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Negligence is properly applied to what is habitual; neglect, only to an act. Conscience denotes the moral faculty; consciousness, a notice of what is passing in our mind.

Sophism properly denotes a fallacious argument; sophistry, fallacious reasoning.

Remember is sometimes improperly used for remind. We are reminded by others; we remember for ourselves.

Doctrine is sometimes improperly interchanged with precept: the former denotes the truths we are to believe; precept, the things we are to do.

RULE VI.-Avoid vulgarisms; these sometimes result from the affectation of an easy, careless, and familiar manner of writing. It should be considered that ease is often the result of great care and labor:

"But ease in writing flows from art, not chance,

As those move easiest who have learned to dance."

The desire to avoid the beaten track of expression on the one hand, and the fondness for variety on the other, leads writers into improprieties of expression.

Examples of Vulgarisms to be avoided.-" Currying favor"-" cutting a figure”—“dancing attendance"-"swallowing contradictions”—“ dexterous in smelling out views and designs"-"to stand on an apology”—“ to fall into conversation"-" to make up the matter"-"to shift for one's self"-" done to a wish"-" to succeed to a wish"-"to suck another's brains"-"to make up one's mind"-" to turn a matter in one's mind❞— "to do away with"-"an ungracious affair"—" dint of argument"—" all of a piece"- -"for good and all"-" a good deal"-"got rid of"-" in for it"-"a whit better"-"a jot better"-" fell to work"-"to come to words"-"to set by the ears"-"to see with half an eye"-" pitched upon"-" chalked out"—"in a mind for it"—" to lay one's account in being opposed"-"to follow an idea"-"to stand on security"-" on the spur of the occasion"-" to extinguish a bond, or a debt"—" a thorough-paced knave."

The use of low and familiar expressions when writing on sacred subjects, is peculiarly improper. The pulpit is too often. chargeable with this fault. For instance, Archbishop Tillotson speaks "of squeezing a parable," "sharking shifts," "driving a bargain with God," and "the world cracking about our ears at the day of judgment."

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EXERCISE.

1. Correct the improper expressions used in the following sentences:

1. I believe the precepts and endeavor to obey the doctrines of the Bible. 2. Please to remember me of my debt to yon. 3. He has been accused of sophism. 4. I have a conscience of guilt.

Negligence of duty is reproachful to any man. 6. The roads re impracticable. 7. He gave into my opinion. 8. Whatever calamity arrives at man, he is not undeserving of it. 9. I heard that John should have said that he was sick. 10. There is a falseness in that statement. 11. He is chargeable with falsity.

2. Construct sentences embodying the "vulgarisms to be avoided," in the present lesson, and as many sentences in which the same thoughts shall be properly expressed.

LESSON LXIX.

PROPRIETY OF EXPRESSION.

RULE VII.-Certain expletive phrases and by-words, that violate propriety of expression, should be avoided; such as,

"My goodness"-"gracious me❞— -"unpossible"-" prodigious"-"yes, indeed"-"indeed"-" in the name of fortune"-"is it possible"-"you do not say so"-" pretty much"-" confounded bad or ugly"—" wretched small"-" miserable little"-" shameful"-" scandalous"- "tremendous" -"immense"-" in the name of wonder"-" curious"-" odd"—"shocking"-" mighty"-"most outrageous"—"I know"-"you know”—“ you understand"—"I am sure"-" says he"-" says I"-" thinks I"——“I won‐ der"-"I should think"-" in my mind"-" as I may dare to say."

Certain abbreviations are vulgar and ungraceful; as,

"I a'n't"-"a'n't I"-". -"you a'n't”—a'n't you"-"it isn't"-"isn t it" "I'll"-" they'll"-"you'll," &c. So, wasn't, weren't, can't, shan't, doesn't, don't, didn't, haven't, mustn't, shouldn't, won't, wouldn't, mayn't, mightn't, oughta'. &o

Certain transpositions are offences against propriety; as,

"It is cold, is it not?" instead of Is it not cold?" Having not considered;" instead of Not having considered." Some ten years ago;" instead of Ten years ago." Will it do, this one?" instead of Will this one do ?— "It has a southern aspect, the house; " instead of The house has a southern aspect." An old selfish man;" instead of A selfish old man.-" A young beautiful woman; " instead of A beautiful young woman.-"A new pair of gloves;" instead of A pair of new gloves.-"An old suit of clothes;" instead of A suit of old clothes.-"For such another fault;" instead of For another such fault." All over the country;" instead of Over all the coun try." He is an intelligent man, is he not?" for Is he not an intelligent man?-"You prefer this, do you not?" for Do you not prefer this?"From one another; "instead of One from the other.-" Such another occurrence; " for Another such occurrence, &c.

RULE VIII-Guard against too frequent a repetition of the same mode of speaking, or of the same phrase; as,

(1.) In saying, “I got my breakfast, and then got on horseback, and then got a good ride;" or, (2.) By a vulgar mode of narrating circumstances connected in time and place; as in saying,

"My friend told me to be on my guard, and so when I came to the place where the danger was, I looked about me on all sides; and so, when I had waited several minutes and did not see any thing to alarm me, I was about to go on; and so, when I had just taken two or three steps more I heard a sudden outcry; and so," &c.

(3.) In a similarly loose and ungraceful manner, any trivial conjunction is sometimes used, when a reason, motive, or cause, is assigned for something going before; as in saying,

"Let us never put off a duty, as we are not sure whether another time for it may ever arrive; nor ought we in this respect to follow the practice of the thoughtless, as they are, in all other respects, unfit to be imitated; and we know very well that the frequency of a bad practice does not justify it, as, if that were so, every vice would stand excused."

The above passages, written properly, would stand thus

"Having taken my breakfast, I got on horseback, and had a good ride." "My friend told," &c., “but having waited several minutes, and not seeing any thing to alarm me, I was about to go on: I indeed took two or three steps more, when I heard a sudden outcry; on which," &c.

"Let us never put off a duty: we are not sure that another time for performing it may ever arrive; and we ought not in this respect, to follow the practice of the thoughtless, who in all respects, as in this, are unfit to be

imitated; nor does the frequency of any bad practice justify it; since if that were so, every vice would stand excused."

EXERCISES.

Correct and improve the following sentences, by avoiding a loose sameness of phrase, particularly of those phrases which are used in joining smaller into larger sentences:

I think he would not go and do such an unkindness; though if he did, I would not go into a passion about it, nor would I even go and make complaints against him.

He set off running as hard as he could; but they set the dogs upon him; on which he set up such a cry, that you might have heard him a mile off.

As he had got no money when he began the business, we need not wonder at his having got on so slowly for a time; but he has now got the start of all his competitors, and no doubt he will maintain the advantage got.

If you will only put me in the right way, depend upon it I will put my best foot forward; nor will I allow myself to be put out by every little obstacle, but press steadily forward, till put in possession of what I seek.

As he took nothing but water to drink, the fever that he took soon after his arrival, took but little effect on him, and he soon got well, though he took no physic.

A fox was passing through a vineyard, and so he saw some fine bunches of grapes on one of the trees; so he tried to reach one of them, but it hung very high, and so he could not get it. However, he kept jumping at it a long time, but all in vain; so he walked away, saying, as he went, "Pooh! they are quite sour."

There was a man who had the reputation of being able to tell people all that would happen to them; and this man chanced to do something that made the king of the country his mortal enemy; and the king sent to bring the man before him, intending to question him, and then have him hanged; and when the man was brought before the king, the king said: "You can tell the fortunes of others, can you tell your own? Do you know on what day you will die?" And the man considered for a moment and then said: "I do not know on what day I shall die, but I know thus much, that your majesty will die just twenty-four hours after myself." And the king believing him, was so far from ordering him to be hanged, that he wished him in his heart a very long life; and in this manner the man, by his cunning, clever answer, saved himself from the death which the king meant for him.

I write to you, dear friend John, to ask you to come and spend to-morrow with me, as I am to have a holiday; and I know you can come, as it is a holiday at every school in the county. I am aware you are busy, studying for the examination day; but this will not matter to you, as you are quicker than any of the other students in getting ready for such occa

Bions. We can amuse ourselves capitally in fishing, as I have bought a complete set of new tackle; and I am sure the day will be suitable, as the weather has been settling for some time. Send an answer by the bearer, as I long to be out of my state of uncertainty, and I can better bear a disappointment to-night, if I must be disappointed, than await it till to

morrow.

LESSON LXX.

PRECISION OF EXPRESSION.

An expression may not be faulty in respect to purity or propriety, and yet wanting in precision, which implies that there is no redundance-that no more words and phrases, however pure and proper, are employed than are necessary to convey the sense intended. The words which we employ may express the idea intended, and they may express it fully, that is, the words may be proper; but, to be precise, they must express that idea and nothing beyond it.

If when a person aims to convey a certain idea, he says or writes more than is needed to convey it; if he joins some foreign circumstance to the principal object; if by unnecessarily varying the expression he changes the point of view, and causes me to see sometimes the object itself, and sometimes an appendage to it, I gain no clear and precise idea.

Thus, when an author speaks of his hero's courage in the day of conflict, the expression is easily and clearly understood; but if from a desire to express the quality more strongly, he should praise his courage and fortitude, he is in reality expressing two qualities, and he causes the mind to waver between the two, as these are quite distinct; courage being that which boldly meets danger, while fortitude is exercised in supporting us under pain. Thus an indistinct and feeble conception is conveyed.

All subjects do not demand precision in their treatment. It is often sufficient to convey only a general view of the meaning; but the practice should be guarded against, of those who bring together an assemblage of unmeaning or useless words, with a view to express their thoughts out of the ordinary track.

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