each other. In the following from
Newman, the balancing is admirable: "Inebriated with the cup of
insanity, and flung upon the stream of recklessness, she dashes down
the cataract of nonsense and whirls amid the pools of confusion." This
is not antithesis, however; but the following from Macaulay is: "She
seems to have written about the Elizabethan age, because she had read
much about it; she seems, on the other hand, to have read a little
about the age of Addison, because she had determined to write about
it."

The danger in the use of balanced sentences is excess. Macaulay is
very fond of brilliant contrasts. _But_ is a very common word with
him. In some cases the reader feels that for the sake of the figure he
has forced the truth. Balanced sentences are palpably artificial, and
should be used but sparingly.

There is, however, but little danger of overdoing the parallel
construction where there is no antithesis. The parts of succeeding
sentences do not resemble each other so much in thought that there is
great danger of resulting monotony in its expression. However, should
the difficulty arise, the monotony may be broken up by a trifling
variation. Macaulay has done this well in the sentences quoted on page
186, beginning with the words, "For his sake empires had risen, and
flourished, and decayed," and continuing to the end of the paragraph.

Use of Connectives.

The third method of securing coherence in a sentence is by the use of
connectives. The skillful use of prepositions and conjunctions
indicates a master of words. The use of connectives has been discussed
when treating of emphasis secured by subdual of unimportant details.
Such parts are connected, and in a very definite way. The relations
are evident. Two examples will illustrate. The first group of
sentences are the fragments of but one of Irving's.

He did not look to the right or left. He did not notice the
scene. The scene was of rural wealth. He had often gloated
on this scene. He went straight to the stable. He kicked and
cuffed his steed several times, and so forth.

Now note the value of prepositions in giving these separate sentences
coherence.

"Without looking to the right or left to notice the scene of
rural wealth, on which he had so often gloated, he went
straight to the stable, and with several hearty cuffs and
kicks roused his steed most unceremoniously from the
comfortable quarters i