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^ LECTURE XIX,

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^'GENERAL CHARACTERS OF STYLE-

SIMPLE, AFFECTED, VEHEMENT-

DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING A PRO-PER STYLE.

Having entered in the lafl LeCture on the ]

confideration of the general Characters of Style ,

I treated of the concife and diffufe, the nervousand feeble manner. I confidered Style alfo, withrelation to the different degrees of ornamentemployed to beautify it; in which view, themanner of different authors rifes according tothe following gradation: Dry , Plain, Neat,Elegant, Flowery.

I AM next to treat of Style under anothercharacter, one of great importance in writing, andwhich requires to be accurately examined, thatof Simplicity, or a Natural Style, as diftinguilhedfrom Affectation. Simplicity, applied to writing,is a term very frequently ufed ; but, like manyother critical terms often ufed loofely, and withoutprecifion. This has been owing chiefly to thedifferent meanings given to the word Simplicity,

, e c T.XIX.