e goblin was hard on his
haunches; and (unskillful rider that he was!) he had much
ado to maintain his seat; sometimes slipping on one side,
sometimes on another, and sometimes jolted on the high ridge
of his horse's backbone, with a violence that he verily
feared would cleave him asunder."[43]

_Description._ "In one corner stood a huge bag of wool, ready to
be spun; in another, a quantity of linsey-woolsey just from
the loom; ears of Indian corn, and strings of dried apples
and peaches, hung in gay festoons along the walls, mingled
with the gaud of red peppers; and a door left ajar gave him
a peep into the best parlor, where the claw-footed chairs
and dark mahogany tables shone like mirrors; andirons, with
their accompanying shovel and tongs, glistened from their
covert of asparagus tops; mock oranges and conch shells
decorated the mantelpiece; strings of various-colored birds'
eggs were suspended above it; a great ostrich egg was hung
from the centre of the room, and a corner cupboard,
knowingly left open, displayed immense treasures of old
silver and well-mended china."[43]

_Exposition._ "That perfection of the Intellect, which is the
result of Education, and its _beau ideal,_ to be imparted to
individuals in their respective measures, is the clear,
calm, accurate vision and comprehension of all things, as
far as the finite mind can embrace them, each in its place,
and with its own characteristics upon it. It is almost
prophetic from its knowledge of history; it is almost
heart-searching from its knowledge of human nature; it has
almost supernatural charity from its freedom from littleness
and prejudice; it has almost the repose of faith, because
nothing can startle it; it has almost the beauty and harmony
of heavenly contemplation, so intimate is it with the
eternal order of things and the music of the spheres."[44]

(Notice the use of the semicolon in the last two groups of sentences.
The parts of compound sentences such as these should be separated by
semicolons.)

Short Sentences.

Having determined approximately what relations may be grouped in a
single sentence, the first question for consideration is whether
sentences should be long or short. This cannot be definitely answered.
Since they should be concise, the short sentence is well suited for
defin