CLEARNESS. _Ambiguity_, which is opposed to clearness, may arise from a
bad choice, or a bad arrangement of words.
A leading rule in the arrangement of sentences, is, that _those words or
members most nearly related, should be placed in the sentence as near to
each other as possible, so as thereby to make their mutual relation
clearly appear._ This rule ought to be observed,
1. _In the position of adverbs._ "By greatness," says Mr. Addison, "I do
not only mean the bulk of any single object, but the largeness of a
whole view." The improper situation of the adverb _only_, in this
sentence, renders it a limitation of the verb _mean_, whereas the author
intended to have it qualify the phrase, _a single object;_ thus, "By
greatness, I do not mean the bulk of any single object _only_, but the
largeness of a whole view."
2. _In the position of phrases and members._ "Are these designs which
any man who is born a Briton, in any circumstances, in any situation,
ought to be ashamed or afraid to avow?" Corrected: "Are these designs
which any man who is born a Briton, ought to be ashamed or afraid, _in
any circumstances_, _in any situation_, to avow?"
3. _In the position of pronouns._ The reference of a pronoun to its
noun, should always be _so clear that we cannot possibly mistake it:_
otherwise the noun ought to be repeated. "It is folly to pretend to arm
ourselves against the accidents of life, by heaping up treasures, which
nothing can protect us against but the good providence of our Heavenly
Father." _Which_, in this sentence, grammatically refers to _treasures;_
and this would convert the whole period into nonsense. The sentence
should have been thus constructed, "It is folly to pretend, by heaping
up treasures, to arm ourselves against the _accidents_ of life, against
_which_ nothing can protect us but the good providence of our Heavenly
Father."
STRENGTH. By the _strength_ of a sentence is meant such an arrangement
of its several words and members, as exhibits the sense to the best
advantage, and gives every word and member its due weight and force.
1. The first rule for promoting the strength of a sentence, is, to _take
from it all redundant words and members._ Whatever can be easily
supplied in the mind, should generally be omitted; thus, "Content with
deserving a triumph, he refused the honor of it," is better than to say,
"_Being_ content with deserving a triumph." &c. "They returned back
again to the same city from whence they came forth." If we expunge from
this snort sentence _five_ which are were expletives, it will be much
more neat and forcible thus, "They returned to the city whence they
came." But we should be cautious of pruning so closely as to give a
hardness and dryness to the style. Some leaves must be left to shelter
and adorn the fruit.
2. _Particular attention to the use of copulatives, relatives, and all
the particles employed for transition and connexion, is required_. In
compositions of an elevated character, the _relative_ should generally
be inserted. An injudicious repetition of _and_ enfeebles style; but
when enumerating objects which we wish to have appear as distinct from
each other as possible, it may be repeated with peculiar advantage;
thus, "Such a man may fall a victim to power; but truth, _and_ reason,
_and_ liberty, would fall with him."
3. _Dispose of the capital word or words in that part of the sentence in
which they will make the most striking impression_.
4. _Cause the members of a sentence to go on rising in their importance
one above another_. In a sentence of two members, the longer should
generally be the concluding one.
5. _Avoid concluding a sentence with an adverb, a preposition, or any
inconsiderable word, unless it be emphatical_.
6. _Where two things are compared or contrasted with each other, a
resemblance in the language and construction should be observed_.
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