Will Honeycomb was a very agreeable companion. He was not only good-tempered, but was also able to talk in an interesting way about the topics of the day. Although he spent a great deal of his time in studying the fashions and gossiping, he was a pleasant man to meet at dinner, even for one who cared least about fashions. In other words, Will Honeycomb could and would adapt himself to his circumstances. We may not admire his foibles, probably most of us do not; but at all events we must agree that Will Honeycomb had that indefinable quality of affability which is found only in gentlemen. On the other hand, it is certain that Honeycomb wasted his time. He certainly did not do much work; he certainly was not of much use to any one. This fact no one can deny. No matter how fond we may be of him, we cannot admire him; it is difficult even to respect him. We shall have to class him, therefore, among those persons whom we are glad to have met, but for whom we have no great admiration. II Will Honeycomb was a very agreeable companion. He was not only good tempered, but was also able to talk in an interesting way about the topics of the day. Although he spent a great deal of his time studying the fashions and gossiping, he was a pleasant man to meet at dinner, even for the man who cared least about fashions. In other words, Will Honeycomb could and would adapt himself to his circumstances. We may not admire his foibles, probably most of us do not, but at all events we must agree that Will Honeycomb had an indefinable quality of affability which is found only in gentlemen. On the other hand, it is certain that Honeycomb wasted his time. He certainly did not do much work; he certainly was not of much use to any one. This fact no one can deny. No matter how fond we may be of him we cannot admire him, it is difficult even to respect him. We shall have to class him, therefore, as one of those persons whom we are glad to have met, but for whom we have no great admiration. In the essay under II, the second paragraph, like the first, speaks of the pleasant side of Will Honeycomb's character. By making the two paragraphs one, we bring all that is said about his merits together, and thus empha size the contrast with his demerits as enumerated in the paragraph beginning with the phrase "On the other hand." The last sentence properly forms a paragraph by itself, for it sums up the preceding paragraphs. II. HOW TO GET FROM PARAGRAPH TO PARAGRAPH A good writer helps his reader to get from paragraph to paragraph with as little trouble as possible. I At the desire of the colonists, or, at least, with their consent, negroes were, in the course of a few years, introduced into all the other colonies. What was the cause of this rapid growth of slavery? 66 II Negroes were introduced into all the other colonies, in the course of a few years, at the desire of, or at least with the consent of the colonists. What was the cause of this rapid growth of slavery? In the amended version of this passage, the clause negroes were, in the course of a few years, introduced into all the other colonies" is so placed that it leads to the question asked in the second paragraph. I His style was bright, sparkling, and effective, and his writings were always wholesome. This last quality was doubtless due in part to his genuine passion for outdoor life; for the eyes of a man who likes to face the openness of sea and sky must be tolerably clear. II His style was bright sparkling and incisive, and his writings always wholesome. Doubtless his genuine passion for outdoor life helped to give him this last quality. A man's eyes must be tolerably clear if he can love to face the openness of sea and sky. In the amended version of this passage, the phrase "This last quality," which points back to the first paragraph, stands where it makes the connection plain. I People often refer to "the child's imagination," as if all children were equally gifted with the ability to personify objects and to change in fancy their own personalities. This supposition is altogether too sweeping; for many children have so little imagination that they look at everything from a severely practical point of view, and many others who join in games in which imagination plays a great part do so almost entirely in imitation of their playmates. There are children, however, who do not merely imitate others but who have the real actor's in II People often refer to "the child's imagination" as if all children were gifted with the same great powers of personification of objects and fancied changes of personality. This is altogether too sweeping; many children have so little that they look at everything from a severely practical point of view, and many others who join in games where imagination plays a great part, do so almost entirely in imitation of their play mates. In some children the desire to "play they are somebody else " begins at a very early age. It is not merely imitation but the real actor's instinct when a boy says to his brother "Play you're a horse and I'll drive you." In the passage under II, the connection between the second paragraph and the first is far from plain. By inserting "however" near the beginning of the second paragraph, and by making a few other changes, we show what the connection really is. Divide your compositions into paragraphs that correspond to the divisions of thought, and make the transition from paragraph to paragraph as smooth as possible. EXERCISE CLI Show at what points paragraphs should be made in the essay marked "B" (page 347). EXERCISE CLII From some book prescribed for study, select two passages, each containing two or more paragraphs, - one passage to be either a description or a narrative, the other a conversation. Give the substance of each paragraph in the first passage; refer each speech in the second passage to the proper speaker, and explain the purpose of whatever is not a part of the conversation. EXERCISE CLIII Break into paragraphs the following passage; 1 give the topic of each paragraph: THE CAPTIVE I sat down close to my table, and leaning my head upon my hand, I began to figure to myself the miseries of confinement. I was in a right frame for it, and so I gave full scope to my imagination. I was going to begin with the millions of my fellow-creatures, born to no inheritance but slavery: but finding, however affecting the picture was, that I could not bring it near me, and that the multitude of sad groups in it did but distract me- —I took a single captive, and having first shut him up in his dungeon, I then looked through the twilight of his grated door to take his picture. I beheld his body half wasted away with long expectation and confinement, and felt what kind of sickness of the heart it was which arises from hope deferred. Upon looking nearer I saw him pale and feverish: in thirty years the western breeze had not once fanned his blood- he had seen no sun, no moon, in all that time. nor had the voice of friend or kinsman breathed through his lattice: - his children-But here my heart began to bleed and I was forced to go on with another part of the portrait. He was sitting upon the ground upon a little straw, in the furthest corner of his dungeon, which was alternately his chair and bed: a little calendar of small sticks were 2 laid at the head, notched all over with the dismal days and nights he had passed there he had one of these little sticks in his hand, and with a rusty nail he was etching another day of misery to add to the heap. As I darkened the little light he 1 Teachers may deem it advisable to ask their pupils to examine the punctuation of this passage from the point of view of modern usage. 2 See page 199. had, he lifted up a hopeless eye towards the door, then cast it downshook his head, and went on with his work of affliction. I heard his chains upon his legs, as he turned his body to lay his little stick upon the bundle. He gave a deep sigh-- I saw the iron enter into his soul -I burst into tears I could not sustain the picture of confinement which my fancy had drawn.-STERNE. - EXERCISE CLIV Amend the division by paragraphs in the following compositions: WOMEN AS TALKERS If, as Mr. Palmer tells us, women are the best talkers, it is because their chatter is unstudied thought. If a woman stopped to think what she was about to say, nine times out of ten she would never say it. She would become self-conscious, angular in her choice of words, and halting in her speech. ANTS AS WORKERS Did you ever see an army of ants all hastening steadily toward one goal? I saw the entire company out this morning, as I was on my way to English A. A myriad of these tiny creatures were hastening over a brick pavement, each dragging a load many times heavier than itself, and all going in the same direction. One had a worm coiled like a snail into the smallest compass possible, with which it struggled bravely to cross the chasms and precipices of that uneven pavement. MISS TROTWOOD AND Dora I have read two hundred and twenty pages in the second volume of "David Copperfield." Two character-pictures stand out from the others as masterlyMiss Trotwood and Dora. Miss Trotwood's real nature is very skilfully made to seem one thing and be another; and we see that it is another even more clearly than if we were told so. Dora's weak and useless little self first rouses in us a great deal of pity, and then leads us to begin to moralize. 1 See page 319. |