difcovers this character. La Fontaine, in his Fables, is given as the great example of fuch Naïveté. This, however, is to be understood, as defcriptive of a particular fpecies only of Simplicity. Blair.

§ 24. Ancients eminent for Simplicity.

With respect to Simplicity, in general, we may remark, that the ancient original writers are always the most eminent for it. This happens from a plain reason, that they wrote from the dictates of natural genius, and were not formed upon the labours and writings of others, which is always in hazard of producing affectation. Hence, among the Greek writers, we have more models of a beautiful Simplicity than among the Roman. Homer, Hefiod, Anacreon, Theocritus, Herodotus, and Xenophon, are all diftinguifhed for it. Among the Romans, alfo, we have fome writers of this character; particularly Terence, Lucretius, Phædrus, and Julius Cæfar. The following paffage of Terence's Andria, is a beautiful instance of Simplicity of manner in description:

-Funus interim Procedit; fequimur; ad fepulchrum venimus;

In ignem impofita eft; fletur; interea hæc foror

Quam dixi, ad flammam acceffit imprudentiùs Satis cum periculo. Ibi tum exanimatus Pamphilus

Benè diffimulatum amorem, & celatum indicat; Occurrit præceps, mulierum ab igne retrahit,

and unlaboured. Let us next confider fome English writers, who come under this class. lbid.

§ 25. Simplicity the Characteristic of TIL LOTSON's Style.

Simplicity is the great beauty of Archbishop Tillotfan's manner. Tillotson has long been admired as an eloquent writer, and a model for preaching. But his eloquence, if we can call it fuch, has been often mifunderstood. For if we include in the idea of eloquence, vehemence and ftrength, picturefque defcription, glowing figures, or correct arrangement of fentences, in all these parts of oratory the Archbishop is exceedingly deficient. His Style is always pure, indeed, and perfpicuous, but careless and remifs, too often feeble and languid; little beauty in the conftruction of his fentences, which are frequently fuffered to drag unharmonioufly; feldom any attempt towards ftrength or fublimity. But, notwithstanding thefe defects, fuch a conftant vein of good fenfe and piety runs through his works, fuch an earnest and ferious manner, and fo much useful inftruction, conveyed in a Style fo pure, natural, and unaffected, as will justly recommend him to high regard, as long as the English language remains; not, indeed, as a model of the highest eloquence, but as a fimple and amiable writer, whofe manner is ftrongly expreffive of great goodness and worth. I obferved before, that Simplicity

ditum ?

degree of negligence in Style; and it is only the beauty of that Simplicity which makes the negligence of fuch writers feem hop, negligence may fometimes be cargraceful. But, as appears in the Archbiried fo far as to impair the beauty of Simplicity, and make it border on a flat and languid manner.

Ibid,

§ 26. Simplicity of Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE's Style.

Sir William Temple is another remarkable writer in the Style of Simplicity. In point of ornament and correctness, he rifes à degree above Tillotfon; though, for correctness, he is not in the highest rank. All is eafy and flowing in him; he is exceedingly harmonious; fmoothness, and what may be called amenity, are the diftinguishing characters of his manner; relaxing, fometimes, as fuch a manner will naturally do, into a prolix and remifs Style. No writer whatever has ftamped upon his Style

a more

petual ftiffness and affectation. This is its capital fault. His lordship can exprefs nothing with Simplicity. He feems to have confidered it as vulgar, and beneath the dignity of a man of quality, to fpeak like other men. Hence he is ever in bufkins; full of circumlocutions and artificial elegance. In every fentence, we fee the marks of labour and art; nothing of that eafe which expreffes a fentiment coming natural and warm from the heart. Of figures and ornament of every kind, he is exceedingly fond; fometimes happy in them; but his fondness for them is too vifible; and having once laid hold of fome metaphor or allufion that pleafed him, he knows not how to part with it. What is most wonderful, he was a profeffed admirer of Simplicity; is always extolling it in the ancients, and cenfuring the moderns for the want of it; though he departs from it himfelf as far as any one modern whatever. Lord Shaftsbury poffeffed delicacy and refinement of tafte, to a degree that we may call exceflive and fickly; but he had little warmth of paffion; few ftrong or vigorous feelings; and the coldness of his character led him to that artificial and ftately manner which appears in his writings. He was fonder of nothing than of wit and raillery; but he is far from being happy in it. He attempts it often, but always awkwardly; he is itiff, even in his pleafantry; and laughs in form, like an author, and not like a man *.

From the account which I have given of Lord Shaftbury's manner, it may eafily be imagined, that he would miflead many who blindly admired him. Nothing is more dangerous to the tribe of imitators, than an author, who with many impofing beauties, has alfo fome very confiderable blemishes. This is fully exemplified in Mr. Blackwall of Aberdeen, the author of the Life of Homer, the Letters on Mythology, and the Court of Auguftus; a writer of confiderable learning, and of ingenuity alfo; but infected with an extravagant love of an artificial Style, and of that parade of

It may, perhaps, be not unworthy of being mentioned, that the first edition of his Enquiry into Virtue was published, furreptitiously I be lieve, in a feparate form, in the year 1699; and is fometimes to be met with: by comparing which with the corrected edition of the fame treatife, as it now ftands among his works, we

fee one of the most curious and ufeful examples,

that I know, of what is called Lime Labor; the art

of polishing language, breaking long fentences, and working up an imperfect draught into a high ly-ânished performance.

language which diftinguishes the Shaftsbu rean manner.

Having now faid fo much to recommend Simplicity, or the eafy and natural manner of writing, and having pointed out the defects of an oppofite manner; in order to prevent miftakes on this fubject, it is neceffary for me to obferve, that it is very poffible for an author to write fimply, and yet not beautifully. One may be free from affectation, and not have merit. The beautiful Simplicity fuppofes an author to poffefs real genius; to write with folidity, purity, and liveliness of imagination. In this cafe, the fimplicity or unaffectedness of his manner, is the crowning ornament; it heightens every other beauty; it is the dreis of nature, without which all beauties are imperfect. But if mere unaffectedness were fufficient to conftitute the beauty of Style, weak, trifling, and dull writers might often lay claim to this beauty. And accordingly we frequently meet with pretended critics, who extol the dullest writers on account of what they call the "Chaile Simplicity of their manner;" which, in truth, is no other than the absence of every ornament, through the mere want of genius and imagination. We muft diftinguifh, therefore, between that Simplicity which accompanies true genius, and which is perfectly compatible with every proper ornament of Style; and that which is no other than a carelefs and flovenly manner. Indeed the diftinction is easily made from the effect produced. The one never fails to intereft the reader; the other is infipid and tiresome.

Blair.

$30. On the Vehement STYLE.

I proceed to mention one other manner or character of Style, different from any that I have yet fpoken of; which may be diftinguished by the name of the Vehement. ment. This always implies ftrength; and is not, by any means, inconfiftent with Simplicity: but, in its predominant character, is diftinguishable from either the ftrong or the fimple manner. It has a peculiar ardour; it is a glowing Style; the language of a man, whofe imagination and paflions are heated, and ftrongly affected by what he writes; who is therefore negligent of leffer graces, but pours himself forth with the rapidity and fulness of a torrent. It belongs to the higher kinds of oratory; and indeed is rather expected from a man who is fpeaking, than from one who is writing in his clofet. The ora

tions of Demofthenes furnish the full and perfect example of this fpecies of Style. Blair.

$31. Lord BOLINGBROKE excelled in the Vehement Style.

Among English writers, the one who has most of this character, though mixed, indeed, with feveral defects, is Lord Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke was formed by nature to be a factious leader; the demagogue of a popular affembly. According ly, the Style that runs through all his potical writings, is that of one declaiming with heat, rather than writing with deliberation. He abounds in rhetorical figures; and pours himself forth with great impetuolity. He is copious to a fault; places the fame thought before us in many different views; but generally with life and ardour. He is bold, rather than correct; a torrent that flows ftrong, but often muddy. His fentences are varied as to length and fhortnefs; inclining, however, most to long periods, fometimes including parenthefes, and frequently crowding and heaping a multitude of things upon one another, as naturally happens in the warmth of fpeaking. In the choice of his words, there is great felicity and precifion. In exact contruction of fentences, he is much inferior to Lord Shaftsbury; but greatly fuperior to him in life and eafe. Upon the whole, his merit, as a writer, would have been very confiderable, if his matter had equalled his Style. But whilt we find many things to commend in the latter, in the former, as I before remarked, we can hardly find any thing to commend. In Lis reafonings, for the most part, he is flimfy and falfe; in his political writings, factious: in what he calls his philofophical ones, irreligious and fophiftical in the highA degree.

Ibid.

me

32. Directions for forming a STYLE. It will be more to the purpofe, that I conclude thefe differtations upon Style with a few directions concerning the proper thod of attaining a good Style in general; leaving the particular character of that Style to be either formed by the fubject on which we write, or prompted by the bent of genius.

The first direction which I give for this purpofe, is, to ftudy clear ideas on the subject concerning which we are to write or fpeak. This is a direction which may at ft appear to have small relation to Style.

Its relation to it, however, is extremely clofe. The foundation of all good Style, is good fenfe, accompanied with a lively imagination. The Style and thoughts of a writer are so intimately connected, that, as I have feveral times hinted, it is frequently hard to diftinguish them. Whereever the impreffions of things upon our minds are faint and indiflinct, or perplexed and confufed, our Style in treating of fuch Whereas, things will infallibly be fo too. what we conceive clearly and feel frongly, we will naturally exprefs with clearness and with ftrength. This, then, we may be aflured, is a capital rule as to Style, to attained a full and distinct view of the think clofely of the fubject, till we have matter which we are to clothe in words, till we become warm and interested in it; then, and not till then, fhall we find expreffion begin to flow. Generally speaking, the best and most proper expreffions, are those which a clear view of the fubject fuggefts, without much labour or enquiry after them. This is Quinctilian's observation, Lib. viii. c. I. "Plerumque optima "verba rebus cohærent, et cernuntur fuo "lumine. At nos quæ rimus illa, tanquam lateant feque fubducant. Ita nunquam putamus verba effe circa id de quo dicendum eft; fed ex aliis locis pe"timus, et inventis vim afferimus *."

Ibid.

$33. Practice neceffary for forming a STYLE.

In the fecond place, in order to form a good Style, the frequent practice of compofing is indifpenfably neceflary. Many rules concerning Style I have delivered; but no rules will anfwer the end without exercife and habit. At the fame time, it is not every fort of compofing that will improve Style. This is fo far from being the cafe, that by frequent carelefs and hafty compofition, we shall acquire cer tainly a very bad Style; we hall have more trouble afterwards in unlearning faults, and correcting negligences, than if we had not been accustomed to compofition at all. In the beginning, therefore,

"The most proper words for the most part "adhere to the thoughts which are to be expref"fed by them, and may be difcovered as by their "own light. But we hunt after them, as if they "were hidden, and only to be found in a corner. "Hence, inftead of conceiving the words to lie "near the fubject, we go in queft of them to "fome other quarter, and endeavour to give force "to the expreffions we have found out."

We

we ought to write flowly, and with much care. Let the facility and speed of writing, be the fruit of longer practice. "Moram et "folicitudinem," fays Quinctilian with the greatest reason, L. x. c. 3. initiis impero. "Nam primum hoc conftituendum ac obti"nendum eft, ut quam optimè fcribamus: "celeritatem dabit confuetudo. Paulatim "res faciliùs fe oftendent, verba refponde"bunt, compofitio profequetur. Cuneta "denique et in familia benè inftituta in "officio erunt. Summa hæc eft rei: citò "fcribendo non fit ut benè fcribatur; benè

"fcribendo, fit ut citò *.

Blair.

§ 34. Too anxious a Care about WORDS to be avoided.

We must observe, however, that there may be an extreme in too great and anxious a care about Words. We must not retard the courfe of thought, nor cool the heat of imagination, by paufing too long on every word we employ. There is, on certain occafions, a glow of compofition which fhould be kept up, if we hope to exprefs ourselves happily, though at the expence of allowing fome inadvertencies to pafs. A more fevere examination of thefe must be left to be the work of correction. For if the practice of compofition be useful, the laborious work of correcting is no less fo; it is indeed abfolutely neceffary to our reaping any benefit from the habit of compofition. What we have written fhould be laid by for fome little time, till the ardour of compofition be past, till the fondnefs for the expreflions we have used be worn off, and the expreffions themfelves be forgotten; and then reviewing our work with a cool and critical eye, as if it were the performance of another, we shall difcern many imperfections which at firft escaped us. Then is the feafon for pruning redundancies; for weighing the arrangement of fentences; for attending to the juncture and connecting particles; and bringing Style into a regular, correct, and fupported form. This "Lime Labor" must be fubmitted to by all who would

*"I enjoin that fuch as are beginning the "practice of compofition, write flowly, and with ❝ anxious deliberation. Their great object at firft "should be, to write as well as poffible; prac "tice will enable them to write fpeedily. By "degrees matter will offer itfelf ftill more rea"dily; words will be at hand; compofition will "flow; every thing, as in the arrangement of

“a well-ordered family, will prefent itself in "its proper place. The fum of the whole is this: by hafty compofition, we shall never acquire "the art of compofing well; by writing well, "we hall come to write fpeedily."

communicate their thoughts with proper advantage to others; and fome practice in it will foon fharpen their eye to the most neceffary objects of attention, and render it a much more eafy and practicable work than might at firft be imagined. Ibid.

§ 35. An Acquaintance with the beft Authors neceffary to the Formation of a STYLE.

In the third place, with refpect to the affittance that is to be gained from the writings of others, it is obvious that we ought to render ourselves well acquainted with the Style of the best authors. This is requifite, both in order to form a just tafte in Style, and to fupply us with a full stock of words on every fubject. In reading authors with a view to Style, attention fhould be given to the peculiarities of their different manners; and in this and former Lectures I have endeavoured to fuggeft feveral things that may be useful in this view. I know no exercise that will be found more useful for acquiring a proper Style, than to tranflate fome paffage from an eminent English author, into our own words. What I mean is, to take, for inftance, fome page of one of Mr. Addifon's Spectators, and read it carefully over two or three times, till we have got a firm hold of the thoughts contained in it; then to lay afide the book; to attempt to write out the paffage from memory, in the best way we can; and having done fo, next to open the book, and compare what we have written with the ftyle of the author. Such an exercife will, by comparifon, fhew us where the defects of our Style lie; will lead us to the proper attentions for rectifying them; and, among the different ways in which the fame thought may be expreffed, will make us perceive that which is the most beautiful.

Ibid.

36. A fervile Imitation to be avoided. In the fourth place, I must caution, at the fame time, against a fervile imitation of any one author whatever. This is alis likely to produce a fiff manner; and ways dangerous. It hampers genius; it thofe who are given to clofe imitation, generally imitate an author's faults as well as his beauties. No man will ever become a good writer, or fpeaker, who has not fome degree of confidence to follow his own genius. We ought to beware, in particular, of adopting any author's noted phrafes, or tranfcribing paffages from him.

Such