without their knowing it, and dictate to them while you seem to be directed by them. Those necessary connections can never be formed or preserved but by an uninterrupted series of complaisance, attentions, politeness, and some constraint. You must engage their hearts if you would have their support; you must watch the mollia tempora, and captivate them by the agréments and charms of conversation. People will not be called out to your service only when you want them; and if you expect to receive strength from them, they must receive either pleasure or advantage from you.

I received in this instant a letter from Mr. Harte of the 2d, N.S., which I will answer soon; in the meantime, I return him my thanks for it through you. The constant good accounts which he gives me of you will make me suspect him of partiality, and think him le médecin tant mieux. Consider, therefore, what weight any future deposition of his against you must necessarily have with me. As, in that case, he will be a very unwilling, he must consequently be a very important witness. Adieu.

EXERCISE XXXI. EXAMPLE 34.

THE COMPLETE FINE GENTLEMAN.

Lord Chesterfield's famous 'Letters' have little of music in their Diction. They are chiefly valuable— apart from their sentiments and precepts-to the student as a storehouse of eighteenth century phrase and idiom. Let the pupil, as before, carefully study the Diction, and make his selections of word and phrase. An understanding of the punctilious eighteenth century mode makes an excellent antidote to the modern careless, slipshod habit.

EXAMPLE 35

DOCTOR JOHNSON TO LORD CHESTERFIELD.

Samuel Johnson. (1709-1784.)

Doctor Johnson to Lord Chesterfield upon my lord's recommendation of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary.

MY LORD,-I have lately been informed by the proprietor of The World that two papers, in which my dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your lordship To be so distinguished is an honour which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge.

When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of your address, and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre, that I might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little encouraged that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When once I had addressed your lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.

Seven years, my lord, have now passed since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it at last to the verge of publication without one fact of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before.

The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.

Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached the ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations when no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron which Providence has enabled me to do for myself.

Having carried my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have long been wakened from that dream of hope in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, my lord, your lordship's most humble, most obedient servant, SAMUEL JOHNSON.

EXERCISE XXXII. EXAMPLE 35.

DOCTOR JOHNSON TO LORD CHESTERFIELD.

Doctor Johnson, the great exemplar of English letters in the eighteenth century, uses what has been called the Balanced Sentence, with great effect. A little study of the Example will show how this particular form of sentence-which has passed into the language-is constructed. Reverse the order in which the words are placed, or rearrange them, and the device becomes apparent. The use of the Balanced form gives a certain emphasis and formal rhythm to the deliberate procession of the sentences.

EXAMPLE 36

Let the pupil paraphrase the Example, expressing its sentiments with due effect in his own words, with a different construction of sentence and paragraph. Let him also note particular words and phrases as before.

LORD BYRON TO MR. BERNARD BARTON.

George Gordon, Lord Byron. (1788-1824.)

The Works of Lord Byron: Vol. ii. : Letters and Journals, p. 123.

TO BERNARD BARTON.

NO. 238.

8 St. James's St., June 1, 1812. THE most satisfactory answer to the concluding part of your letter is that Mr. Murray will republish your volume, if you still retain your inclination for the experiment, which I trust will be successful. Some weeks ago my friend Mr. Rogers showed me some of the stanzas in MS., and I then expressed my opinion of their merit, which a further perusal of the printed volume has given me no reason to revoke. I mention this, as it may not be disagreeable to you to learn that I entertained a very favourable opinion of your powers, before I was aware that such sentiments were reciprocal.

Waiving your obliging expressions as to my own productions, for which I thank you very sincerely, and assure you that I think not lightly of the praise of one whose approbation is valuable, will you allow me to talk to you candidly, not critically, on the subject of yours? You will not suspect me of a wish to discourage, since I pointed out to the publisher the propriety of complying with your wishes. I think more highly of your poetical talents than it would, perhaps, gratify you to hear expressed; for I

believe, from what I observe of your mind, that you are above flattery. To come to the point, you deserve success, but we know, before Addison wrote his Cato, that desert does not always command it. But suppose it attained,—

'You know what ills the author's life assail,

Toil, envy, want, the patron and the jail.'

Do not renounce writing, but never trust entirely to authorship. If you have a possession, retain it; it will be, like Prior's fellowship, a last and sure resource. Compare Mr. Rogers with other authors of the day; assuredly he is amongst the first of living poets, but is it to that he owes his station in society, and his intimacy in the best circles? No, it is to his prudence and respectability; the world (a bad one, I own) courts him because he has no occasion to court it. He is a poet, nor is he less so because he was something more. I am not sorry to hear that you are not tempted by the vicinity of Capel Loft, Esqre, though, if he had done for you what he has for the Bloomfields, I should never have laughed at his rage for patronising. But a truly constituted mind will ever be independent. That you may be so is my sincere wish, and, if others think as well of your poetry as I do, you will have no cause to complain of your readers. Believe me, etc.

EXERCISE XXXIII. EXAMPLE 36.

LORD BYRON TO MR. BERNARD BARTON.

An admirable example of a later development of the eighteenth century style, as courtly, dignified, easy, and direct, as the diction of a very great writer should be. Let the pupil paraphrase the Example, and note words and phrases as before.