p. 166. "Double Comparatives and [_Double_] Superlatives should
be avoided."--_Fowler's E. Gram._, 1850, p. 489.

PRECEPT IV.--Avoid the pedantic and sense-dimming style of charlatans and
new theorists, which often demands either a translation or a tedious study,
to make it at all intelligible to the ordinary reader. For example: "RULE
XL Part 3. An intransitive or receptive _asserter_ in the unlimited mode,
depending on a word in the possessive case, may have, after it, a word in
the subjective case, denoting the same thing: And, when it acts the part of
an assertive name, depending on a relative, it may have after it a word in
the subjective case. EXAMPLES:--John's being my _friend_, saved me from
inconvenience. Seth Hamilton was unhappy in being a _slave_ to party
prejudice."--_O. B. Peirce's Gram._, 1839, p. 201. The meaning of this
_third part of a Rule_ of syntax, is, in proper English, as follows: "A
participle not transitive, with the possessive case before it, may have
after it a nominative denoting the same thing; and also, when a preposition
governs the participle, a nominative may follow, in agreement with one
which precedes." In doctrine, the former clause of the sentence is
erroneous: it serves only to propagate false syntax by rule. See the former
example, and a note of mine, referring to it, on page 531 of this work.

SECTION V.--OF UNITY.

Unity consists in avoiding needless pauses, and keeping one object
predominant throughout a sentence or paragraph. Every sentence, whether its
parts be few or many, requires strict unity. The chief faults, opposite to
this quality of style, are suggested in the following precepts. PRECEPT
I.--Avoid brokenness, hitching, or the unnecessary separation of parts that
naturally come together. Examples: "I was, soon after my arrival, taken out
of my Indian habit."--_Addison, Tattler_, No. 249. Better: "Soon after my
arrival, _I_ was taken out of my Indian habit."--_Churchill's Gram._, p.
326. "Who can, either in opposition, or in the ministry, act alone?"--_Ib._
Better: "Who can act alone, either in opposition, or in the
ministry?"--_Ib._ "I, like others, have, in my youth, trifled with my
health, and old age now prematurely assails me."--_Ib._, p. 327. Better:
"Like others, I have trifled with my health, and old age now prematurely
assails me."

PRECEPT II.--Treat different topics in separate paragraphs, and distinct
sentiments in separate sentences. Error: "The two vo