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wearied but wearifome afFedation of faying even the moft com- 

 mon things in an uncommon manner. The objed of all this, is 

 to furprife the reader, and imprefs him with an high opinion of 

 the Author's genius and originality ; it may, fometimes, have that 

 efTed, but is more certain, of rendering the Writer ridiculous, or un- 

 intelligible ; it frequently turns a whole compofition into a col- 

 ledion of enigmas and conundrums, and promotes the adoption of 

 barbarous phrafeology, clumfy circumlocution, and unmeaning 

 verbiage. 



Connected with this, another peculiarity may be found in the 

 German Writers, both of Tragedy and Comedy ; I mean the fre- 

 quency of appeals to the Deity, the profane application of reli- 

 gious fentiments, and the irreverent introdudion of the name of 

 God, of religion and religious terms, together with the profufe ad- 

 miffion of oaths and imprecations, which are indifcriminately put 

 into the mouths, of the hardened and ferocious free-booter, and of 

 the delicate and accomplifhed maiden. All this, no doubt, is in- 

 tended to produce effed, and energy, flrength and fublimity, but 

 muft offend and revolt any perfon, who has a refpedful fenfe of 

 religion and decorum. 



I HAVE remarked that the German School is fertile in extraordi- 

 nary licenfe of language, while each writer endeavours to invent 

 new phrafes, or coin new words to exprefs his new ideas, or more 



frequently 



