his "Song by a Person of Quality." The last stanza is as follows: "Thus when Philomela drooping, Softly seeks her silent mate, CHAPTER III. OF CONTINUOUSNESS IN STYLE. $299. CONTINUOUSNESS is that property of style which represents the thought as connected and flowing. All thought in a cultivated and disciplined mind is continuous, and consequently should be so represented in discourse. so far as language will allow. There are limits, indeed, to the degree in which this property can be secured to style. When the mind is roused to a high pitch of passion, and the thoughts come strong and quick, language becomes too inflexible and awkward to serve as its ready expression. Then the thought bursts out, as it best can, in dissevered fragments of speech. It leaps like the electric fluid from cloud to cloud, manifesting itself here and there at wide intervals of space. And yet even then it properly maintains something of the appearance of continuousness, and does not offend the hearer by its violent leaps; but by the very velocity of its movement prevents the notice of its successive radiations, and, like the lightning, gives to its separate flashes the effect of a continuous sheet of light. Although, thus, strong, impassioned thought leads to a sententious style, and, therefore, such a style becomes highly beautiful, as natural and proper to it, the affectation of such a style when the thought is of the opposite character is extremely disgusting. The speeches of Lord Chatham and Patrick Henry furnish abundant examples of a sententious expression which, as warranted by the character of the thought, are fine illustrations of its nature and its proper function. The following are examples of a style faulty in this respect. The first is an extract from the Euphues of John Lyly; from which romance the name of Euphuism has been derived for this species of style. This kind of writing is not uncommonly combined with labored antithesis and affected quaintness of expression. A burnt child dreadeth the fire. He that stumbleth twice at one stone is worthy to break his shins. Thou mayest happily forswear thyself, but thou shalt never delude me. I know thee now as readily by thy visard as by thy visage. It is a blind goose that knoweth not a fox from a fern- bush; and a foolish fellow that cannot discern craft from conscience, being once cozened. § 300. For expressing this continuity in the thought, language provides, In the first place, a great variety of words designed for this very purpose; Secondly, It allows the use of many forms for this object that are also employed for other purposes of speech; and, Thirdly, It admits of a peculiar structure of the sentence which is adapted to this sole end. How great an excellence this is in speech is shown at once in the fact that the human reason in the framing of speech has contrived and furnished so many expedients for binding discourse together, which without them is justly compared to "sand without lime."* It is one of the peculiar excellences of the Greek tongue that it abounds in such connectives, which, while they show the relations of the thought, at the same time give to the expression of it cohesion and compact ness. Of proper connectives we have in language, 1. Conjunctions of the different species, as copulatives, disjunctives, adversatives, conditionals, illatives, comparatives, etc.; 2. Relatives of all kinds, whether pronouns or such adverbs as accordingly, thus, etc., and adjectives of order and others; 3. Forms of expression appropriated to this object, as “to continue," "to add,” etc. In the general structure of the sentence, also, the property of continuousness or its opposite may be represented to a great degree. The length, the implication, and interdependence of the parts, the arrangement of the several members, the imagery, whether derived ore from individual objects or extended scenes, from particular features or connected parts - all these various aspects of the sentence may exhibit, more or less, the continuous or the fragmentary character of the thought. It should be observed, in this connection, that much will depend on the particular habits of the individual speaker whether his style will more naturally be continuous or sententious and abrupt. Simplicity, earnestness, and directness incline more to short, disconnected expressions. Expanded views, fullness of thought, cautiousness, and wariness lead to a more extended, connected, and continuous style. Continuousness is an excellence only when it is natural. A broken, abrupt, saltatory style, unless obviously determined by the character of the thought, never pleases long. Even the pithy sententiousness of Lord Bacon's style wearies. Strong thought may save such a style; it is not commended by it. CHAPTER IV. OF NATURALNESS IN STYLE. § 301. NATURALNESS is a property which appears in style so far as it represents the particular state of the speaker's mind at the time of speaking. The other two subjective properties of style are general, being founded on the nature of thought. Naturalness is founded on the peculiar mental condition of the individual speaker. Every one has his own modes of thinking. He has his own modes of viewing truth. His feelings have their own peculiar characteristics. The same ideas, even, passing through two different minds, or through the same mind at different times and in different circumstances, become to a considerable degree modified in their character. Every one has, also, his own manner of expression. His range of words is peculiar. The structure of his sentences is peculiar. His forms of illustration, his images are peculiar. ner. Every writer and every speaker, thus, has his own manOne is more diffuse, another more concise; one more lean and jejune, another more copious and luxuriant; one is more florid, another more plain; one more dry, another more rich and succulent; one more nervous or vehement, another more feeble or tame; one more neat and elegant, another more careless and loose; one more elevated and stately, another more familiar and free. The speaker's own manner best becomes him. While he is careful to avoid positive faults, and particularly those of excess, to vary and |