CHAPTER III. 181 4. Acquire a variety of words, a copia verborum; let your memory he rich in synonymous terms or words, expressing the saine happy 'effect with the variation'of the same thing this will not only attain the phrases in the foregoing direction, but it will add a beauty also to your style, by securing you from an appear- ance of tautology, or repeating the saine words too often, which sometimes may disgust the ear of the learner. b. Learn the art of shortening your sentences, by dividing a long complicated period into two or three small ones. When others connect and join two or three sentences in one by relative pronouns, as which, whereof, wherein, whereto, &c. and by pa- rentheses frequently inserted ; do you rather divide them into distinct periods, or at least if theymust be united, let it be done rather by conjunctions and copulatives, that they may appear like distinct sentences, and give lessconfusion to the hearer or reader. I know no method so effectual to learn what I mean, as to take now and then some page of an author, who is guilty Of such a long involved parenthetical style, and translate it into plainer English, by dividing the ideas or the sentences asunder, and multiplying the periods, till the language become smooth and easy, and intelligible at first reading. 6. Talk frequently to young and ignorant persons, upon such subjects which are new and unknown to them; and be di- ligent to enquire whether they understand you or no; this will put you upon changing your phrases and forms of speech in a variety till you can hit their capacity, and convey your ideas into their understandings. =1111.1M. CHAP. III. Of Convincing other Persons of any Truth ; or delivering them from Errors and Mistakes. WHEN we are arrived at a just and rational establishment in an opinion, whether it relate to religion or common life, we are naturally desirous of bringing all the world into our senti- ments ; and this proceeds from the affectation and pride of supe- rior influence upon the judgment of our fellow-creatures, much more frequently than it does from a sense of duty or loveto truth, so vicious and corrupt is human nature. Yet there is such a thing to be found as an honest and sincere delight in propagating truth, arising from a dutiful regard to the honour of our Maker, and an hearty love to mankind. Now if we would be suc- cessful in our attempts to convince men of their errors, and to promote the truth, let us divest ourselves as far as possible of that pride and affectation, which I mentioned before, and seek to acquire that disinterested love to ,men and zeal for m 3
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