5. In objective clauses, commencing with which, what, whom, where, when, how, and the like, the verbs may be changed to the infinitive form; as,

Ile knows when he should go to church. He knows when to go to church. Do you understand what you should do? Do you understand what to do?

EXERCISES.

When I came to the shore I was greatly disappointed to find that the boats were all gone.-When the Veientines found that the fates were about to be fulfilled, they sent messengers to ask for peace.-He put his hand in his side pocket, and drew out a quantity of papers, neatly arranged, tied, and indorsed. To punish those islands which had sided with Xerxes, was a natural and justifiable act.-He decided that he would study Greek.—The boy who entered the cars brought me the lost package.-He was in great perplexity what he should do.

LESSON LVII.

EQUIVALENT MODES OF EXPRESSION.

These may be made by two processes; by expanding, or by contracting, the words, phrases, or clauses in question. By frequent exercises of this kind, a command of language may be attained, that is eminently desirable in a writer.

EXAMPLE―in the way of expanding.-Godliness, with contentment, is great gain. To be godly, and to be contented, is great gain. To possess a godly temper, in connection with a contented disposition, affords great advantages and blessings. The possessor of godliness and contentment, in these very traits of character, has sources of the most inexhaustible happiness.

EXAMPLE―in the way of contracting.-That one should betray his country, is a violation of most sacred obligations. The betrayal of one's country, violates most sacred obligations. To betray one's country, is a most culpable act. Treachery towards country is a high crime. A traitor is a great criminal.

EXERCISES.

1. Expand the following sentences, without altering the sense materially.

Humility is the road to perfection and happiness.-Procrastination is

the thief of time.-Guard well thy thought: our thoughts are heard in heaven. A perpetuity of bliss is bliss.

2. Contract the following sentences without materially altering the sense:

There was no one of the household who took so deep an interest in the progress of the campaign then going on in Picardy, as Charles, himself. He listened to the dispatches with great attention, inquiring whether there was nothing further, and frequently causing them to be read to him more than once. Indeed, Philip, however attentive he may have been to the wishes and wants of his father in other respects, cannot be acquitted of a degree of negligence amounting almost to ingratitude, in not furnishing him with the information which he so much coveted in respect to the course of public events.

3. Sentences may be expanded by giving a reason for what is asserted. Proceed in this way with the following:

1. A time of war should be a time of mourning. 2. Even a victory is suited to shock the mind.

3. Men should be hospitable to one another.

4. The Sabbath is not a proper day for amusements. 5. Be a close observer.

6. Let time be greatly valued.

7. Be careful what associations you form.

8. Men esteemed good are not always good.

9. Knowledge should be desired for its own sake.

10. It is wrong to spend time on worthless reading.

LESSON LVIII.

SENTENCES VARIED BY TRANSPOSITION OF WORDS AND

CLAUSES.
Model.

History proposes much more than she can accomplish, when she undertakes to trace the progress of mankind throughout every age, without interruption or omission.

Period dividing at accomplish into verb and adverb.

When history undertakes, &c., she proposes, &c.

Period dividing into adverl and verb

History, when she undertakes, &c., proposes, &c.

Period dividing into nominative and verb.

The progress of mankind, without interruption or omission, throughout every age, when history undertakes to trace it, is a purpose which embraces much more than history can possibly accomplish.

Another, and less eligible arrangement, of the period dividing into nomnative and verb.

The progress of mankind, without interruption or omission, when history undertakes to trace it, she proposes, &c.

Another arrangement of the period dividing into adverb and verb.

[The term adverb is here, and in some subsequent lessons, taken in an unusually large sense. As in every complete construction the verb is the absorbing part of speech, so every other part of speech in immediate connection with the verb, is, in a large application of the term, an adverb. This enlarged application of the term is not designed, however, to set aside the usual grammatical distinctions.]

EXERCISES.

Transpose the following sentences, according to the above Model:

Though there may appear, to the narrow or biased view of human reason, an original inequality in the good and evil distributed to men, we may be sure, relying on Divine justice, that such inequality is apparent only, and not real.

If we did not mingle the gall of envy, or the turbid waters of strife, or the poison of concupiscence, or other evil matter, in the current of our daily thought; life, though perhaps not uniformly sweet, would not seem so miserable an endowment as, by too many, it is felt to be.

While we are complaining of the injustice, the unkindness, the treachery, the ingratitude of others, we seldom look at our own conduct, or weigh our own actions and expressions, in order to discover how far the same charges may not fairly be brought against ourselves.

Bringing to every subject of inquiry or examination, a mind naturally clear; and applying his faculties with a perseverance that no difficulty could tire, and no disappointment turn aside; the immortal Newton advanced to heights of scientific discovery, which no previous philosopher had attained, and perhaps none would have reached since, if he had not od the way and made it plain.

LESSON LIX.

SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED FROM GIVEN WORDS.

Select four or five words, and construct sentences, each of which shall contain all the words, and make good and complete sense; as in the following examples, from the words Life, Virtue, Reward, Honor.

1. A life of virtue will seldom fail in giving its true reward-honor.

2. The man who devotes his life to the service of virtue will often find honor his only reward in this life.

3. He who gives due honor to virtue in this life will assuredly receive his reward.

4. To live a life of virtue is the only means of obtaining reward or honor. 5. A life of virtue is accompanied by the reward of a goo conscience and the honor of all men.

EXERCISES.

1. Character.-Morals.-Soul.-Man.
2. Resolution.-Sense.-Persons.-Interests.
3. Duty.-Conscience.-Sacred.—Them.

4. Life.-Superfluity.-Complain.-Short.
5. Children.-Think.-Themselves.-Exert.

6. Persons.-Care.-Above.-Below.

7. Shame.-Cheeks.-Vices.-Sense.

8. Secret. Happily.-True.-Living.
9. To-day.-Put off.-Do.-Till.

LESSON LX.

SENTENCES PERIODIC AND NON-PERIODIC.

A non-periodic, or loose sentence, is composed of two or more sentences loosely put together, and is adapted to the colloquial style. A periodic sentence is composed of parts mutually dependent in construction; that is to say, of parts grammatically requiring other parts either before or after

to correspond with them. This latter kind of sentence abounds in elevated and elegant discourse or writing. The capacity to frame either kind of sentence at will, is indispensable to a full command of language; and such capacity should be diligently sought to be acquired. An exclusive attention to the one or the other is inexpedient.

The French critics distinguish the style of writing referred to above, into style périodique and style coupé. In the former, the sentences are composed of several members linked together, and so hanging upon one another that the sense of the whole is not understood till the close. This style of writing is showy, dignified, musical, and oratorical, as in the following sentence of Sir William Temple:

"If you look about you, and consider the lives of others as well as your own; if you think how few are born with honor, and how many die without name or children; how little beauty we see, and how few friends we hear of; how many diseases, and how much poverty there is in the world; you will fall down upon your knees, and, instead of repining at one affliction, will admire so many blessings which you have received from the and of God."

The style coupé, consists of short, independent propositions, each complete within itself, and making full sense: thus Mr. Pope writes in the following passage

"I confess it was want of consideration that made me an author. I wrote because it amused me. I corrected, because it was as pleasant to me to correct as to write. I published, because I was told I might please such as it was a credit to please."

The style périodique gives an air of dignity and gravity to composition; the style coupé is more lively and striking, and is suited to gay and easy subjects. In almost every kind of composition an intermixture of both styles is preferable to the predominance of either.

Perhaps a more just division of style is into three varieties, the Colloquial, the Middle, and the High Style, all of which, however, may occur in the same essay, letter, or discourse. Ar example of each of these will now be given:

Colloquial Style. "Let us compare man with other animals; is he not a won lerful piece of work? His powers of reason, chiefly, make him so,