No examples are annexed to the rules of punctuation; because it is preferable, that the pupil should search for and furnish the examples himself. This exercise will impress the rules more deeply on his memory, and make him more thoroughly acquainted with their application. Any miscellaneous author will afford the subjects on which this exercise may be performed.

STYLE.

Of the various qualities of style, perspicuity ranks among the most important. This is a quality essential to every kind of writing; for it ought to be the first object of every writer, to make his meaning clearly, fully, and easily, understood.

Perspicunty flows from accuracy of expression in single words and phrases, and in the construction of

sentences.

1. Accuracy with respect to single words and phrases, requires these three following properties : Purity, Precision, and Propriety.

1. PURITY.

Style is said to be pure, when it contains only such words and constructions as belong to the idiom of the language written or spoken. Purity of style is violated in three ways:

1st. By using words not English; as, politesse for politeness; or obsolete words; as, quoth he for said he. This error is termed a barbarism.

2d. By using a construction not consistent with the

English idiom; as, You was for you were. construction is called a solecism.

Such a

Sd. By using words in a sense different from that in which they are generally understood, or from that which their etymology plainly indicates: as, His character is undeniable. This expression does not determine whether the character is good or bad. This error is termed an impropriety.

2d. PRECISION.

Precision, as the word imports, means retrenching all superfluities, and using such expressions as exhibit neither more nor less than exact copies of our ideas.

The words used to express our ideas, may be faulty in three respects. 1. They may not express the idea intended, but some other resembling it. 2. They may express the idea, but not fully and completely. 3. They may express it, and something additional. Precision is opposed to all these faults, but chiefly to the last.

The chief source of a loose style, in opposition to precision, is the injudicious use of those words which are usually termed synonymous. They are so called because they agree in expressing one principal idea, but generally with some diversity of circumstance. Hardly in any language are there two words which convey exactly the same idea.

3d. PROPRIETY.

Propriety of language is the selection of such words and phrases, as the best usage has appropriated to the the ideas which we mean to express by them; in opposition to vulgarisms or low expressions, and to words and phrases which would be less significant of our ideas. Style may be pure, and, at the same time, be deficient in propriety; the words may be ill-chosen, not adapted · to the subject, nor fully expressive of the author's meaning.

The following rules on propriety of expression, must be carefully observed.

1. Use no vulgarisms or low expressions; such as, pick a hole in one's coat ; to be in for it ; to feather one's

nest.

2. Avoid technical terms, when plain language can be found. "Reef your foresail," to a person ignorant of sea-phrases, conveys, no meaning. Words and phrases confined to a particular art or profession, ought never to be used, but when we are sure that they will be understood.

3. Supply words that are wanting; as, "He not only mentioned the year, but day and hour:" the article should be expressed ;-"the day and the hour."

4. Avoid using the same word to frequently, or in different senses, especially in the same sentence, as in the following example: "The laws of nature are truly what my Lord Bacon styles his aphorisms, laws

of laws. Civil laws are always imperfect, and often false deductions from them, or applications of them; nay, they stand in many instances in direct opposition to them." Here it is not quite obvious, that them refers to the laws of nature, and they to civil laws.

5. Avoid equivocal or ambiguous expressions. They are both much more ancient among the Persians, than Zoroaster or Zerdusht. Here it is left uncertain whether Zoroaster and Zerdusht are different names for the same person, or the names of different persons.

us."

6. Avoid unintelligible expressions. "This temper of soul," says the Guardian, speaking of meekness and humility, "keeps our understanding tight about Whether the author had any meaning in this expression, or what it was, would be difficult to determine; but hardly could any thing more incongruous in the way of metaphor, be imagined.

Propriety of expression also embraces a correct and judicious use of figurative language.

FIGURES OF SPEECH.

I. METONYMY. This figure changes the names of things in various ways. 1. The noun for the adjective; as, "Clothed in purple;" meaning purple garments. 2. The effect for the cause; as, r He lives by the sweat of his brow ;"-by his labor, of which sweat is the effect. 3. The cause for the effect, or

the instrument employed in making, for the thing made; as, "I like Milton;" that is, the writings of Milton. 4. The matter for the form, or rather for the form and matter united; as, "I have no silver ;" that is, silver coin. 5. The form for the matter, or the thing signified for the sign; as, when we say, pointing to a picture, "That is Sir Isaac Newton."

II. SYNECDOCHE. This figure puts the name of a whole for that of a part, or that of a part for the whole ; a genus for a species, or a species for a genus; as, when we call a dull man a stupid animal. "The fleet consisted of thirty sail;" that is, ships. "The garrison was put to the sword;" that is, killed by warlike weapons in general.

III. IRONY. In this figure, the words are used in a sense directly contrary to their common acceptation. Thus, "He is a wise man indeed:" meaning a very foolish man.

IV. METAPHOR. This figure is founded entirely on the resemblance which one object bears to another. It is a comparison expressed in an abridged form. When it is said of a great minister, that he upholds the state, like a pillar which upholds the weight of a whole edifice, there is evidently a comparison of the minister to a pillar; but when it is said, that he is the pillar of the state, the phrase becomes a metaphor. In the use of this figure, a comparison is implied in the mind, though not expressed in words.

Rule 1. Metaphors should be suited to the nature