_a favour_, that I
confess I had expected." See (38).

*11. Use particular for general terms.*--This is a most important
rule. Instead of "I have neither the necessaries of life nor the means
of procuring them," write (if you can _with truth_), "I have not a
crust of bread, nor a penny to buy one."

CAUTION.--There is a danger in this use. The meaning is vividly
expressed but sometimes may be exaggerated or imperfect. _Crust of
bread_ may be an exaggeration; on the other hand, if the speaker is
destitute not only of bread, but also of shelter and clothing, then
_crust of bread_ is an imperfect expression of the meaning.

In philosophy and science, where the language ought very often to be
inclusive and brief, general and not particular terms must be used.

*11 a. Avoid Verbal Nouns where Verbs can be used instead.* The
disadvantage of the use of Verbal Nouns is this, that, unless they are
immediately preceded by prepositions, they are sometimes liable to be
confounded with participles. The following is an instance of an
excessive use of Verbal Nouns:

"The pretended confession of the secretary was only collusion to lay
the jealousies of the king's _favouring_ popery, which still hung upon
him, notwithstanding his _writing_ on the Revelation, and _affecting_
to enter on all occasions into controversy, _asserting_ in particular
that the Pope was Antichrist."

Write "notwithstanding that he wrote and affected &c."

*12. Use a particular Person instead of a class.*

"What is the splendour of _the greatest monarch_ compared with the
beauty of _a flower_?" "What is the splendour of Solomon compared with
the beauty of a daisy?"

Under this head may come the forcible use of Noun for Adjective: "This
fortress is _weakness_ itself."

An excess of this use is lengthy and pedantically bombastic, _e.g._,
the following paraphrase for "in every British colony:"--"under Indian
palm-groves, amid Australian gum-trees, in the shadow of African
mimosas, and beneath Canadian pines."

*13. Use Metaphor instead of literal statement.*

"The ship _ploughs_ the sea" is clearer than "the ship _cleaves_ the
sea," and shorter than "the ship _cleaves_ the sea _as a plough
cleaves the land_."

Of course there are some subjects for which Metaphor should not be
used. See (14 _a_) and (14 _b_).

*14. Do not confuse Metaphor.*

"In a moment the thunderbolt was upon them, _deluging_ their country
with invaders."

The followi