9 6 CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF

L E c T. any thing that can in any degree fatigue or puzzleXXII. the reader. When an Author is entering on anew branch of his fubjedt, informing us of whathe has done , and what he purpofes farther todo, we naturally expect that he Ihould exprefshimfelf in the fimpleft and mod perfpicuousmanner poffible. But the Sentence now beforeus is crowded and indiftinct; containing threefeparate proportions, which, as I lhall after-wards Ihow, required feparate Sentences to haveunfolded them. Air. Addifon’s chief excellency,as a writer, lay in defcribing and painting. Therehe is great; but in methodifmg and reafoning,he is not fo eminent. As befides the general faultof prolixity and indiftindtnefs , this Sentencecontains feveral inaccuracies, I will be obligedto enter into a minute difcuffion of its ftructureand parts; a difcuffion, which to many readerswill appear tedious, and which therefore theywill naturally pafs over; but which, to thofewho are ftudying compofition , I hope may proveof fome benefit.

Though in yejlcr day’s Paper ivc conf.dered — Theimport of though is, notwithstanding that. Whenit appears in the beginning of a Sentence, itsrelative generally is yet : and it is employed towarn us, after we have been informed of fometruth, that we are not' to infer from it fomeother thing which we might perhaps have expect-ed to follow : as, cc Though virtue be the onlyft road to liappinefs, yet it does not permit the(C unlimited gratification of pur defires. ” Now

it