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rse fault than the repetition of the same word. See, for examples, the extract from Sir Archibald Alison, at the end of the book. Thus "_A burning thirst_ for conquests is a characteristic of this nation. It is an _ardent passion_ that &c." Other instances are--"The _universal_ opinion of _all_ men;" "His judgment is so _infallible_ that it is _never deceived_," &c. *55. Parenthesis may be used with advantage to brevity.* "We are all (and who would not be?) offended at the treatment we have received," is shorter and more forcible than the sentence would have been if the parenthesis had been appended in a separate sentence: "Who, indeed, would not be offended?" Extreme care must, however, be taken that a parenthesis may not obscure the meaning of a long sentence. *56. Caution: let clearness be the first consideration.* It is best, at all events for beginners, not to aim so much at being brief, or forcible, as at being perfectly clear. Horace says, "While I take pains to be brief, I fall into obscurity," and it may easily be seen that several of the rules for brevity interfere with the rules for clearness. Forcible style springs from (1) vividness and (2) exactness of thought, and from a corresponding (1) vividness and (2) exactness in the use of words. (1) When you are describing anything, endeavour to _see_ it and describe it as you see it. If you are writing about a man who was killed, _see_ the man before you, and ask, was he _executed_, _cut down_, _run through the body_, _butchered_, _shot_, or _hanged_? If you are writing about the capture of a city, was the city _stormed_, _surprised_, _surrendered_, _starved out_, or _demolished before surrender_? Was an army _repelled_, _defeated_, _routed_, _crushed_, or _annihilated_? (2) Exactness in the use of words requires an exact knowledge of their meanings and differences. This is a study by itself, and cannot be discussed here.[17] FOOTNOTES: [17] See _English Lessons for English People_, pp. 1-53. EXERCISES _For an explanation of the manner in which these Exercises are intended to be used, see the Preface._ _A number in brackets by itself, or followed by a letter,_ e.g. _(43), (40 a), refers to the Rules._ _Letters_ by themselves _in brackets_, e.g. _(b), refer to the explanations or hints appended to each sentence._ _N.B..--(10 a) refers to the first section of Rule (10); (10 a') to the Rule following Rule (10)._ 1. "P
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