CHAPTER II.

FORCE.

CLEARNESS of style causes the reader fully to understand the meaning of what is written. Force causes him to feel and incites him to act upon what is written. The secret of securing force consists, to use the words of Spencer, "in so forming every sentence that the sequence of words shall be that which suggests the constituents of the thought in the order most convenient for the building-up of that thought."* Other things being equal, the more easily, quickly, and naturally an impression is received, the greater will be its force.

SUGGESTIONS.

146. Use no more words, and especially no more adjectives, than are necessary fully to express the idea. Each word added beyond this necessity is only an added draft upon the reader's attention. Force is often gained by omitting a conjunction, an adverb, a verb, or both the verb and its subject, or by using apposition.

Original.- "The deep interest he took in all branches of natural history made his society agreeable to men of learning."

Improved. His deep interest in all branches of natural history made his society agreeable to men of learning.

Original."There is much of dialogue, and this always interests the reader."

Improved. There is much of dialogue, a feature always interesting to the reader.

*"Philosophy of Style," p. 11.

Original." Others could only wonder what would be the next development, who would be the next victim."

Improved. -Others could only wonder what would be the next development, who the next victim.

Original." She is a perfect child of nature, and is never so happy as when she is in the open air."

Improved. She is a perfect child of nature, and is never so happy as when in the open air.

147. As a rule, avoid closing sentences and clauses with short or unimportant words. Such endings violate Euphony as well as Force. The most common and well-authorized exceptions to this principle are: (a) That of closing with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a pronoun, expressed or understood; e.g., "A bad government to live under;" (b) That of closing interrogative forms with a preposition; e.g., "What are you looking for ?"

Original.-"The jury return a verdict of 'not guilty,' and Charles Darney becomes a free man again."

Improved. The jury return a verdict of "not guilty," and Charles Darney becomes again a free man.

148. Construct the sentence so as to keep the reader in suspense. The essential characteristic of a rhetorical period and of each of its component sentences is, that the sense shall not be strictly complete until the last word shall have been read. The demands of force are here identical with those of euphony. Suspense, however, must not be so great as to weary the reader's memory. In the words of Spencer, "Force will be gained by so arranging the members of a sentence that the suspensions shall at any moment be the fewest in number, and shall also be of the shortest duration.”* One of the most common violations of this principle is to add a short or unimportant clause after the sense is really completed. Conditional, participial, and other subordinate clauses, should be placed before the principal clause, unless the subordinate clauses are Where there are several subordinate clauses,

numerous.

* Philosophy of Style," p 18,

place part before and part after the main clause. If all were placed before, the suspense would be too great.

Original." Play has its legitimate function in the life of man," says Holland.

Improved."Play," says Holland, "has its legitimate function in the life of man."

Original.-" By indomitable perseverance, in spite of every obstacle, and contrary to the expectation even of his friends, he at last won success."

Improved.--At last, in spite of every obstacle, and contrary to the expectation even of his friends, he won success by sheer, indomitable perseverance.

Original.

being dead."

"He returns to his business, Dombey, his enemy,

Improved.--Dombey, his enemy, being dead, he returns to his

business.

Original." His body becomes diseased and his mind morbid if he denies himself recreation."

Improved.--If he denies himself recreation, his body becomes diseased and his mind morbid.

149. Sentences not readily suspensive are often easily made so by the use of such suspensive conjunctions as "either," "not only," "while," etc. The conjunction "while" is especially valuable as an aid to smoothness of style. The simple substitution of this word in place of "and" will often give to a sentence both strength and euphony.

Original. "The suburbs of the city are as pleasant as one would expect from so active a town, and the lakes near by afford excellent picnic and excursion grounds."

Improved. The suburbs of the city are as pleasant as one would expect from so active a town, while the lakes near by afford excellent picnic and excursion grounds.

150. Put emphatic words, such as the subject and the predicate, in emphatic places. Such places are: (a) the beginning; (b) the end of a sentence; (c) after an introductory phrase like "it was," etc.; (d) after a manifestly qualifying clause.

Original." At our left, sunning himself upon a log, a large snapping turtle may be seen."

Improved.-At our left, sunning himself upon a log, may be seen a large snapping turtle.

151. Avoid using two or more prepositions with the same object. On this point White forcibly remarks: "The leav ing of words like 'by,' 'of,' 'through,' 'for,' 'at,' etc., which present no complete thought apart from an object, in the air like an unsupported wing of an army, is disastrous."

Original.-"This question has been referred to, and is to be decided by a special committee."

Improved. This question has been referred to a special committee, by whom it is to be decided.

152. Where several adverbial modifiers are to occur in succession, it is customary to place those of time first, those of place second, and those of manner last.

Original." Died, in New York City, of consumption, April 10, 1885, Mrs. Theodore Blair."

Improved.-Died, April 10, 1885, in New York City, of consumption, Mrs. Theodore Blair.

153. Avoid the use of "and" before "which" and the other relative pronouns. This caution is especially applicable to long sentences. Here, again, the demands of force, clearness, and euphony are nearly the same.

Original." Dinah Morris, another niece of the Poysers', and who has lived with Hetty, is a member of the new sect of the Methodists."

Improved.-Dinah Morris, another niece of the Poysers', who has lived with Hetty, is a member of the new sect of the Methodists.

154. Avoid the use of a substantive immediately after a relative and meaning the same person or thing.

Original." He was nominated for president, which nomination he accepted."

Improved. He was nominated for president and he accepted the honor.

155. Avoid exaggeration. Hyperbole is sometimes allowable, if carefully limited, but over-statement is always weak statement.

Original." If, on the other hand, he be unprincipled, as is the case with the majority of political men, his power for injury is great."

Improved.-If, on the other hand, he be unprincipled, as is the case with many political men, his power for injury is great.

156. Avoid bombast, affectation, and "fine writing." The safe rule is to use particular instead of general terms. Young writers of vivid imagination are apt to be partial to what Brougham calls "long-tailed words in -osity or -ation." Here, the demands of force and of purity become identical. There is no greater aid to force than this. Spencer observes:* "As we do not think in generals but in particulars-as, whenever any class of things is referred to, we represent it to ourselves by calling to mind individual members of it-it follows that when an abstract word is used, the hearer or reader has to choose from his stock of images one or more by which he may figure to himself the genus mentioned. In doing this, some delay must arise— some force be expended; and if, by employing a specific term, an appropriate image can be at once suggested, an economy is achieved, and a more vivid impression produced."

Original." Having partaken of a hearty dinner, we embarked in carriages for a long ride through the city."

Improved. After a hearty dinner we took carriages for a long ride through the city.

Original." Near the lower end of the ravine is a fallen tree with its roots partially fastened in the bank."

Improved.-Near the lower end of the ravine is a fallen oak with its roots partially fastened in the bank.

157. Avoid mere truisms, trite sayings, and worn-out figures.

Original." A cloud that appeared on the horizon no larger than a man's hand, threatened her happiness."

Improved.-A cloud now arose to threaten her happiness.

158. Force is sometimes gained by repeating a prominent word.

Original. "Each day has its history, that marks a turningpoint in the life of some individual."

Improved. Each day has its history; a history that marks a turning-point in e life of some individual.

*Philosophy of Style," p. 10.