m the fact that, though the matter is entirely
unknown, any one can know the relation of the parts of this essay,
whither it tends, and can almost supply Newman's thoughts.

Summary and Transition.

To secure coherence between the main divisions of an essay, instead of
words and phrases, there are employed sentences and paragraphs of
summary and transition. Summaries gather up what has been said on the
topic, much like a conclusion to a theme; transitions show the
relation between the topic already discussed and the one next to be
treated. Summaries at the conclusion of any division of the whole
subject are like the seats on a mountain path which are conveniently
arranged to give the climber a needed rest, and to spread out at his
feet the features of the landscape through which he has made his way.
Summaries put the reader in possession of the situation up to that
point, and make him ready for the next stage of the advance. At the
end of the summary there is frequently a transition, either a few
sentences or sometimes a short paragraph. The sentence or paragraph of
transition is much more frequent than the paragraph which summarizes.

The examples of these summaries and transitions are so frequent in
Macaulay and Burke that one transition is sufficient to indicate their
use. Macaulay writes:--

"There are several minor poems of Milton on which we would
willingly make a few remarks.... Our limits, however,
prevent us from discussing the point at length. We hasten on
to that extraordinary production which the general suffrage
of critics has placed in the highest class of human
compositions." ("Essay on Milton.")

To conclude, exposition embraces definition and explanation.
Definition is usually too concise to be clear, and needs an added
explanation. In any piece of exposition there must be unity, and this
principle will dispense with everything that is not essential to the
theme; there must be judicious massing, that those parts of the essay
deserving emphasis may receive it; and there must be a coherence
between the parts, large and small, so close and intimate that the
progress from one topic to another shall be steady and without
hindrance. Unity, Mass, and Coherence should be the main
considerations in composition the aim of which is to explain a term or
a proposition.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES.

QUESTIONS.