PART III-OBJECTIVE PROPERTIES.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL VIEW.

§ 306. THE OBJECTIVE PROPERTIES of style are those which are determined to discourse by a regard to the effect on the mind addressed. § 244.

The objective properties presuppose the other two classes of properties, and are founded, in part at least, upon them. They differ, sometimes, only in degree; as clearness, which is an objective property, may often be only significance in a higher degree, which is a suggestive property. Energy, also, another objective property, presupposes harmony, an absolute property, as well as others of that class. But it may be necessary, however, for the sake of effect, often to regard those other classes of properties more than would otherwise be required by any consideration of the nature of style.

But this objective use of language, for effect on other minds, requires some characteristics of style that are distinguished from the absolute and subjective properties, not in degree merely, but also in kind. Many of the figures of speech, so called, for instance, are of this character.

The circumstance that the subjective properties presuppose those of the other classes and are founded, in part upon

them will account for the fact that, in some cases, the consideration of the same property may belong in common to different parts of rhetoric.* There is, notwithstanding, an obvious and radical distinction between the three different classes.

§ 307. The objective properties are, all, in their nature relative, and must vary with the various character of the mind addressed.

It is hardly necessary to advance any formal illustrations of the truth of this proposition. What is clear to one mind may be obscure to another. What is impressive and beautiful to one, may be dull and dry to another.

It is still to be observed that all minds have common properties; and there are laws applicable to all alike, which control the exercises of the intellect, the feelings, and the taste. There are, consequently, principles of style which are founded on the general and invariable character of the human mind. Those characteristics which render a discourse clear to one mind will, to a certain extent, be requisite to make it so to every other mind.

§ 308. The objective properties of style are CLEARNESS, ENERGY, and ELEGANCE.

It is obvious that in order to affect another mind to the highest degree by discourse, it must not only contain thought, be significant, but, also, be susceptible of ready interpretation. It must be clear.

In order, farther, to a vivid effect upon the intellect and feelings, discourse must bear on its face the character of life

It may be proper to remark here, that in order to avoid unneces sary repetition, some observations are made under one class of properties which might properly fall under another.

and vigor. The thought must be addressed in lively, glowing language. Discourse must be energetic.

Once more, the same end of discourse cannot well be effected without regard to the aesthetic properties of the mind; in other words, without regarding the taste of those addressed. Discourse must be elegant.

These three properties are all which a consideration of the effect of discourse requires in style. exclusive of those which the nature of language and the mental condition of the speaker impose.

$ 309. Of the three objective properties of style, clearness is, in order of importance, the first and most indispensable; energy is next in importance; and elegance last and lowest.

Clearness is most indispensable, since if discourse is not understood, it can not be felt. Just so far as it is unintelligible, it fails of its very end. Wherever, therefore, clearness comes into collision with energy, it should have the precedence. But yet, as clearness is a property that admits of degrees, and what is slightly obscure may be still intelligible although only with effort, a high degree of energy may sometimes be properly preferred to a slightly increased degree of clearness.

Farther, energy must be obviously regarded, in all proper oratory, as of superior importance to elegance; while, at the same time, it may be expedient to sacrifice a little energy to gain a high degree of beauty.

The character of discourse will, however, affect the relative properties. In explanatory discourse, where the object is to inform, clearness is decidedly the ruling property; and its claims far outweigh all others. In conviction, energy rises relatively in importance, and may properly require

some sacrifice of clearness. Still more is this the case in excitation and persuasion. Passion, here, sometimes triumphs over reason; and sympathy outruns argument. Wherever, again, vehement feeling enters into discourse, energy should strongly prevail over mere elegance. On the other hand, in gentle excitement of feeling, elegance is eleva ted, relatively, to a higher rank.

CHAPTER II.

OF CLEARNESS.

$310. CLEARNESS in style requires that the thought be so presented that the mind addressed shall apprehend it readily and without labor.

It is not enough that the speaker himself readily appre hend the thought, or that the discourse be clear to himself; or that it may be readily intelligible to a certain class of minds. Clearness, as a relative property of style, § 307, requires that the particular mind addressed be regarded, and that care be taken to adapt the discourse to its capacity of apprehension.

Nor, farther, is it enough that even the mind addressed may, on sufficient study and reflection, be able to make out the sense. The discourse, says Quintilian, should enter the mind, as the sun the eye, even although not intently fixed upon it; so that pains are necessary not merely that the hearer may be able to understand it, but that he can in no way fail to understand it.*

* Ut in animum ejus oratio, ut sol in oculos, etiamsi in eam non intendatur, incurrat. Quare non, ut intelligere possit, sed ne omnino possit non intelligere, curandum.-Orat. Inst. III. 2,23 24

§ 311. Clearness depends on a right consideration of three different things in discourse, viz: 1. The kind of words employed;

2. The representative imagery; and

3. The structure of the sentence.

§ 312. The kinds of words to be preferred for the sake of securing clearness, are

1. Such as are grammatical in opposition to barbarisms;

2. Anglo Saxon words;

3. Such as are not equivocal or ambiguous; and 4. Simple and specific in distinction from the more generic.

All the varieties of barbarisms enumerated in § 289, are to the popular mind generally obscure or unintelligible, just so far as not in use. It should be remarked, however, that whether barbarisms are clear or otherwise to a particular mind, depends on the circumstance of its having been familiar with them or not. To the scholar, archaisms are not always obscure; nor to the man versed in a particular art or science, are the technicalities of that art obscure. They may be to him, indeed, the clearest of all classes of words. But so far as discourse is intended for the popular mind generally, all barbarisms should, for the sake of clearness, be avoided.

When, on the other hand,. the discourse is addressed to a particular class of minds, the words more familiar to that class are preferable as conducive to clearness. An address to sailors may, thus, consistently with clearness, abound with nautical terms.

The following sentences are faulty in respect to the use of this species of words.