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day in every page of which one may not find numerous inftanccs 

 of two, and fometimes three or four, diftindt and independent 

 thoughts crowded into one fentence : on the other hand, the in- 

 ftances are, perhaps, not more rare, of claufes naturally and 

 cjofely conneded, as parts of the fame whole, being divided into 

 feparate periods. 



From this negligence of divifion, and inattention to minute 

 circumftances, this flyle has acquired an apparent freedom which 

 in more polifhed and elaborate compofition is in vain fooked for. 

 The mind, regardlefs of accuracy in expreffion, feems to have 

 been attentive only to ideas — The torrent of thought is poured 

 forth without hefitation or reftraint, and rolls with at leaft a free, 

 if not a clear current. But, on clofer examination, what appeared 

 to be freedom of ftyle is often found to be only loofenefs of 

 expreffion. What was gained in the eafy flowing of the fentence 

 was loft by its want of perfpicuity, and when the period which 

 filled the ear with harmonized founds comes to be confidcred 

 by the underftanding it is perceived to be inflated with fuperfluous 

 verbiage, or darkened by unijeceffary prolixity. 



That he who ufes two words to exprefs one idea either does 

 not underftand, or does not attend to the meaning of the words 

 he ufes, has often been obferved. Whatever truth there may 

 be in the remark, it is certain the writers of this period are fre- 

 quently chargeable with this pradlice. Nor were they deficient 

 in pricijion only, which is always deftroyed by the introduflion 



of 



