would have more heaviness of effect, though it would be rather shorter e. g." The persecutions undergone by the Apostles, furnished both a trial of their faith, since if human honours, &c., &c., and also a confirmation of ours, because, &c. Universally, indeed, a complex sentence, whether antithetical or not, will often have a degree of spirit and liveliness from the latter clause being made to turn back, as it were, upon the former, by containing or referring to, some word that had there been mentioned: e. g. "The introducers of the now-established principles of Political-economy may fairly be considered to have made a great discovery; a discovery the more creditable, from the circumstance that the facts on which it was founded had long been well-known to all." This kind of style also may, as well as the Antithetical, prove offensive if carried to such an excess as to produce an appearance of affectation or mannerism.

The English reader will find the substance of most of these "Antitheta" in Bacon's Essays; though not arranged in the same nanner; and, in some instances, considerably amplified."

Interrogation.

§ 15.

Lastly, to the Speaker especially, the occasional employment of the Interrogative form, will often prove serviceable with a view to Energy. It calls the hearer's attention more forcibly to some important point, by a personal appeal to each individual, either to assent to what is urged, or to frame a reasonable objection; and it often carries with it an air of triumphant defiance of an opponent to refute the argument if he can. Either the Premiss or the Couclusion, or both, of any argument, may be stated in this form; but it is evident, that if it be introduced too frequently, it will necessarily fail of the object of directing a particular attention to the most important points. To attempt to make every thing emphatic, is to make nothing emphatic. The utility, however, of this figure, to the Orator at least, is sufficiently established by the single consideration, that it abounds in the Speeches of Demosthenes.

CHAP. III.-Of Elegance.
§ 1.

On the last quality of Style to be noticed,-Elegance or Beauty -it is the less necessary to enlarge, both because the most appropriate and characteristic excellence of the class of compositions here

68 See Appendix [A]. 69 The interrogative form is particularly suitable to the minor premiss of à Dilemma,

because that does not categorically assert, but leaves an opponent his choice of several alternatives. See Logic, Supp. to Part III. § 5.

Elegance and Energy not the same.

treated of, is, that Energy of which I have been speaking; and also, because many of the rules laid down under that head, are equally applicable with a view to Elegance. The same Choice, Number, and Arrangement of words, will, for the most part, conduce both to Energy, and to beauty. The two qualities, however, are by no means undistinguishable: a Metaphor, for instance, may be apt, and striking, and consequently conducive to Energy of expression, even though the new image, introduced by it, have no intrinsic beauty, or be even unpleasant; in which case it would be at variance with Elegance, or at least would not conduce to it. Elegance requires that all homely and coarse words and phrases should be avoided, even at the expense of circumlocution; though they may be the most apt and forcible that language can supply. And Elegance implies a smooth and easy flow of words in respect of the sound of the sentences; though a more harsh and abrupt mode of expression may often be, at least, equally energetic.

Accordingly, many are generally acknowledged to be forcible writers, to whom no one would give the credit of Elegance; and many others, who are allowed to be elegant, are yet by no means reckoned among the vigorous and energetic.

§ 2.

Preference of
Energy.

When the two excellences of Style are at variance, the general rule to be observed by the orator is to prefer the energetic to the elegant. Sometimes, indeed, a plain, or even a somewhat homely expression, may have even a more energetic effect, from that very circumstance, than one of more studied refinement; since it may convey the idea of the speaker's being thoroughly in earnest, and anxious to convey his sentiments, where he uses an expression that can have no other recommendation; whereas a strikingly elegant expression may sometimes convey a suspicion that it was introduced for the sake of its Elegance; which will greatly diminish the force of what is said. The appearance of a too uniform elegance or stateliness of style, is apt to cloy; like a piece of music without any discords.

Speaking as if one had something to say.

Universally, a writer or speaker should endeavour to maintain the appearance of expressing himself, not, as if he wanted to say something, but as if he had something to say: i. e. not as if he had a subject set him, and was anxious to compose the best essay or declamation on it that he could; but as if he had some ideas to which he was anxious to give utterance ;-not as if he wanted to compose (for instance) a sermon, and was desirous of performing that task satisfactorily; but as if there was something in his mind which he was desirous of commu nicating to his hearers.

It is an admonition which probably will give offence to some, and

excite the scorn of others, but which I cannot but think may sometimes prove useful to a young preacher, that he should ask himself, at the beginning, and in the course, of his composition, “For what purpose am I going to preach? Wherein would any one be a loser if I were to keep silence? Is it likely that any one will learn something he was ignorant of, or be reminded forcibly of something he had forgotten, or that something he was familiar with shall be set before him in a new and striking point of view, or that some difficulty will have been explained, or some confused ideas rendered clear; or, in short, that I shall at all have edified any one? Let it not be said, that I preached because there was to be a Sermon, and concluded when I had said enough to occupy the requisite time;" careful only to avoid any thing that could excite censure, and content to leave the hearers just as I found them. Let me not be satisfied with the thousandth iteration of common-places, on the ground that it is all very true, and that it is the fault of the congregation if they do not believe and practise it; for all this is equally the case whether I preach or not; and if all I say is what they not only knew before, but had heard in the same trite and general statements a hundred times before, I might as well hold my peace. I ought not to be considering merely whether these arguments-motives-doctrines, &c., are themselves likely to produce an effect; but whether my urging them will be likely to make any difference as to the effect. Am I then about to preach merely because I want to say something, or because I have something to say?"

It is true, a man cannot expect constant success in his endeavours; but he is not very likely to succeed in any thing that is not even the object of his endeavours.

Earnest simplicity of

This speaking as if one had something to say, is probably what Bishop Butler means by the expression of a man's writing "with simplicity and in earnest." His manner writing. has this advantage, though it is not only inelegant, but often obscure: Dr. Paley's is equally earnest, and very perspicuous: and though often homely, is more impressive than that of many of our most polished writers. It is easy to discern the prevalence of these two different manners in different authors, respectively, and to perceive the very different effects produced by them; it is not so easy for one who is not really writing "with simplicity and in earnest, to assume the appearance of it." But certainly nothing is more adverse to this appearance than over-refinement. Any expression indeed that is vulgar, in bad taste, and unsuitable to the dignity of the subject, or of the occasion, is to be avoided; since, though it might have, with some hearers, an energetic effect, this would be more than counterbalanced by the disgust produced in others; and where a small accession of Energy is to be gained at

70 See above, Part III. Chap. I. § 5.

71 This may be one reason why an Author's

notes are often more spirited and more inter esting than the rest of his work.

the expense of a great sacrifice of Elegance, the latter will demand a preference. But still, the general rule is not to be lost sight of by him who is in earnest aiming at the true ultimate end of the orator, to which all others are to be made subservient; viz. not the amusement of his hearers, nor their admiration of himself, but their Conviction or Persuasion.

It is from this view of the subject that I have dwelt most on that quality of style which seems most especially adapted to that object. Perspicuity is required in all compositions; and may even be considered as the ultimate end of a Scientific writer, considered as such He may indeed practically increase his utility by writing so as to excite curiosity, and recommend his subject to general attention; but in doing so, he is, in some degree, superadding the office of the Orator to his own; as a Philosopher, he may assume the existence in his reader of a desire for knowledge, and has only to convey that knowledge in language that may be clearly understood. Of the style of the Orator, (in the wide sense in which I have been using this appellation, as including all who are aiming at Conviction,) the appropriate object is to impress the meaning strongly upon men's minds. Of the Poet, again, as such," the ultimate end is to give pleasure; and accordingly Elegance or Beauty (in the most extensive sense of those terms) will be the appropriate qualities of his language.

73

§ 3.

Beauty of Style the appropriate character of Poetical

diction.

Some indeed have contended, that to give pleasure is not the ultimate end of Poetry; not distinguishing between the object which the Poet may have in view, as a man, and that which is the object of Poetry, as Poetry. Many, no doubt, may have proposed to themselves the far more important object of producing moral improvement in their hearers through the medium of Poetry; and so have others, the inculcation of their own political or philosophical tenets; or, (as is supposed in the case of the Georgics,) the encouragement of Agriculture. But if the views of the individual are to be taken into account, it should be considered that the personal fame or emolument of the author is very frequently his ultimate object. The true test is easily applied that which to competent judges affords the appropriate pleasure of Poetry, is good poetry, whether it answer any other purpose or not; that which does not afford this pleasure, however instructive it may be, is not good Poetry, though it may be a valuable work.

It may be doubted, however, how far these remarks apply to the question respecting Beauty of style; since the chief gratification afforded by Poetry arises, it may be said, from the beauty of the

72 See Bishop Copleston's "Lectures on Poetry,"

73 Supported in some degree by the authority of Horace :

Aut prodesse volunt, aut delectare Pocte.

Poetry not constituted such by the thoughts.

.76

thoughts. And undoubtedly if these be mean and common-place, the Poetry will be worth little; but still, it is not any quality of the thoughts that constitutes Poetry. Notwithstanding all that has been advanced by some French critics,” to prove that a work, not in metre, may be a Poem, (which doctrine was partly derived from a misinterpretation of a passage in Aristotle's "Poetics,"75) universal opinion has always given a contrary decision. Any composition in verse, (and none that is not,) is always called, whether good or bad, a Poem, by all who have no favourite hypothesis to maintain. It is indeed a common figure of speech to say, in speaking of any work that is deficient in the qualities which Poetry ought to exhibit, that it is not a Poem; just as we say of one who wants the characteristic excellences of the species, or the sex, that he is not a man: and thus some have been led to confound together the appropriate excellence of the thing in question, with its essence ;77 but the use of such an expression as, an "indifferent" or a "dull Poem," shows plainly that the title of Poetry does not necessarily imply the requisite beauties of Poetry. Poetry is not distinguished from Prose by superior Beauty of thought or of expression, but is a distinct kind of composition; and they produce, when each is excellent in its kind, distinct kinds of pleasure. Try the experiment, of merely breaking up the metrical structure of a fine Poem, and you will find it inflated and bombastic Prose:" remove this defect by altering the words and the arrangement, and it will be better Prose than before; then, arrange this again into metre, without any other change, and it will be tame and dull Poetry; but still it will be Poetry, as is indicated by the very censure it will incur; for if it were not, there would be no fault to be found with it; since, while it remained Prose, it was (as we have supposed) unexceptionable. The circumstance that the same Style which was even required in one kind of composition, proved offensive in the other, shows that a different kind of language is suitable for a composition in metre.

Distinction of Poetry

and Prose.

74 See Preface to "Télémaque."

75 Yidoi Móyot has been erroneously interpreted language without metre, in a passage where it certainly means metre without music; or, as he calls it in another part of the same work, ψιλομετρία.

76 "I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none."Macbeth.

77 It is perhaps hardly necessary to remark that I do not mean to employ the word "essential" in a sense which it sometimes bears, viz. important. The essential circumstance in "Fresco-painting," is that the colors are laid on wet plaister; in an "oil-painting," that they shall have been mixed in oils; in an "etching," that aqua fortis shall have been employed; &c. But no one would be understood to mean by this, that these circumstances are of more consequence (and in that sense more essential) than the display of the artist's get ius. So, in the present case, the beauty of the

thoughts is a more important and, in that sense, a more essential circumstance, than metre.

78 I wish it to be observed, that I am not defending or seeking to introduce any unusual or new sense of the word Poetry; but, on the contrary, explaining and vindicating that which is the most customary among all men who have no particular theory to support. The mass of mankind often need, indeed, to have the meaning of a word (i. e. their own meaning) explained and developed; but not to have it determined what it shall mean, since that is determined by their use; the true sense of each word being, that which is understood by it.

79 Hence the impropriety of the practice, by no means uncommon, of learning a language from its poetry. It is like learning Botany in a flower-garden; which is filled with what are, to the Botanist's eye, beautiful monsters: every variety of curious and ornamental deviation from the simple forms.