Part 13

To pave the way for the rules of arrangement, one other preliminary must be discussed, which is, to explain the difference betwixt a natural style, and that where transposition or inversion prevails. There are, it is true, no precise boundaries betwixt these two; for they run into each other, like the shades of different colours. No person however is at a loss to distinguish them in their extremes: and it is necessary to make the distinction; because though some of the rules I shall have occasion to mention are common to both, yet each has rules peculiar to itself. In a natural style, relative words are by juxtaposition connected with those to which they relate, going before or after, according to the peculiar genius of the language. Again, a circumstance connected by a preposition, follows naturally the word with which it is connected. But this arrangement may be varied, when a different order is more beautiful. A circumstance may be placed before the word with which it is connected by a preposition; and may be interjected even betwixt a relative word and that to which it relates. When such liberties are frequently taken, the style becomes inverted or transposed.

But as the liberty of inversion is a capital point in handling the present subject, it will be necessary to examine it more narrowly, and in particular to trace the several degrees in which an inverted style recedes more and more from that which is natural. And first, as to the placing a circumstance before the word with which it is connected, I observe, that it is the easiest of all inversion, even so easy as to be consistent with a style that is properly termed natural. Witness the following examples.

In the sincerity of my heart, I profess, _&c._

By our own ill management, we are brought to so low an ebb of wealth and credit, that, _&c._

On Thursday morning there was little or nothing transacted in Change-alley.

At St Bride’s church in Fleetstreet, Mr Woolston, (who writ against the miracles of our Saviour), in the utmost terrors of conscience made a public recantation.

The interjecting a circumstance betwixt a relative word and that to which it relates, is more properly termed inversion; because, by a violent disjunction of words intimately connected, it recedes farther from a natural style. But this liberty has also degrees; for the disjunction is more violent in some cases than in others. This I must also explain: and to give a just notion of the difference, I must crave liberty of my reader to enter a little more into an abstract subject, than would otherwise be my choice.

In nature, though a substance cannot exist without its qualities, nor a quality without a substance; yet in our conception of these, a material difference may be remarked. I cannot conceive a quality but as belonging to some subject: it makes indeed a part of the idea which is formed of the subject. But the opposite holds not. Though I cannot form a conception of a subject devoid of all qualities, a partial conception may however be formed of it, laying aside or abstracting from any particular quality. I can, for example, form the idea of a fine Arabian horse without regard to his colour, or of a white horse without regard to his size. Such partial conception of a subject, is still more easy with respect to action or motion; which is an occasional attribute only, and has not the same permanency with colour or figure. I cannot form an idea of motion independent of a body; but there is nothing more easy than to form an idea of a body at rest. Hence it appears, that the degree of inversion depends greatly on the order in which the related words are placed. When a substantive occupies the first place, we cannot foresee what is to be said of it. The idea therefore which this word suggests, must subsist in the mind at least for a moment, independent of the relative words afterward introduced; and if it can so subsist, that moment may without difficulty be prolonged by interjecting a circumstance betwixt the substantive and its connections. Examples therefore of this kind, will scarce alone be sufficient to denominate a style inverted. The case is very different, where the word that occupies the first place, denotes a quality or an action; for as these cannot be conceived without a subject, they cannot without greater violence be separated from the subject that follows. And for that reason, every such separation by means of an interjected circumstance belongs to an inverted style.

To illustrate this doctrine examples being necessary, I shall begin with those where the word first introduced does not imply a relation.

---- Nor Eve to iterate Her former trespass fear’d.

---- Hunger and thirst at once, Powerful persuaders, quicken’d at the scent Of that alluring fruit, urg’d me so keen.

Moon, that now meet’st the orient sun, now fli’st With the fix’d stars, fix’d in their orb that flies, And ye five other wand’ring fires that move In mystic dance not without song, resound His praise.

In the following examples, where the word first introduced imports a relation, the disjunction will be found more violent.

Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our wo, With loss of Eden, till one greater man Restore us, and regain the blessful seat, Sing heav’nly muse.

---- Upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world, whose first convex divides The luminous inferior orbs, inclos’d From chaos and th’ inroad of darkness old Satan alighted walks.

---- On a sudden open fly, With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, Th’ infernal doors.

---- Wherein remain’d, For what could else? to our almighty foe Clear victory, to our part loss and rout.

----Forth rush’d with whirlwind sound The chariot of paternal Deity.

Language would have no great power, were it confined to the natural order of ideas. A thousand beauties may be compassed by inversion, that must be relinquished in a natural arrangement. I shall soon have an opportunity to make this evident. In the mean time, it ought not to escape observation, that the mind of man is happily so constituted as to relish inversion, though in one respect unnatural; and to relish it so much, as in many cases to admit a violent disjunction of words that by the sense are intimately connected. I scarce can say that inversion has any limits; though I may venture to pronounce, that the disjunction of articles, conjunctions, or prepositions, from the words to which they belong, never has a good effect. The following example with relation to a preposition, is perhaps as tolerable as any of the kind.

He would neither separate _from_, nor act against them.

I give notice to the reader, that I am now ready to enter upon the rules of arrangement; beginning with a natural style, and proceeding gradually to what is the most inverted. And in the arrangement of a period, as well as in a right choice of words, the first and great object being perspicuity, it is above laid down as a rule, That perspicuity ought not to be sacrificed to any other beauty whatever. Ambiguities occasioned by a wrong arrangement are of two sorts; one where the arrangement leads to a wrong sense, and one where the sense is left doubtful. The first being the more culpable, shall take the lead, beginning with examples of words put in a wrong place.

How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe _merely_ from the influence which an ordinary presence has over men.

_Characteristics, vol. 1. p. 7._

This arrangement leads to a wrong sense: The adverb _merely_ seems by its position to affect the preceding word; whereas it is intended to affect the following words _an ordinary presence_; and therefore the arrangement ought to be thus.

How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe from the influence which an ordinary presence merely has over men.

The time of the election of a poet-laureat being now at hand, it may be proper to give some account of the rites and ceremonies anciently used at that solemnity, and only discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy of later times.

_Guardian._

The term _only_ is intended to qualify the noun _degeneracy_, and not the participle _discontinued_; and therefore the arrangement ought to be as follows.

---- and discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy only, of later times.

Sixtus the Fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books at least.

_Letters on history, vol. 1. let. 6._ _Bolingbroke._

The expression here leads evidently to a wrong sense. The adverb _at least_, ought not to be connected with the substantive _books_, but with _collector_, thus:

Sixtus the Fourth was a great collector at least, of books.

Speaking of Lewis XIV.

If he was not the greatest king, he was the best actor of majesty at least, that ever filled a throne.

_Ibid. letter 7._

Better thus:

If he was not the greatest king, he was at least the best actor of majesty, _&c._

This arrangement removes the wrong sense occasioned by the juxtaposition of _majesty_ and _at least_.

The following examples are of the wrong arrangement of members.

I have confined myself to those methods for the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince limited like ours by a strict execution of the laws.

_A project for the advancement of religion._ _Swift._

The structure of this period leads to a meaning which is not the author’s, _viz._ power limited by a strict execution of the laws. This wrong sense is removed by the following arrangement.

I have confined myself to those methods for the advancement of piety, which, by a strict execution of the laws, are in the power of a prince limited like ours.

This morning when one of Lady Lizard’s daughters was looking over some hoods and ribands brought by her tirewoman, with great care and diligence, I employed no less in examining the box which contained them.

_Guardian_, Nº 4.

The wrong sense occasioned by this arrangement, may be easily prevented by varying it thus:

This morning when, with great care and diligence, one of Lady Lizard’s daughters was looking over some hoods and ribands, _&c._

A great stone that I happened to find after a long search by the sea-shore, served me for an anchor.

_Gulliver’s Travels, part 1. chap. 8._

One would think that the search was confined to the sea-shore; but as the meaning is, that the great stone was found by the sea-shore, the period ought to be arranged thus:

A great stone, that, after a long search, I happened to find by the sea-shore, served me for anchor.

Next of a wrong arrangement where the sense is left doubtful; beginning, as in the former sort, with examples of the wrong arrangement of words in a member.

These forms of conversation _by degrees_ multiplied and grew troublesome.

_Spectator_, Nº 119.

Here it is left doubtful whether the modification _by degrees_ relate to the preceding member or to what follows. It should be,

These forms of conversation multiplied by degrees.

Nor does this false modesty expose us _only_ to such actions as are indiscreet, but very often to such as are highly criminal.

_Spectator_, Nº 458.

The ambiguity is removed by the following arrangement.

Nor does this false modesty expose us to such actions only as are indiscreet, _&c._

The empire of Blefuscu is an island situated to the north-east side of Lilliput, from whence it is parted _only_ by a channel of 800 yards wide.

_Gulliver’s Travels, part 1. chap. 5._

The ambiguity may be removed thus:

---- from whence it is parted by a channel of 800 yards wide only.

In the following examples the sense is left doubtful by a wrong arrangement of members.

The minister who grows less by his elevation, _like a little statue placed on a mighty pedestal_, will always have his jealousy strong about him.

_Dissertation upon parties, dedication._ _Bolingbroke._

Here, so far as can be gathered from the arrangement, it is doubtful, whether the object introduced by way of simile, relate to what goes before or to what follows. The ambiguity is removed by the following arrangement.

The minister who, like a little statue placed on a mighty pedestal, grows less by his elevation, will always, _&c._

Since this is too much to ask of freemen, nay of slaves, _if his expectation be not answered_, shall he form a lasting division upon such transient motives?

_Ibid._

Better thus:

Since this is too much to ask of freemen, nay of slaves, shall he, if his expectation be not answered, form, _&c._

Speaking of the superstitious practice of locking up the room where a person of distinction dies:

The knight, seeing his habitation reduced to so small a compass, and himself in a manner shut out of his own house, _upon the death of his mother_ ordered all the apartments to be flung open, and exorcised by his chaplain.

_Spectator_, Nº 110.

Better thus:

The knight, seeing his habitation reduced to so small a compass, and himself in a manner shut out of his own house, ordered, upon the death of his mother, all the apartments to be flung open.

Speaking of some indecencies in conversation:

As it is impossible for such an irrational way of conversation to last long among a people that make any profession of religion, or show of modesty, _if the country-gentlemen get into it_, they will certainly be left in the lurch.

_Spectator_, Nº. 119.

The ambiguity vanishes in the following arrangement.

---- the country-gentlemen, if they get into it, will certainly be left in the lurch.

Speaking of a discovery in natural philosophy, that colour is not a quality of matter:

As this is a truth which has been proved incontestably by many modern philosophers, and is indeed one of the finest speculations in that science, _if the English reader would see the notion explained at large_, he may find it in the eighth chapter of the second book of Mr Locke’s essay on human understanding.

_Spectator_, Nº 413.

Better thus:

As this is a truth, _&c._ the English reader, if he would see the notion explained at large, may find it, _&c._

A woman seldom asks advice before she has bought her wedding-cloaths. When she has made her own choice, _for form’s sake_ she sends a _conge d’elire_ to her friends.

_Ibid._ Nº 475.

Better thus:

---- she sends for form’s sake a _conge d’elire_ to her friends.

And since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, _where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it_, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage.

_Gulliver’s Travels, part 1. chap. 6._

Better thus:

And since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, the honest dealer, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it, is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage.

From these examples, the following observation will readily occur, that a circumstance ought never to be placed betwixt two capital members of a period; for by such situation it must always be doubtful, so far as we gather from the arrangement, to which of the two members it belongs. Where it is interjected, as it ought to be, betwixt parts of the member to which it belongs, the ambiguity is removed, and the capital members are kept distinct, which is a great beauty in composition. In general, to preserve members distinct which signify things distinguished in the thought, the sure method is, to place first in the consequent member some word that cannot connect with what precedes it.

If by any one it shall be thought, that the objections here are too scrupulous, and that the defect of perspicuity is easily supplied by accurate punctuation; the answer is, That punctuation may remove an ambiguity, but will never produce that peculiar beauty which is felt when the sense comes out clearly and distinctly by means of a happy arrangement. Such influence has this beauty, that by a natural transition of feeling, it is communicated to the very sound of the words, so as in appearance to improve the music of the period. But as this curious subject comes in more properly afterward, it is sufficient at present to appeal to experience, that a period so arranged as to bring out the sense clear, seems always more musical than where the sense is left in any degree doubtful.

A rule deservedly occupying the second place, is, That words expressing things connected in the thought, ought to be placed as near together as possible. This rule is derived immediately from human nature, in which there is discovered a remarkable propensity to place together things that are in any manner connected[90]. Where things are arranged according to their connections, we have a sense of order: otherwise we have a sense of disorder, as of things placed by chance. And we naturally place words in the same order in which we would place the things they signify. The bad effect of a violent separation of words or members thus intimately connected, will appear from the following examples.

For the English are naturally fanciful, and very often disposed, by that gloominess and melancholy of temper which is so frequent in our nation, to many wild notions and visions, to which others are not so liable.

_Spectator_, Nº 419.

Here the verb or assertion is, by a pretty long circumstance, violently separated from the subject to which it refers. This makes a harsh arrangement; the less excusable that the fault is easily prevented by placing the circumstance before the verb or assertion, after the following manner:

For the English are naturally fanciful, and, by that gloominess and melancholy of temper which is so frequent in our nation, are often disposed to many wild notions, _&c._

For as no mortal author, in the ordinary fate and vicissitude of things, knows to what use his works may, some time or other, be applied, _&c._

_Spectator_, Nº 85.

Better thus:

For as, in the ordinary fate and vicissitude of things, no mortal author knows to what use, some time or other, his works may be apply’d.

From whence we may date likewise the rivalship of the house of France, for we may reckon that of the Valois and that of Bourbon as one upon this occasion, and the house of Austria, that continues at this day, and has oft cost so much blood and so much treasure in the course of it.

_Letters on history, vol. 1. letter 6. Bolingbroke._

It cannot be impertinent or ridiculous therefore in such a country, whatever it might be in the Abbot of St Real’s, which was Savoy I think; or in Peru, under the Incas, where Garcilasso de la Vega says it was lawful for none but the nobility to study--for men of all degrees to instruct themselves in those affairs wherein they may be actors, or judges of those that act, or controllers of those that judge.

_Letters on history, vol. 1. letter 5. Bolingbroke._

If Scipio, who was naturally given to women, for which anecdote we have, if I mistake not, the authority of Polybius, as well as some verses of Nevius preserved by Aulus Gellius, had been educated by Olympias at the court of Philip, it is improbable that he would have restored the beautiful Spaniard.

_Ibid. letter 3._

If any one have a curiosity for more specimens of this kind, they will be found without number in the works of the same author.

A pronoun, which saves the naming a person or thing a second time, ought to be placed as near as possible to the name of that person or thing. This is a branch of the foregoing rule; and with the reason there given, another concurs, _viz._ That if other ideas intervene, it is difficult to recal the person or thing by reference.

If I had leave to print the Latin letters transmitted to me from foreign parts, they would fill a volume, and be a full defence against all that Mr. Partridge, or his accomplices of the Portugal inquisition, will be ever able to object; _who_, by the way, are the only enemies my predictions have ever met with at home or abroad.

Better thus:

---- and be a full defence against all that can be objected by Mr. Partridge, or his accomplices of the Portugal inquisition; who, by the way, are, _&c._

There being a round million of creatures in human figure, throughout this kingdom, _whose_ whole subsistence, _&c._

_A modest proposal_, &c. _Swift._

Better:

There being, throughout this kingdom, a round million of creatures in human figure, whose whole subsistence, _&c._

Tom is a lively impudent clown, and has wit enough to have made him a pleasant companion, had _it_ been polished and rectified by good manners.

_Guardian_, Nº 162.

It is the custom of the Mahometans, if they see any printed or written paper upon the ground, to take it up, and lay it aside carefully, as not knowing but it may contain some piece of their Alcoran.

_Spectator_, Nº 85.

The arrangement here leads to a wrong sense, as if the ground were taken up, not the paper. Better thus:

It is the custom of the Mahometans, if they see upon the ground any printed or written paper, to take it up, _&c._

The following rule depends on the communication of emotions or feelings to related objects, a principle in human nature we have had more than one occasion to mention. We find this operation, even where the objects are not otherwise related than by the juxtaposition of the words that express them. Hence to elevate or depress an object, one method is, to join it in the arrangement to another that is naturally high or low. Witness the following speech of Eumenes to the Roman senate.

Causam veniendi sibi Romam fuisse, præter cupiditatem visendi _deos hominesque_, quorum beneficio in ea fortuna esset, supra quam ne optare quidem auderet, etiam ut coram moneret senatum ut Persei conatus obviam iret.

_Livy, l. 42. cap. 11._

To join the Romans with the gods in the same enunciation, is an artful stroke of flattery, because it tacitly puts them on a level. On the other hand, when the purpose is to degrade or vilify an object, this is done successfully by ranking it with one that is really low:

I hope to have this entertainment in a readiness for the next winter; and doubt not but it will please more than the opera or puppet-show.

_Spectator_, Nº 28.

Manifold have been the judgments which Heaven from time to time, for the chastisement of a sinful people, has inflicted upon whole nations. For when the degeneracy becomes common, ’tis but just the punishment should be general. Of this kind, in our own unfortunate country, was that destructive pestilence, whose mortality was so fatal as to sweep away, if Sir William Petty may be believed, five millions of Christian souls, besides women and Jews.

_God’s revenge against punning. Arbuthnot._

Such also was that dreadful conflagration ensuing in this famous metropolis of London, which consumed, according to the computation of Sir Samuel Morland, 100,000 houses, not to mention churches and stables.

_Ibid._

But on condition it might pass into a law, I would gladly exempt both lawyers of all ages, subaltern and field officers, young heirs, dancing-masters, pickpockets, and players.

_An infallible scheme to pay the public debts. Swift._