Genius, that 'tis impossible to teach it by Rules. To the Elegance of Words, or Style, belong all the Figures of Rhetorick, and to use these to Advantage requires a Judgment well form'd by Observation. In this therefore, as in learning the Graces upon an Instrument of Musick, good Examples are the best Instruction. Thus a Man may write Metaphors, Tropes, Hyperboles, and all the other Figures, without the Trouble of studying a System of Rhetorick; and I believe better too, for to attend to a great many Rules whilst you are writing, is the way to make your Style stiff and constrain'd, whereas Elegance consists very much in a genteel Ease and Freedom of Expression; it is like a coy Mistress, of so nice a Humour, that to court her too much, is the surest way to lose her; and as Success in Love is owing to good Fortune, and the natural Happiness of pleasing, rather than to Fidelity and Attendance, so the Art of chusing, out of several Expressions equally proper, that which is the most graceful, is best call'd a Curiosa

Felicitas, which two Words seem to comprehend all that can be said upon this Head.

The last Qualification I mention'd is Cadence, in Poetry call'd the Numbers. It consists in a Disposing of the Words in such Order, and with such Variation of Periods, as may strike the Ear with a sort of musical Delight, which is a considerable Part of Eloquence. This is chiefly that which makes a Style smooth, and not merely the avoiding of harsh Words. The best way to attain it, is to prepare yourself, before you begin to write, by reading in some harmonious Style, that so you may get your Ear well in Tune.

Besides all these Qualifications, there is something in Language, which, to borrow a Word from Singing, may be call'd a Manner. This, like the Air of Faces, is a Mark of Distinction, by which every one has somewhat peculiar to it self from all others. For, besides the manifest Difference between Beauty and Deformity, there is a wonderful Variety even among good Faces, for which reason the Painters have learn'd, from many scatter'd Beauties, to collect one perfect Idea, which is hard to be found in any Individual.

To apply this; Sir William Temple, Sir Roger L'Estrange, and Dr. Sprat (to mention no more) are each of them allow'd Masters in the Tongue, and yet every one has a different Manner, as may be seen by a short Character of each.

The Style of Sir William Temple is very harmonious and sweet, full of Spirit, and Raciness of Wit, to use a Word of his own. His Similies are particularly fine, his Allusions graceful, his Words significant, and the whole has a kind of Charm, which amuses the Reader with serious Pleasure, puts him in a good Humour while he is reading, and leaves him thoughtful when he breaks off.

L'Estrange's Talent is Humour, in which his Vein flows very freely; agreeably to this he is a perfect Master of all the Idioms and Proverbial Expressions which are peculiar to our Tongue; these he often applies happily enough, tho' sometimes not without Affectation; yet, generally speaking, his Style is pleasant, smooth, and natural; and that Gaiety and seeming Negligence, which is peculiar to him, entertains you with a similar sort of Delight, like that of witty and facetious Company. There is the same Difference in the Styles of these two, as in those of Cicero and Terence in the Latin; in the first you find more of the Orator, and in the latter more of the Englishman.

The elegant Dr. Sprat is, in my Judgment, one of the most genteel and exact Writers we have. His Style is grave and manly, infinitely preferable to Sir Roger's, and having all that is beautiful in Sir William Temple, only (if 'tis possible) with more Correctness and Decency. There appears in him all the Sweetness and Fluency, handsom Turns and apt Expressions, that can be desir'd. He has united the most charming Elegance to the strictest Propriety, and is witty without the least Shadow of Affectation. The soft Cadence of his Periods, methinks, resembles the Current of a pleasant Stream; It makes but little Noise, yet affects you with a calm Delight, which, if it were heard louder, wou'd be lost.

There are several other Writers, which may be read with great Profit; and above all, the Incomparable Tillotson, who always writes the best Sense, and in the best Manner. That which particularly recommends him is an Easiness and beautiful Simplicity in all his Expressions, which every one that reads him is apt to think may

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