STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES.

A proper construction of sentences is of so great importance in every species of composition, that we cannot be too strict or minute in our attention to it.

Elegance of style requires us generally to avoid, many short or long sentences in succession; a monotonous correspondence of one member to another; and the commencing of a piece, section, or paragraph, with a long sentence.

The qualities most essential to a perfect sentence, are Unity, Clearness, Strength, and Harmony.

UNITY is an indispensable property of a correct sentence.  A sentence implies an arrangement of words in which only one proposition is expressed.  It may, indeed, consist of parts; but these parts ought to be so closely bound together, as to make on the mind the impression, not of many objects, but of only one.  In order to preserve this unity, the following rules may be useful.

1. In the course of the sentence, the scene should be changed as little as possible. In every sentence there is some leading or governing word, which, if possible, ought to be continued so from the beginning to the end of it.  The following sentence is not constructed according to this rule:  “After we came to anchor, they put me on shore, where I was saluted by all my friends, who received me with the greatest kindness.”  In this sentence, though the objects are sufficiently connected, yet, by shifting so frequently the place and the person, the vessel, the shore, we, they, I and who, they appear in so disunited a view, that the mind is led to wander for the sense.  The sentence is restored to its proper unity by constructing it thus:  “Having come to anchor, I was put on shore, where I was saluted by all my friends, who received me with the greatest kindness.”

2. Never crowd into one sentence things which have so little connexion, that they would bear to be divided into two or more sentences. The violation of this rule produces so unfavorable an effect, that it is safer to err rather by too many short sentences, than by one that is overloaded and confused.

3. Avoid all unnecessary parentheses.

CLEARNESS. Ambiguity, which is opposed to clearness, may arise from a bad choice, or a bad arrangement of words.

A leading rule in the arrangement of sentences, is, that those words or members most nearly related, should be placed in the sentence as near to each other as possible, so as thereby to make their mutual relation clearly appear. This rule ought to be observed,

1. In the position of adverbs. “By greatness,” says Mr. Addison, “I do not only mean the bulk of any single object, but the largeness of a whole view.”  The improper situation of the adverb only, in this sentence, renders it a limitation of the verb mean, whereas the author intended to have it qualify the phrase, a single object; thus, “By greatness, I do not mean the bulk of any single object only, but the largeness of a whole view.”