made of the barrennefs of our tongue. We are rich too in the language of poetry; our poetical style differs widely from profe, not with refpect to numbers only, but in the very words themfelves ; which proves, what a compass and variety of words we can felect and employ, fuited to different occafions. Herein we are infinitely fuperior to the French, whofe poetical language, if it were not diftinguished by rhyme, would not be known to differ from their ordinary profe. Their language however furpaffes ours in expreffing, whatever is delicate, gay, and amufing. It is perhaps the happiest language for converfation in the known world; but for the higher fubjects of compofition the English is justly confidered, as far fuperior to it.

The flexibility of a language, or its power of becoming either grave and ftrong, or eafy and flowing, or tender and gentle, or pompous and magnificent, as occafions require, is a quality of great importance in speaking and writing. This depends on the copioufnefs of a language; the different arrangements, of which its words are fufceptible; and the variety and beauty of the founds of its words. The Greek poffeffed these requifites in a higher degree, than any other language. It fuperadded the graceful variety of its different dialects; and thereby readily affumed every kind of character, an author could with, from the moft fimple and familiar to the most majestic. The Latin, though very beautiful, is inferior in this refpect to the Greek. It

has more of a fixed character of ftatelinefs and grav. ity; and is fupported by a certain fenatorial dignity, of which it is difficult for a writer to divest it. Among modern tongues the Italian poffeffes much more flexibility, than the French; and feems to be on the whole the most perfect of all the modern dialects, which have arifen out of the ruins of the antient. Our language, though unequal to the Italian in flexibility, is not deftitute of a confiderable degree of this quality. Whoever confiders the diverfity of ftyle in fome of our best writers, will discover in our tongue fuch a circle of expreffion, fuch a power of accommodation to the various tastes of men, as redounds much to its honor.

Our language has been thought to be very deficient in harmony of found; yet the melody of its verfification, its power of supporting poetical numbers without the affiftance of rhyme, is a fufficient proof, that it is far from being unharmonious. Even the hiffing found, of which it has been accufed, obtains lefs frequently, than has been fufpected. For in many words, and in the final fyllables especially, the letters has the found of z, which is one of the founds, on which the ear rests with pleafüre; as in has, thefe, loves, hears, &c.

It must however be admitted, that smoothness is not the distinguishing property of the English tongue. Strength and expreffivenefs rather, than grace and melody, conftitute its character. It poffeffes alfo the

G

property of being the most fimple of all the European dialects in its form and conftruction. It is free from the intricacy of cafes, declenfions, modes, and tenfes. Its words are fubject to fewer variations from their original form, than those of any other language. Its nouns have no diftinction of gender, except what is made by nature; and but one variation in cafe. Its adjectives admit no change, except what expreffes the degree of comparison. Its verbs inftead of the varieties of antient conjugation admit only four or five changes in termination. A few prepofitions and auxiliary verbs effect all the purposes of fignificancy; while the principal words for the most part preferve their form unaltered. Hence our language acquires a fimplicity and facility, which are the cause of its being frequently written and spoken with inaccuracy. We imagine that a competent skill in it may be acquired without any ftudy; and that in a fyntax fo narrow and limited, as ours, there is nothing, which requires attention. But the fundamental rules of fyntax are common to the English and to the antient tongues; and regard to them is abfolutely requifite for writing or fpeaking with propriety.

Whatever be the advantages or defects of our language, it certainly deferves in the highest degree our ftudy and attention. The Greeks and Romans in the meridian of their glory bestowed the highest cultivation on their refpective languages. The French and Ital

fans have employed much study upon theirs; and their example is worthy of imitation. For, whatever knowledge may be gained by the study of other languages, it can never be communicated with advantage, unless by thofe, who can write and fpeak their own language with propriety. Let the matter of an author be ever fo good and useful, his compofitions will always fuffer in the public esteem, if his expreffion be deficient in purity or propriety. At the fame time the attainment of a correct and elegant style is an object, which demands application and labor. If any one fuppofe he can catcli it merely by the ear, or acquire it by a hafty perufal of fome, of our good authors, he will be much difappointed. The many grammatical errors, the many impure expreffions, which are found in authors, who are far from being contemptible, demonftrate that a careful ftudy of our language is previously requifite for writing it with propriety, purity, and elegance.

STYLE, PERSPICUITY, AND PRECISION.

STYLE

TYLE is the peculiar manner, in which a man expreffes his thoughts by words. It is a picture of the ideas in his mind, and of the order, in which they there exist.

(The qualities of a good style may be ranged under two heads, perfpicuity and ornament. It will readily

be admitted, that perfpicuity is the fundamental quality of a good style. Without this the brightest ornaments only glimmer through the dark; and perplex. instead of pleafing the reader. If we be forced to follow a writer with much care; to paufe, and to read over his fentences a fecond time, in order to understand them fully; he will not please us long. Men are too indolent to relish fo much labor. Though they may pretend to admire an author's depth, after they have discovered his meaning; they will feldom be inclined to look a fecond time into his book.

Perfpicuity requires attention first to single words and phrases, and then to the construction of fentences. When confidered with refpect to words and phrafes, it requires these three qualities, purity, propriety, and precifion.

Purity and propriety of language are often used indifcriminately for each other; and indeed they are very nearly allied. A diftinction however obtains between them. Purity is the ufe of fuch words and constructions, as belong to the idiom of a particular language, in oppofition to words and phrafes, which are imported from other languages, or which are obfolete, or newly coined, or employed without proper authority. Propriety is the choice of fuch words, as the beft and most eftablished usage has appropriated to thofe ideas, which we intend to exprefs by them. It implies a correct and happy application of them in oppofition to vulgar or