no fooner is there mention made of the name, than that easily follows in a natural order; which, I believe, adds confiderably to the work. Thirdly, I have taken care to separate the example from the rule; becaufe boys are often apt to lay an equal stress on every word contained in the rule; and generally want judgment to diftinguish betwixt that and the example that illuftrates it. Befides, it does not feem to me fo proper to give the English in verfe; because the measure must require fome words to which the rule adds no weight in that particular circumstance: whereas in this Scheme, I have chofen fuch examples, as I thought most proper, eafy and familiar, and beft adapted to the defign of the Figure; without adding one word more than was abfolutely neceffary to complete the fenfe. Fourthly, because the names of the Figures, ex cepting very few, are Greek words, and confequently cannot excite in their minds the proper ideas affix ed to them, without a tolerable acquaintance with the original; I thought it would be very necessary to tranflate them into English, and alfo to give their derivations from the Greek; that the young student may not only understand the Figure itself, but als the particular meaning of its name. Preface to Mr. Holmes's Rhetoric. WHAT now remains, is to mention the im provements made in this piece, and to whom we are obliged for them. Having looked over fome performances for this purpose, none came fo near the original defign, as Mr. Holmes's, to whom the public is much indebted for his other labours, in improving the education of youth. On attentively confidering his Art of Rhetoric, we were immediately led to make ufe of it; he having introduced his Syftem with an explanation of its nature and ufe, pointing out the parts of a theme and an oras tion, with which the knowledge of Rhetoric is fo connected, that the ability of performing with excellency one or other, depends on the proper dif pofing of words and fentences, and fo connecting them as to have all the advantage of language, which is centered in Rhetoric. This knowledge has been hitherto confined to the learned languages; and it has been thought, that inftances of its ufe were no where to be found but in the Clafsics; which has erected fuch a veneration for them, as to deprive every other performance of any merit in that way. Upon how unfair a foundation this fuperftruc-. ture has been raised, muft appear from this performance; in which the Trope, Figure, Allegory, &c. being the flowers collected from the bed of Rhetoric, are illuftrated from the facred writings. This may in time give them that dignity they merit in this particular, and add to the reverence and refpect every intelligent being fhould pay to the Word of GOD. This performance is peculiarly adapted to the English Reader; and as our language of late is rifing to a dignity its natives would gladly fee eftablished, nothing can engage a fondness for it more than a piece (however diminutive) that points out her beauties, and shows that she is not lefs deftitute of them than any other tongue. That the scholar therefore may have fome pieces I ready for his praxis, we have felected fome of the most capital pieces from English authors, as inftances of the feveral pafsions of the mind, and the different modes of fpeech; which by a proper ufe, under the infpection of his teacher, may enable him in time to fpeak with fluency and elegance; and remove a criminal modefty, fo frequently a bar to genius. |