alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

21O
ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
2. The priucipal words must, throughout a sente.uce, be the most promi.
neut, and the leading nominative should, if possIble, be the subject of
every clause.
S. Avoid the introduction of parenthe@es, except when a lively remark
may be thrown in, without too long suspending the sense of what goes
before.
STRENGTll.
1156. Strength gives to every word and every member its due impor.
tance.
1. Avoid tautology, and reject nil @uperfluous words and members. In
the following sentence, the word printed in italics should be omitted:
" Being couscious of his own integrity, he disdained submission."
2. Place the most impurtant words in the situation in which they will
make the strongest impression.
S. A weaker assertion shoulu not follow a stronger; and, when the
sentence consists of two members, the longer should be the concluding
one.
4. When two things are compared or contrasted with each other whex:e
eitber resemblance or opposition is to be expressed, some resemblance In
the language and construction should be preserved.
6. A senteuce should not be concluded with a preposition, or any incon'
siderable word or phrase, unless it is emphatic.
1157. FIGURES OF SPEECH.
l. Figurative language must be used sparingly, and never except when
it serves to illustrate 01' enforce what is said.
2. Figures of speech, when used, should be such as appear natural, not
remote or foreign from the Bubject, and not pursued too far.
3. Literal and figurative language ought never to be blended together.
4. When figurative language is used, the SRme fignre should be preserved
throughout, and diff~rent figures never jumbled together.
TRANSPOSITION.
1158. As a prE'paratory step to the important business of composition,
the pupil, arter he has acquired a knowledge of grammar, may be exercised
with great advantage upon the transposition of words and members
in sentence., so as to try in how mauy different ways the same thought or
sentiment may be expressed. This will give bim a command of lauguage,
and prove, at the Bame time, a source of considerable mental cultivation.
It is often neceFsary to give an entirely new turn to the expression, before
a sentence can be rendered elegant, or even perspicuous.
1159. There are chiefly foul' ways in which the mode of expressing a
thought rna, be varied:-
1. By changing an active into a passive, or a passive into an actiTe
verb; as, "The sun di8loluea the snow "-" The Bnow i. di"olll~d by the
IIun."