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was showering down torrents of splendor. The weather was dry, the sky was cloudless, the blue depths seemed to express types of infinity; and it was not possible for eye to behold or for heart to conceive any symbols more pathetic of life and the glory of life.

"Let me pause for one instant in approaching a remembrance so affecting and revolutionary in my own mind, and one which (if any earthly remembrance) will survive for me in the hour of death, to remind some readers and to inform others that in the original Opium Confessions I endeavored to explain the reason why death, ceteris paribus, is more profoundly affecting in summer than in other parts of the year; so far at least as it is liable to any modification at all from accidents of scenery or season. The reason, as I there suggested, lies in the antagonism between the tropical redundancy of life in summer and the dark sterilities of the grave."

By pausing here he leaves the reader confronted by a most affecting scene, and the digression is made to a kindred theme which serves to deepen the effect of what he has previously written.

The improper use of digressions may be observed under the following circumstances:

1. When the writer enters upon something which is not sufficiently connected with the subject.

2. When they are too long.

3. When they are too frequent.

De Quincey often exhibits these faults.

In his essay on Secret Societies he makes a digression to speak of a certain family, which is quite proper in its way. The fault is that in the midst of this he suddenly turns aside upon a fresh digression:

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'Among these families, and distinguished among them, was that of the Farrers. The name of their patrimonial estate was Little Gedding, and, I think, in the County of Hertford. They were by native turn of mind and by accomplishments a most interesting family. In some royal houses of Europe it was once a custom that every son, if not every daughter, should learn a trade. This custom subsisted down to the days of the unhappy Louis XVI., who was a locksmith, and I was once assured by a Frenchman who knew him well, not so bad a one, considering (you know) that one cannot be as rough as might be wished in scolding a locksmith that one is obliged to address as 'your majesty.' A majestic locksmith has a sort of right to be a bad one. The Farrers adopted this custom, and most of them chose the trade of a bookseller. Why this was a good trade to chose, I will explain in a brief digression. It is a reason which applies only to three other trades, viz., to coining, to printing books, and to making gold or silver plate. And the reason is this-all the four arts stand on an isthmus, connecting them on one side with merely mechanic arts, on the other with

the fine arts. This was the marking distinction between the coinages of ancient classical days and our own. Our European and East Indian coins are the basest of all base products from rude barbaresque handicraft. They are imagined by the man, some horrid Cyclops, who conceived the great idea of a horseshoe, a poker, and a tenpenny nail."

In the first place this subject of the Farrers family constitutes a digression from the main subject, "secret societies," and from this a second digression is made to "coining."

§ 62. A LOOSE STYLE.

Perspicuity is violated by a loose style arising from confusion. of thought, and carelessness in the choice and arrangement of words. This is characterized by lack of precision, frequent repetitions, and the presentation of topics in a disconnected or inconsequential manner; while not unfrequently the statements are so self-contradictory as to have a ridiculous effect. In the following sentences will be found some of the more glaring examples of looseness of style.

A speaker, alluding to the late Vice-President Wilson, said: "Here was a man who never struck his colors till he had secured a victory." A newspaper, noticing a death from drowning, says "that the coroner held an inquest concerning the death of Thomas Shipp, who was drowned on the following night." Another, noticing an accident to a trapeze performer, says: "It was afterwards discovered that the boy's collarbone was broken, but unfortunately his injuries are not of a dangerous description." A third says: "A pony carriage was passing along New Bond Street, Bath, when in turning into Northgate Street it fell down and broke both of its legs." Describing a steeple - chase, the Irish Times says: "A very nice day's sport was carried on over an excellent course, all grass, over the lands of Mr. Henderson, whose hospitality was unbounded. It consisted of two walls, two bank drops, a water cut, and two hurdles." Recording the death of a man at a riot, a Belfast paper says: "They fired two shots at him, the first shot killed him, but the second shot was not fatal." Another, speaking of a deaf man who was run down by a train and killed, says: “He was injured in a similar way two years ago." Another speaks of the Princess Louise as going to Wimbledon to witness "the shooting of her husband." An

other describes the second son of the Prince of Wales as "an amiable boy, like his mother;" and another announces that "the Duke of Hamilton will shortly take to wife the late Lady Mary Louisa Elizabeth Montagu."

This is more espe

$ 63. PERSPICUITY SOMETIMES NOT AIMED at. Perspicuity is sometimes not aimed at. cially the case in some kinds of oratory, where the arts of concealment, suppression, misunderstanding, special pleading, or talking apart from the question, may be made use of to an extent which is not possible in books that are intended for perusal. The following are the chief classes of oratory in which this may occur:

1. Where the orator is anxious to persuade, but is unwilling or unable to discuss the subject directly, and therefore seeks to convey a general impression, which will be favorable to his cause. This is often attempted by means of appeals, more or less direct, to the passions, emotions, or prejudices of the hearers. A speaker may utter nothing that is clear and direct, his speech may consist of mere generalities, yet he may succeed in swaying his audience and in gaining his point. Although there is often disingenuousness in this, still it by no means follows that this is always the case. Those who indulge largely in exhortations, or in the declamatory style, are often influenced by the desire not so much to speak clearly, as to speak in such a way that the general impression shall be in their favor.

2. A second case arises where the orator who is defending a weak cause turns from open and direct argument to the refinements of special pleading; and resorts to sophistry and casuistry, not for the sake of enlightenment, but rather for the purpose of confounding and baffling his opponent.

3. A third case is found in that kind of political oratory which is known as "talking against time." This is a definition which expresses its character with sufficient exactness.

4. There are also certain kinds of speeches in which perspicuity is of comparatively inferior importance. These are set orations made upon occasions of state or ceremony, complimentary addresses, panegyrics, and all such as have a conventional or artificial character. Among these may be included

"Fourth of July" orations. All these aim to be splendid, showy, and ornate in the highest degree; and have the same relation to other branches of composition as that which is held by the sumptuous furniture and gaudy ornaments of a hotel or theatre to the tasteful decoration of a private mansion.

PART II.

PERSUASIVENESS IN STYLE.

CHAPTER I.

FIGURES OF SPEECH.

§ 64. PERSUASIVENESS.—PRELIMINARY REMARKS. THUS far our attention has been directed to perspicuity, but it is evident that we must seek for something very different if we would find the cause of the persuasive power of style. In the works of great authors we perceive many things which arrest the attention and retain it. The imagination is stimulated by certain peculiarities of thought and expression; and hints are given that raise up a world of associated ideas. The emotions also are excited; and the reader is moved not so much by the subject as by the mode of its presentation. The same effect is also produced even upon the reason. The method of one author may be faultless, and yet quite ineffective from dulness or frigidity of treatment; while another, with similar or even inferior arguments, may exhibit such attractiveness of language that his power is almost irresistible.

Style, therefore, is capable of exhibiting something higher than perspicuity, and of exerting a strong persuasive power. To attain to this it should display life, vigor, and brilliancy. It is not enough that it show a mere negative freedom from defect; it should be marked by an attractive power, which may compel by its force or allure by its graceful charm. It is this that constitutes the chief difference between a good style and a bad one. For a book may be perfectly intelligible; the words may be well chosen; they may exhibit precision, purity, and unity;

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