§ 14. COMBINATION OF CO-ORDINATE SENTENCES.-Use of the Semicolon.

When several statements are closely related to each other, it is often better to form them into one compound sentence, rather than to let each stand by itself as an independent sentence. Take the following as an example :—

(A) STATEMENTS PRESENTED SEPARATELY.

1. He [Plato] attended his beloved master during the trial. 2. He undertook to plead his cause.

3. Indeed, he began a speech which the violence of the judges would not allow him to continue.

4. He pressed his master to accept a sum of money sufficient to purchase his life.

(B) SAME STATEMENTS COMBINED SO AS TO FORM ONE COMPOUND SENTENCE.

"He attended his beloved master during the trial; undertook to plead his cause; indeed, began a speech which the violence of the judges would not allow him to continue; and pressed his master to accept a sum of money sufficient to purchase his life." (Lewes, Plato.)

A Semicolon is placed between the co-ordinate members of such a sentence.

$ 15. The young student has been advised (§_12) to avoid long sentences. But no writing is good, or pleasant to read, which consists exclusively of short ones. After

a number of short sentences, it is a relief to come upon a period of moderate length. On the other hand, after a complex sentence gathering up in itself a number of particulars, the occurrence of one or more simple statements of such a nature as to be at once apprehended, serves to prevent a feeling of tension and fatigue.

§ 16. Some of our older writers-as Hooker, Jeremy Taylor, Clarendon-often crowd so much into one period as to make it an effort to follow them. On the other hand some modern writers have run to the opposite extreme; chiefly from their aiming too much at picturesqueness and liveliness of style. There is a straining after effect, as if the writer were anxious that each separate point should "tell," and bent on stimulating the attention of the reader to the utmost.

The following graphic passages from one of our most brilliant modern writers may serve as favourable illus

trations of this style; although some injustice is done them in presenting them thus detached from their context:

"This war hastened the approach of the great constitutional crisis. It was necessary that the king should have a large military force. He could not have such a force without money. He could not legally raise money without the consent of Parliament." (Mac. H. E. i. 83.)

"The supply given by the representatives of the nation was collected. The promise by which that supply had been obtained was broken. A violent contest followed. The Parliament was dissolved with every mark of royal displeasure." (Ib. p. 86.)

"The national spirit swelled and rose high. The terms offered by the allies were firmly rejected. The dykes were opened. The whole country was turned into one great lake," &c. (Ib. p. 220.)

"On the 14th of April the king and his train proceeded to Omagh... The travellers had to pass several fords where the water was breast high. Some of the party fainted from fatigue and hunger. All around lay a frightful wilderness, In a journey of forty miles, Avaux counted only three miserable cabins. Everything else was rock, bog, and moor. When at length the travellers reached Omagh, they found it in ruins." (lb. ii. 185.)

"The direction of the siege [of Londonderry] was entrusted to Maumont. Richard Hamilton was second, and Pusignan third, in command. The operations now commenced in earnest. The besiegers began by battering the town. It was soon on fire in several places." (Ib. p. 197.)

"If he failed to appear by the appointed day, he was to be hanged, drawn, and quartered without a trial, and his property was to be confiscated. It might be physically impossible for him to deliver himself up within the time fixed by the Act. He might be bedridden. He might be in the West Indies. He might be in prison. Indeed there notoriously were such cases. Among the attainted Lords was Mountjoy," &c. (lb. p. 217.)

For some specimens of the extremely long periods. of a former stage of our literature, see pp. 144, foll. The transition from the one to the other is discussed, p. 153.

EXERCISE 14.

Combine the following groups of detached sentences, so as to make of each group a single period.

A. 1. The rain fell.

2. The wind blew.

3. The horses could scarcely make their way through the mud. 4. The horses could scarcely make their way in the face of the

storm.

5. The road was frequently intersected by torrents.

6. The torrents might almost be called rivers.

B. 1. He had been induced to trust himself at St. Germain.

2. He had been thrown into the Bastille.

3. He was still lying there.

C. 1. The love of letters was diffused over the whole extent of the empire.

2. The most northern tribes of Britain had acquired a taste for rhetoric.

3. Homer)

4. Virgil 5. Homer) 6. Virgil

7. Homer 8. Virgil

9. Homer 10. Virgil f

was transcribed on the banks of the Rhine.

was transcribed on the banks of the Danube.

was studied on the banks of the Rhine.

was studied on the banks of the Danube.

11. The most liberal rewards sought out the faintest glimmerings of literary merit.

D. 1. The soldiers were diligently instructed to march.
The soldiers were diligently instructed to run.

3. The soldiers were diligently instructed to leap.
4. The soldiers were diligently instructed to swim.

5. The soldiers were diligently instructed to carry heavy burdens.

6. They were instructed to perform a variety of evolutions.

7. They were instructed to move to the sound of flutes in the Pyrrhic or martial dance.

EXERCISE 15.

(To be worked as preceding.)

E. 1. In the midst of the camp, the prætorium or general's quarters rose above the others.

2. The cavalry occupied its station.

3. The infantry occupied its station.

4. The auxiliaries occupied their station. [In combining these three sentences, use the adjective respective."]

5. The streets were broad and perfectly straight.

6. A vacant space of two hundred feet was left on all sides, between the tents and the rampart.

F. 1. In his camp the general exercised an absolute power of life and death.

2. The general's jurisdiction was not confined by any forms of trial.

3. It was not confined by rules of proceeding.

4. The execution of the sentence was immediate.

5. The execution of the sentence was without appeal.

G. 1. Augustus permitted indeed some of the provincial cities to erect temples to his honour.

2. Augustus tolerated private superstition, of which he might be

the object."

C

3. Augustus contented himself with being revered by the senate and the people in his human character.

4. He wisely left to his successor the care of his public deification.

H. 1. The slingers skirmished in front.

2. The archers skirmished in front.

3. The auxiliaries formed the first line.

4. The cavalry covered the flanks.

5. The military engines were placed in the rear.

I. 1. The empire was above two thousand miles in breadth. 2. The empire extended in length more than three thousand miles from the Western Ocean to the Euphrates.

3. The empire was situated in the finest part of the temperate

zone.

4. It was supposed to contain above 600,000 square miles.

5. The land was for the most part fertile.

6. The land was for the most part well cultivated.

K. 1. Virgil was a native of Mantua.

2. Horace was inclined to doubt whether he should call himself an Apulian.

3. Horace was inclined to doubt whether he should call himself

a Lucanian.

4. It was in Padua that an historian was found worthy to record the majestic series of Roman victories.

L. 1. The name of poet was almost forgotten.

2. The name of orator was usurped or the sophists.

3. A cloud of critics, of compilers, of commentators darkened the face of learning.

4. The decline of genius was soon followed by the corruption of taste.

EXERCISE 16.

(As preceding.)

M. 1. In their manners the colonies formed a perfect representation of their great parent.

2. In their internal policy the colonies formed a perfect representation of their great parent.

3. The colonies were soon endeared to the natives by the ties of friendship.

4. They were soon endeared to the natives by the ties of alliance. 5. The colonies effectually diffused a reverence for the Roman

name.

N. 1. The adventurers took no thought for the morrow. 2. The adventurers carried no provisions with them.

3. They rushed recklessly into dangers.

4. They rushed recklessly into difficulties.

5. A little forethought would have avoided those dangers.

6. A little forethought would have avoided those difficulties.

O. 1. In every society some men are born to teach.

2. In every society some men are born to receive instruction.

3. Some are born to work.

4. Other men are born to enjoy in idleness the fruits of their

industry.

5. Some men are born to govern.

6. Other men are born to obey.

P. 1. They accepted the challenge, confident of success.

2. The eclipse began.

3. The Chinese produced a most splendid apparatus.

4. The Chinese were fifteen minutes wrong.

5. The missionary with a single instrument was right to a second.

Q. 1. One gentleman was branded in general terms as a bad man. 2. Another was reproached for wanting good nature.

3. A third was accused of free-thinking,

4. A fourth was accused of having once been a player.

R. 1. The clock strikes two.

2. The expiring taper rises in the socket.

3. The expiring taper sinks in the socket.

4. The watchman forgets the hour in slumber. 5. The laborious are at rest.

6. The happy are at rest.

7. Nothing wakes [but]-
8. Meditation wakes.
9. Guilt wakes.

10. Revelry wakes.

11. Despair wakes.

S. 1. Rebecca followed the directions of Ivanhoe.

2. Rebecca availed herself of a large ancient shield.

3. She placed the shield against the lower part of the window. 4. She could witness part of what was passing with tolerable security to herself.

5. The assailants were making preparations for the storm. 6. She could report to Ivanhoe the preparations.

T. 1. William Penn was the son of an admiral.

2. This admiral had gained victories for England.

3. He had enjoyed the favour of the royal family.

4. He had enjoyed the favour of the eminent statesmen of the time.

U. 1. A picture of the outer world is painted within our eyes by the pencil of the sun.

2. The picture is painted on the white curtain at the back of the

eye.

3. The picture impresses us for a moment.

4. The black curtain then absorbs the picture.

5. The black curtain blots out the picture.

6. The sun paints a new picture.

7. The new picture in its turn is blotted out.

8. This process goes on all the day long.

[See also Additional Exercises, p. 183.]