In Chapters I.-IV. the scholar is initiated into the construction and combination of sentences-under which head a great variety of practical exercises will be found.

In Chapter V. it is sought to extend his resources of expression by accustoming him to vary both the structure and the phraseology of sentences.

In Chapter VI. what can advantageously be taught to boys and girls respecting style is presented in a form which the author hopes will be found both fresh and fruitful.

Chapter VII. deals with the composition of Themes and Essays, on models adapted to a fair estimate of the pupil's capacity.

Chapter VIII. presents a summary of Prosody and Versification. It has seemed to the writer that there is room for a school manual of prose composition of medium size, arranged on a simple and natural plan, and designed, not to teach the theory of style and criticism, but to give school-children between the ages of twelve and sixteen a fair mastery of the art of writing good English, for the ordinary uses of life. Such he has endeavored to make the present book.

The acknowledgments of the author are due to the following works: English Prose Composition, by JAMES CURRIE; Cornwall's Young Composer; Dalgleish's English Composition; Armstrong's English Composition.

WILLIAM SWINTON.

NOTE TO REVISED EDITION.

The need for a new set of electrotype plates arising, the author has availed himself of the opportunity to make a thorough revision of this work, and to add the chapter (VIII.) on Prosody and Versification.

September, 1877.

W. S.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER

CONTENTS.

PAGE

1

I. THE SIMPLE SENTENCE.

I. NATURE OF THE SIMPLE SENTENCE.

II. PUNCTUATION OF THE SIMPLE SENTENCE.

III. SYNTHESIS OF THE SIMPLE SENTENCE..

II. THE COMPLEX SENTENCE..

I. NATURE OF THE COMPLEX SENTENCE.

II. PUNCTUATION OF THE COMPLEX SENTENCE.

III. SYNTHESIS OF THE COMPLEX SENTENCE.

III. THE COMPOUND SENTENCE..

.....

I. NATURE OF THE CCMPOUND SENTENCE.

II. CONTRACTED COMPOUND SENTENCES.

III. PUNCTUATION OF COMPOUND SENTENCES..

IV. SYNTHESIS OF COMPOUND SENTENCES.

IV. CONVERSION AND COMBINATION OF SENTENCES.

I. EXPANSION OF SENTENCES.

II. CONTRACTION OF SENTENCES.

III. COMBINATION OF SENTENCES.

V. VARIETY OF EXPRESSION....

I. VARIATION IN ARRANGEMENT AND STRUCTURE.

II. VARIATION OF PHRASEOLOGY..

VI. ON STYLE...

I. CHOICE OF WORDS.

II. CONSTRUCTION..

III. FIGURES OF LANGUAGE..

VII. THEMES AND ESSAYS.

I. STRUCTURE OF PARAGRAPHS..

II. THEMES..

III. ESSAYS.

VIII. PROSODY AND VERSIFICATION...

ENGLISH COMPOSITION.

INTRODUCTION.

1. Composition (that is, literary composition) is the art of expressing thought by means of language.

I. The art of composition is regulated by the principles of rhetoric, or the science of the expression of thought. "Rhetoric," says Bain, "discusses the means whereby language, spoken or written, may be rendered effective."

II. Rhetoric cannot supply us with thoughts. These must originate in the mind itself, by the operation, conscious or unconscious, of the intellectual faculties. But when we have thoughts which we wish to put forth, rhetorical art instructs us in the best method of expressing and arranging them-in other words, of giving them literary form.

2. Sentence, Paragraph, Discourse. The expression of a single complete thought is a sentence.

The expression of a connected series of thoughts (or “train of thought") is effected by means of a series of sentences, forming a paragraph.

The development of a whole subject constitutes discourse, written or spoken, in one or other of its manifold forms.

The most general division of discourse in its largest sense gives two forms of composition: I. COMPOSITION IN PROSE. II. COMPOSITION IN VERSE. Prose composition assumes a great variety

of forms-from the fugitive newspaper article to the elaborate scientific or historical treatise; so, also, verse ranges from the song to the epic.

3. The forms of discourse which will be considered in this book are those of, (1) the composition; (2) the theme; and (3) the essay.

In beginning the work of composition - writing the following points are to be noted:

Terminal Marks.-1. Use a period (.) at the end of a declarative or an imperative sentence; a point of interrogation (?) at the end of an interrogative sentence; and a point of exclamation (!) at the end of an an exclamative sentence.

2. A period is used after every abbreviation: as, "G. Washington;" "C. O. D."

3. A period is used after a title or heading, and after an address or a signature: as, "Milton's Paradise Lost." "Chapter III." "A. T. Stewart, Broadway, New York."

Capitals. A capital letter should begin

1. The first word of every sentence.
2. The first word of every line of poetry.
8. The first word of every direct quotation.
4. All proper nouns and proper adjectives.
5. Names of things personified.

6. Names of the days of the week, and of the months of the year;
but not of the seasons.

7. All words used as titles, or particular names.

8. Names of the Supreme Being.

9. The pronoun I, the interjection O, and single letters forming abbreviations should be capitals.