fion from thence, and treat feparately of each. Thus they form, properly fpeaking, not one Discourse, but several tacked together, which bears a clumsy Appearance, and being, confused, is burthenfome to the Memory. Befides, multiplying Subjects, they talk fuperficially of all.

THIS Error, where it is not the Effect of Laziness, fprings from Barrenness of Invention; when one unable to write concerning one Point, fo as to frame a Difcourfe of proper or customa ry Length, tries to help this Poverty, by taking in a Multiplicity of Subjects.

INSTANCES hereof we fee in the Comedies of Terence, who, borrowing the Plots from Menander, hath formed each Play by crowding two of the Greek Poets into one: And our modern Tragedies are ufually compofed in the fame Way; where the Poets wanting Genius, or Art, or Application, or partly perhaps in Compliance to the ill Judgment of a prejudiced Audience, instead of working up one important Fact into a compleat Drama, choose two or more independent Tranfactions; thus unfkill-. fully fupplying in ill-joined Facts Defect in Nature, Sentiment, and well-fupported Character.

THE following may be a general Direction concerning Method in the Kind of Compofitions now before us.

If there be any Degree of Obscurity in your Text, whether in the Expreffion, or arifing from its Connexion with other Parts, explain it. DISTINGUISH

DISTINGUISH the feveral Particulars which are contained in it, and which are to form the feveral Heads.

Next, PROVE the Truth of each,

After, REMOVE, if you think it neceffary, Objections.

Laftly, DEDUCE important, (practical) Confequences.

CONCERNING each of which I fhall proceed to make fome fhort Remarks.

BUT before these, I should take Notice, that it is ufual to place an Exordium, or Introduction: Which feems to be a convenient and reasonable Cuftom, because it leadeth the Hearer gently and by eafy Degrees into the Subject, the Entrance into which would otherwise be harsh and abrupt. This was the Practice of the antient Orators, except in fome very rare Cases of high Paffion, or in Affairs of unforeseen Hurry and Precipitation: Or as Milton finely expreffes it,

"As when of old fome Orator renown'd "In Athens or free Rome, where Eloquence "Flourish'd, fince mute, to fome great Caufe

addrefs'd ;

"Stood in himself collected. "Sometimes in Height began, as no Delay "Of Preface brooking thro' his Zeal of Right: "The Tempter all impaffion'd thus begun." Of this latter vehement Kind is the firft Oration Against Cataline; and that of Ajax in Qvid.

BUT this, if to be ventured upon at all in the prefent Cafe, fhould be very feldom. It hath been attempted by Perfons of good Talents,

and

and their Succefs, I think, not encouraging [a]. If indeed you begin with ardent Paffion, how fhall you keep it up? There is great Danger of the Flame ending in Smoke [b]. It is therefore fit to premise fome few Words, that may bespeak Attention, may conciliate Favour, or excite Curiofity. But Care fhould be taken, that fuch Introduction be fhort; not far-fetched, nor pompous; not refined in Thought, nor affected in Diction; fomething different from, yet nearly connected with the Text; fuch as falleth, without ftraining, into your Design; such as feemeth not to have been looked for, but to have offered itself.

It is of mighty Importance that this Part fhould be rightly executed, and it is that, in which there is moft Danger of failing. The best Precept appears to be this: "When you "have formed your whole Plan, fearch among << your Inferences for the most easy and natural "one: This will furnish a good Introduction : "But take Care that it do not afterwards pear; at least in the fame Light."

ap

AFTER this Preface, you go on in the next Place, to propose the feveral Articles, which you intend to make the Heads of your enfuing Difcourfe. Concerning which Custom, Opinions differ.

IN

[a] Of this Kind is the 22d Sermon of Dr. AtterburyOn thefe Words, Bleffed is he who shall not be offended in me; which beginneth thus,-" And can any Man be offend "ed in thee bleffed Jefu, who hast undertaken, and done, and fuffered fo much? &c."

[b]Non fumum ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem. Hoa.

IN Oppofition to it, fome have affirmed, "That it gives a disgusting Air of Drynefs and Formality, by prefenting to the Hearer be"forehand a View of the Entertainment "which is defigned for him; which Anticipa"tion taketh away from it the Charm of Novelty, and blunteth the Edge of his Curiofity: "Whereas it would be much better to lead " him on by Degrees, and let the Subject un"fold itself. Then would all be preserved "new: And, befides, he would have the Plea"fure of difcovering himself that Method, "which these Divifions too officiously point out "to him. Accordingly it is in this Manner, that "the polite Antients have written; and if you "were to reduce a moral Treatife of Tully to "the fashionable Form of diftinct Heads, you "would greatly diminish it's Elegance and "Beauty."

THIS Reasoning it is acknowledged, hath Force; and is in a great Measure just with Regard to Works, which are intended, as were the Treatifes of the Antients there cited, to be read in the Leisure and Silence of the Closet: But doth it extend to those which are pronounced only? A Reader may paufe to confider, may look back, may recollect, and, if the Thread hath escaped, may ufe all Helps of Thought and Examination to recover it; none of which are in the Hearer's Power; but the Words once uttered if they be not imprinted on his Memory, or if they pass too quick for his Apprehenfion, cannot be recalled. Such additional Helps

there

therefore as can be offered to his Understanding and remembering what is faid, ought certainly to be fupplied.

Ir feems for this Reafon to be a wife and useful Custom, to lay before your Audience a fuccinct Account of the principal Points, which you mean to speak upon. This general Survey will excite their Curiofity: Each new, Head you pass on to will be a kind of Breathing-place, and ferve to renew their Attention: And when the Whole is finished, they will by this Means have a more diftinct Remembrance of what you paft through. When you are to conduct one through a ftrange Country; by fhewing to him a fmall Chart of it, or a fhort Description of the chief Towns or remarkable Objects, he is to meet with, you would contribute to render his Journey more agreeable; he would behold them afterwards with more Pleasure because of this imperfect Glimpfe; and would have also the Satisfaction of knowing frequently, what Part of his intended Courfe he was in.

THIS Part of dividing your Subject properly is of great Moment.. And of fo nice and difficult a Nature is it, that Criticks have observed, among the many Divifions in the Works of Tully, but one which they allow to be perfect, not liable to Objection [c]. This we may well

account

[c] The Divifion in the Oration for Murana: "The "whole Accufation, O Judges, may be reduced to three "Heads. One confifts in Objections against his Life; "the fecond relates to the Dignity of his Office: The "third includes the Corruption with which he is charged."