the arrangement leads to a wrong sense, and one where the sense is left doubtful. The first, being the more culpable, shall take the lead, beginning with examples of words put in a wrong place. How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe merely from the influence which an ordinary presence has over men. Characteristics, Vol. I. p. 7. This arrangement leads to a wrong sense: the adverb merely seems by its position to affect the preceding word; whereas it is intended to affect the following words, an ordinary presence; and there'fore the arrangement ought to be thus: How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe from the influence which an ordinary presence merely has over men. [Or, better]-which even an ordinary presence has over men. The time of the election of a poet-lauréat being now at hand, it may be proper to give some account of the rites and ceremonies anciently used at that solemnity, and only discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy of later times. Guardian. The term only is intended to qualify the noun degeneracy, and not the participle discontinued; and therefore the arrangement ought to be as follows: and discontinged through the neglect and degeneracy only of later times. Sixtus the Fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books at least. Letters on History, Vol. I. let vi. Bolingbroke. The expression here leads evidently to a wrong sense; the adverb at least, ought not to be connected with the substantive books, but with collector, thus: Sixtus the Fourth was a great collector at least of books. If he was not the greatest king, he was the best actor of majesty at least, that ever filled a throne. Ibid. Letter vii. Better thus: If he was not the greatest king, he was at least the best actor of majesty, &c. This arrangement removes the wrong sense occasioned by the juxtaposition of majesty and at least. The following examples are of a wrong arrangement of members. I have confined myself to those methods for the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince limited like ours by a strict execution of the laws. Swift. A project for the advancement of religion. The structure of this period leads to a meaning which is not the author's, viz. power limited by a strict execution of the laws. That wrong sense is removed by the following arrangement: I have confined myself to those methods for the advancement of piety, which, by a strict execution of the laws, are in the power of a prince limited like ours. This morning, when one of Lady Lizard's daughters was looking over some hoods and ribands brought by her tirewoman, with great care and diligence, I employed no less in examining the box which contained them. Guardian, No. 4. The wrong sense occasioned by this arrangement, may be easily prevented by varying it thus: This morning when, with great care and diligence, one of Lady Lizard's daughters was looking over some hoods and ribands, &c. A great stone that I happened to find after a long search by the sea-shore, served me for an anchor. Gulliver's Travels. Part I. Chap. viii. One would think that the search was confined to the sea-shore; but as the meaning is, that the great stone was found by the sea-shore, the period ought to be arranged thus: VOL. II. 6+ A great stone, that, after a long search, I happened to find by the sea-shore served me for an anchor. Next of a wrong arrangement where the sense is left doubtful; beginning, as in the former sort, with examples of wrong arrangement of words in a member. These forms of conversation by degrees multiplied and grew troublesome. Spectator, No. 119. Here it is left doubtful whether the modification by degrees relates to the preceding member or to what follows: it should be, 永 These forms of conversation multiplied by degrees. Nor does this false modesty expose us only to such actions as are indiscreet, but very often to such as are highly criminal. Spectator, No. 458. The ambiguity is removed by the following arrangement: Nor does this false modesty expose us to such actions only as are indiscreet, &c. The empire of Blefuscu is an island situated to the north-east side of Lilliput, from whence it is parted only by a channel of 800 yards wide. Gulliver's Travels, Part I. Chap. v. The ambiguity may be removed thus: wide only. -from whence it is parted by a channel of 800 yards In the following examples the sense is left doubtful by wrong arrangement of members. The minister who grows less by his elevation, like a little statue placed on a mighty pedestal, will always have his jealousy strong about him. Dissertation upon Parties, Dedication. Bolingbroke. Here, as far as can be gathered from the arrangement, it is doubtful, whether the object introduced by way of simile, relate to what goes before or to what follows: the ambiguity is removed by the following arrangement: The minister, who, like a little statue placed on a mighty pedestal, grows less by his elevation, will always, &c. Since this is too much to ask of freemen, nay of slaves, if his expectation be not answered, shall he form a lasting division upon such transient motives? Better thus: Ibid. Since this is too much to ask of freemen, nay of slaves, shall he, if his expectations be not answered, form, &c. Speaking of the superstitious practice of locking up the room where a person of distinction dies: The knight, seeing his habitation reduced to so small a compass, and himself in a manner shut out of his own house, upon the death of his mother, ordered all the apartments to be flang open, and exorcised by his chaplain. Spectator, No. 110. Better thus; The knight, seeing his habitation reduced to so small a compass, and himself in a manner shut out of his own house, ordered, upon the death of his mother, all the apartments to be flung open. Speaking of some indecencies in conversation: As it is impossible for such an irrational way of conversation to last long among a people that make any profession of religion, or show of modesty, if the country gentlemen get into it, they will certainly be left in the lurch. Spectator, No. 119. The ambiguity vanishes in the following arrangement: -the country gentlemen, if they get into it, will cer tainly be left in the lurch. Speaking of a discovery in natural philosophy, that colour is not a quality of matter: As this is a truth which has been proved incontestibly by many modern philosophers, and is indeed one of the finest speculations in that science, if the English reader would see the notion explained at large, he may find it in the eighth chapter of the second book of Mr. Locke's essay on human understanding. Better thus: Spectator, No. 413. As this is a truth, &c. the English reader, if he would see the notion explained at large, may find it, &c. A woman seldom asks advice before she has bought her wedding-clothes. When she has made her own choice, for form's sake, she sends a conge d'elire to her friends. Ibid. No. 475. Better thus: -she sends, for form's sake, a conge d'elire to her friends. And since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage. Gulliver's Travels, part 1. chap. vi. Better thus: And since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, the họnest dealer, where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it, is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage. From these examples, the following observation will occur, that a circumstance ought never to be placed between two capital members of a period; for by such situation it must always be doubtful, as far as we gather from the arrangement, to which of the two members it belongs: where it is interjected, as it ought to be, between parts of the member to which it belongs, the ambiguity is removed, and the capital members are kept distinct, which |