Priestley's Gram._, p. 81. Better: "The pronouns are considered
separately, because there is something peculiar in their inflections."

PRECEPT II.--Place the most important words in the situation in which they
will make the strongest impression. Inversion of terms sometimes increases
the strength and vivacity of an expression: as, "All these things will I
give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."--_Matt._, iv, 9.
"Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgements."--_Psalms_,
cxix, 137. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his
saints."--_Ps._, cxvi, 15.

PRECEPT III.--Have regard also to the relative position of clauses, or
members; for a weaker assertion should not follow a stronger; and, when the
sentence consists of two members, the longer should be the concluding one.
Example: "We flatter ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken our
passions, when they have forsaken us." Better: "When our passions have
forsaken us, we flatter ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken
them."--See _Blair's Rhet._, p. 117; _Murray's Gram._, p. 323.

PRECEPT IV.--When things are to be compared or contrasted, their
resemblance or opposition will be rendered more striking, if a pretty near
resemblance in the language and construction of the two members, be
preserved. Example: "The wise man is happy, when he gains his own
approbation; the fool, when he recommends himself to the applause of those
about him." Better: "The wise man is happy, when he gains his own
approbation; the fool, when he gains the applause of others."--See
_Murray's Gram._, p. 324.

PRECEPT V.--Remember that it is, in general, ungraceful to end a sentence
with an adverb, a preposition, or any inconsiderable word or phrase, which
may either be omitted or be introduced earlier. "For instance, it is a
great deal better to say, 'Avarice is a crime of which wise men are often
guilty,' than to say, 'Avarice is a crime which wise men are often guilty
of.'"--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 117; _Murray's Gram._, p. 323.

END OF THE THIRD APPENDIX.

APPENDIX IV.

TO PART FOURTH, OR PROSODY.

OF POETIC DICTION.

Poetry, as defined by Dr. Blair, "is the language of passion, or of
enlivened imagination, formed, most commonly, into regular
numbers."--_Rhet._, p. 377. The style of poetry differs, in many respects,
from that which is commonly adopted in prose. Poetic diction abounds in
bold figures of speech, and unusual collocations