careless and
deplorable style which is hard to unlearn, and which impedes the
acquisition of a purer style. If such things must be read, let them be
skimmed over as lightly as possible. An excellent habit to cultivate is
the analytical study of the King James Bible. For simple yet rich and
forceful English, this masterly production is hard to equal; and even
though its Saxon vocabulary and poetic rhythm be unsuited to general
composition, it is an invaluable model for writers on quaint or
imaginative themes. Lord Dunsany, perhaps the greatest living prose
artist, derived nearly all of his stylistic tendencies from the
Scriptures; and the contemporary critic Boyd points out very acutely the
loss sustained by most Catholic Irish writers through their
unfamiliarity with the historic volume and its traditions.

Vocabulary

One superlatively important effect of wide reading is the enlargement of
vocabulary which always accompanies it. The average student is gravely
impeded by the narrow range of words from which he must choose, and he
soon discovers that in long compositions he cannot avoid monotony. In
reading, the novice should note the varied mode of expression practiced
by good authors, and should keep in his mind for future use the many
appropriate synonymes he encounters. Never should an unfamiliar word be
passed over without elucidation; for with a little conscientious
research we may each day add to our conquests in the realm of philology,
and become more and more ready for graceful independent expression.

But in enlarging the vocabulary, we must beware lest we misuse our new
possessions. We must remember that there are fine distinctions betwixt
apparently similar words, and that language must ever be selected with
intelligent care. As the learned Dr. Blair points out in his Lectures,
"Hardly in any language are there two words that convey precisely the
same idea; a person thoroughly conversant in the propriety of language
will always be able to observe something that distinguishes them."

Elemental Phases

Before considering the various formal classes of composition, it is well
to note certain elements common to them all. Upon analysis, every piece
of writing will be found to contain one or more of the following basic
principles: =Description=, or an account of the appearance of things;
=Narration=, or an account of the actions of things; =Exposition=, which
defines and explains with precision and lucidit