92. Rules conducive to clearness: Splitting of particles... 93. (a). Clearness does not imply minuteness... (b). Triteness a violation of Clearness. (c). 'Literal' confounded with 'clear'. 94. Clearness violated by Obscurity and Ambiguity. (b). Unconnected ideas form separate sentences. (c). Parenthetical Clauses to be avoided. 99. Mixed Figures destructive of Unity. 100. Strength explained. Imagination defined... 115. Beauty in Composition.... 116. The Touching in Composition. 117. Pathos explained and illustrated. 118. The Sentimental,- combined with Humour. 128. Value of rules for Harmony.... (a). Harsh Combinations of letters. (d). Harmony of alternation of consonant and vowel... (i). Alternation of accented and unaccented syllables. RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION. INTRODUCTION. 1. Rhetoric may be regarded as the theory of eloquence, whether spoken or written. It aims at explaining all composition designed to inform, to persuade, or to please men, and therefore treats of everything that relates to beauty or force of style; such as accuracy of expression, the structure of sentences, and figures of speech. As a Science, Rhetoric investigates, analyses, and defines the principles of Composition; as an Art, it enables us to apply these principles to practice. From the study of Rhetoric, two great advantages result: : (a). It enables us to perceive faults and beauties in the compositions of others. (b). It teaches us how to express our own thoughts in the most correct and impressive manner. To attain proficiency in composition, study and practice are equally necessary. The principles of Rhetoric should be so familiar to the mind of the composer, as, without consciousness on his part, to control its action. Not only are mistakes thus avoided, but easy, natural, and unconstrained sentences are insured. The rules of Rhetoric are not arbitrary, but have been deduced from the great productions which in all ages |