R H E 
n h e 
R H E SS3 
these there is a style in some measure appro- 
priate, though in all the style should vary 
with the variations of the subject. In natural 
history, purity or propriety, and perspicuity 
of style is sufficient ; nothing more is required. 
But descriptions of natural appearances also 
admit of elegance, and even sublimity, as 
well as accuracy ; of which BufFon furnishes 
a pleasing example. It is a pity that so 
charming a writer should indulge so much in 
the propensity of his countrymen to mere 
theory. His obtrusion of theory, often whim- 
sical and extravagant, is, indeed, so offensive 
to a sober inquirer into the productions of 
nature, that a strict and severe philosopher is 
rather better pleased with the plainness of 
Pli ay, and of Linnaeus, whose views of both 
plants and animals are at once so accurate 
and so extensive. As to anecdotes, annals, 
memoirs, voyages and travels, as there is no 
other d sign in such Writing than to trea- 
sure up any thing interesting that comes in 
his way, no other qualities of style are re- 
quisite than exactness and perspicuity, though 
here too the style naturally rises or falls with 
the objects described, and facts which are 
recorded. In voyages and travels it rises 
sometimes into the dignity and sublimity of 
epic poetry ; when, under the arctic circle, 
on the borders of the Frozen Ocean, nature 
languishes, vegetation ceases, the elements 
alone appear, and the “earth is contemplated 
only as forming a part of the solar system.” 
Signore Giuseppo Acerbi’s Travels to the 
North Cape. — When, at the stupendous 
falls of the Clyde, “ doubling a tuft of wood, 
you are struck at once with the awful scene 
which suddenly bursts upon your sight, your 
organs of perception are hurried along, and 
partake of the turbulence of the roaring wa- 
ters. The powers of recollection remain sus- 
pended by this sudden shock, and it is not till 
after a considerable time that you are enabled 
to contemplate the sublime horrors of this 
awful scene.” Newte’s Tour in England and 
Scotland. 
On viewing the same scene, the reverend 
Mr. Hall also raises his tone. “ After seeing 
the smoke ascending for more than a mile 
as I advanced, I first heard and then saw the 
Clyde roaring and raging as if provoked at 
resistance. The question started in my 
mind, is nature then so bustling and noisy in 
her operations, so tumultuous, rapid and im- 
petuous:” Tour in Scotland, by an unusual 
Route, with a Trip to the Orkneys and He- 
brides. 
Civil history. This being addressed to the 
whole world, to every country and every 
age, to philosophers, legislators, kings anti 
princes, the general style, air or tone, 
should be that of dignity ; but it should not 
be always elevated. It should vary with the 
particular subject which is treated, which 
may be done without descending to mean- 
ness. 
The historian, Robertson, whose greatest 
excellence, and a great excellence it is, con- 
sists in the close and beautiful order in which 
he deduc s events from the causes that gave 
them birth, is, perhaps, not sufficiently va- 
rious in his style. He never sits with you in 
a garden chair, or by the fireside ; he never 
descends from his pulpit. 
It is to be observed, however, that some 
designs admit of greater variety of style than 
others. 1 he Abbe St. Real, who lias given 
so fine a specimen of the concise and rapid 
style, in his History of the Conspiracy of 
^ enice, had not an opportunity, and could 
not with propriety vary either his matter or 
his manner, so much as Mr. Hume in his 
History of England, with occasional Sketches 
of the principal States of Europe for seven 
hundred \ears. Neither Thucydides nor 
Sallust, confined by their designs to particu- 
lar events and a very short period of time, 
could expatiate at leisure on a variety of sub- 
jects like Herodotus, who records the com- 
mon transactions of the Greeks and Barba- 
rians for a long period of time ; the scenes of 
.whose narrative is extended over a consider- 
able pa t of the three grand divisions of the 
antient world, and to a period of two cen- 
turies. Thucydides writes the history of a 
single war, and the scene of the events is con- 
fined generally to (.he narrow spot of Greece. 
I lie histories of Sallust are still more circum- 
scribed in respect ot both action and space. 
1 iie curiosity of the reader being strongly 
excited by the contemplation of one great 
event, and approaching catastrophe, the dig- 
nified conciseness of Thucydides and Sallust, 
forms the greatest beauty. Tire arrangement 
ot Thucydides, who divides his work into 
summers and winters, is very faulty; but his 
style for his subject and design is admirable; 
yet it must be admitted that the style'proper 
for different plans or designs in history, admits 
of modification from the different geniuses of 
different historians. The retreat of the ten 
thousand Greeks was a single event, and em- 
braced but a small portion of time ; yet the 
easy, graceful, and sweetly-flowing narrative 
of Xenophon, the Athenian bee, is also ad- 
mirable in its kind, though different from the 
charming simplicity and melody of Hero- 
dotus, the energy of Thucydides, the brevity 
of Sallust, the majesty of Livy, and his happy 
imitators among the moderns, Mariana and 
Buchannan, and the elegant purity and pre- 
cision ot Julius Ctesar. In a word, though 
there are certain genera! qualities of style 
suited to a general subject, that style is agree- 
ably tinctured, not deformed by a diversity 
of genius. 
Non una quidem 
Nec diversa tamen qualis decet esse sororum. 
Now, to conclude, by recapitulating what 
has been now said on the present article. 
As speech is the power, so rhetoric is the art 
of communicating our sentiments in the full- 
est and most impressive manner. As the ends 
for which we communicate our sentiments are 
various, the form, style, or manner of dis- 
course, spoken or written, is different also; 
corresponding with the emotions to be ex- 
pressed and excited, whether of surprise, com- 
placency, admiration, wonder, astonishment, 
sympathy, ridicule, honour, or shame. The 
first and cardinal point in every com position, is 
tobe master ofthe subject; to have aclear con- 
ception of all that we wish to say. “ Out of 
the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh.” 
As the analogies of language were formed 
before the rules of grammar, so literary works 
were composed before the canons of criticism 
and rules of rhetoric. These rules are of 
more use in preventing the false glare of 
tumidity, fustian, bombast, and conceit, than 
of avail to inspire the most excellent qualities 
ot speaking o writing. An attention to these 
rules will obviate blemishes. A. well-inform- 
ed understanding, with a lively imagination 
and a feeling heart, are the grand sources of 
excellent composition ; a taste tor which mav 
be farther improved by a constant perusal of 
the best models, in the same manner that the 
constant contemplation ot the best pictures 
forms insensibly a just and nice taste for 
painting; but it should never be forgotten 
hat the highest excellences of style are never 
attained where the fire of imagination is 
smothered by an anxious tear ot offending 
against any rules; and that the absence of 
faults and blemishes is dearlv bought by the 
absence of elegance and every beauty. ’ 
RHEUM, a thin serous humour, occa- 
sionally oozing out of the glands about the 
mouth and. throat. 
lyHEUM, rhubarb, a genus of the mono- 
gynia order, in the enneandria class of plants, 
and in the natural method ranking under the 
l-’th order, holoraceax i here is no calyx ; 
the corolla is sexfid and persistent ; and there 
is one triquetrous seed. There are seven 
species, I he most noted are : 
1. The rhaponticum, or common rhubarb, 
has a large, thick, fleshy, branching, deep- 
striking root, yellowish within ; crowned bv 
very large, roundish, heart-shaped, smooth 
leaves, on thick, slightly-furrowed, foot- 
stalks ; and an upright strong stem, two or 
three feet high, terminated bv thick close 
spikes of white flowers. It grows in T hrace 
and Scythia, but has been long in the Eng- 
lish gardens. Its root affords a gentle purge. 
It is, however, of inferior quality to some of 
the following sorts; but its young stalks in 
spring being cut and peeled, are used for 
tarts. 
2- The palmatum (see Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 
3~*o ), palmated-leaved true Chinese rhubarb, 
lias a thick fleshy root, yellow within ; 
crowned with very large palmated leaves, 
being deeply divided into acuminated seg- 
ments, expanded like an open hand; upright 
stems, live or six feet high or more, termi- 
nated by large spikes of flowers. This is now 
proved to be the true foreign rhubarb, the- 
puigative quality or which is well known. 
3. The compactum, or Tartarian rhubarb, 
has a large, fleshy, branched root, yellow 
within : crowned by very large, heart-shaped 
somewhat lobated, sharply indented, smooth ' 
leaves, and an upright large stem, five or six- 
feet high, branching above; having all the 
branches terminated by nodding panicles of 
w'ute flowers. Tins has been supposed to be 
the true rhubarb; which, however, though of 
- 1 1 peri o . quality to some sorts, is accounted 
interior to the rheum palmatum. 
4. The undulatum, undulated or waved- 
leaved Chinese rhubarb, has a thick, ''branchv, 
deep-striking root, yellow within; crowned 
with large, oblong, undulate, somewhat hairy 
leaves, having equal foot-stalks, and an up‘- 
I'ight firm stem, four feet high, terminated bv 
long loose spikes of white flowers. 
5. The ribes, or currant rhubarb of Mount 
Libanus, lias a thick fleshy root, very broad 
leaves, full cf granulated protuberances, and 
with equal foot-stalks and upright firm stems 
three or four feet high, terminated by sp kes 
of flowers, succeeded by berry-like seed?, 
being surrounded by a purple pulp. All 
these plants are perennial in root, and tae 
