"Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
lie in three words—health, peace, and competence;
but health consists with temperance alone,
and peace, O Virtue! peace is all thy own."
Pope's Essay on Man, a fine London Edition.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the last three lines of this example begin with small letters. But, according to Rule 18th, "Every line in poetry, except what is regarded as making but one verse with the preceding line, should begin with a capital." Therefore, the words, "Lie," "But," and "And," at the commencement of these lines, should severally begin with the capitals L, B, and A.]
"Observe the language well in all you write, and swerve not from it in your loftiest flight. The smoothest verse and the exactest sense displease us, if ill English give offence: a barbarous phrase no reader can approve; nor bombast, noise, or affectation love. In short, without pure language, what you write can never yield us profit or delight. Take time for thinking, never work in haste; and value not yourself for writing fast." See Dryden's Art of Poetry:—British Poets, Vol. iii, p. 74.
UNDER RULE XIV.—OF EXAMPLES.
"The word rather is very properly used to express a small degree or excess of a quality: as, 'she is rather profuse in her expenses.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 47.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word she begins with a small letter.
But, according to Rule 14th, "The first word of a full example, of a
distinct speech, or of a direct quotation, should begin with a capital."
Therefore, the word "She" should here begin with a capital S.]
"Neither imports not either; that is, not one nor the other: as, 'neither of my friends was there.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 56. "When we say, 'he is a tall man,' 'this is a fair day,' we make some reference to the ordinary size of men, and to different weather."—Ib., p. 47. "We more readily say, 'A million of men,' than 'a thousand of men.'"—Ib., p. 169. "So in the instances, 'two and two are four;' 'the fifth and sixth volumes will complete the set of books.'"—Ib., p. 124. "The adjective may frequently either precede or follow it [the verb]: as, 'the man is happy;' or, 'happy is the man:' 'The interview was delightful;' or, 'delightful was the interview.'"—Ib., p. 168. "If we say, 'he writes a pen,' 'they ran the river, 'the tower fell the Greeks,' 'Lambeth is Westminster-abbey,' [we speak absurdly;] and, it is evident, there is a vacancy which must be filled up by some connecting word: as thus, 'He writes with a pen;' 'they ran towards the river;' 'the tower fell upon the Greeks;' 'Lambeth is over against Westminster-abbey.'"—Ib., p. 118. "Let me repeat it;—he only is great, who has the habits of greatness."—Murray's Key, 241. "I say not unto thee, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven."—See Matt., xviii, 22.
"The Panther smil'd at this; and when, said she,
Were those first councils disallow'd by me?"—Dryden, p. 95.
UNDER RULE XV.—OF CHIEF WORDS.
"The supreme council of the nation is called the divan."—Balbi's Geog., p. 360.