Introduction
In 1783, after serving for twenty-one years as Edinburgh University’s first Professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, Hugh Blair retired, and immediately published a collection of his lectures. No. XII dealt with the structure of sentences, and urged readers to take time over their sentence-making because disciplined writers make more disciplined thinkers.
THE fundamental rule of the construction of sentences, and into which all others might be resolved, undoubtedly is, to communicate, in the clearest and most natural order, the ideas which we mean to transfuse into the minds of others. Every arrangement that does most justice to the sense, and expresses it to most advantage, strikes us as beautiful. To this point have tended all the rules I have given.
And, indeed, did men always think clearly, and were they, at the same time, fully masters of the language in which they write, there would be occasion for few rules. Their sentences would then, of course, acquire all those properties of precision, unity, and strength, which I have recommended. For we may rest assured, that, whenever we express ourselves ill, there is, besides the mismanagement of language, for the most part, some mistake in our manner of conceiving the subject. Embarrassed, obscure, and feeble sentences, are generally, if not always, the result of embarrassed, obscure, and feeble thought. Thought and language act and react upon each other mutually. Logic and rhetoric have here, as in many other cases, a strict connexion; and he that is learning to arrange his sentences with accuracy and order, is learning, at the same time, to think with accuracy and order; an observation which alone will justify all the care and attention we have bestowed on this subject.
Précis
In one of his acclaimed lectures on rhetoric, Hugh Blair (who had retired that same year, 1783, after a distinguished career at Edinburgh University) urged readers to pay close attention to the way they expressed themselves. Sloppy grammar or ill-chosen vocabulary betrays sloppy thinking; likewise, a habit of arranging one’s words with care can help foster a more orderly mind. (60 / 60 words)
In one of his acclaimed lectures on rhetoric, Hugh Blair (who had retired that same year, 1783, after a distinguished career at Edinburgh University) urged readers to pay close attention to the way they expressed themselves. Sloppy grammar or ill-chosen vocabulary betrays sloppy thinking; likewise, a habit of arranging one’s words with care can help foster a more orderly mind.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, just, must, not, unless, whereas, whether.
About the Author
In his day, Hugh Blair (1718-1800) was regarded as one of the country’s foremost authorities on written discourse. Born in Edinburgh, the son of a merchant, he was brought up as a Prebysterian and destined for a church career — his health did not seem to admit of anything more robust. He gained a Masters degree in moral philosophy and literature from the city’s University, and in 1741 began to practise as a clergyman in the Church of Scotland. As a preacher he was popular and respected, and in 1758 Blair was appointed to the position of Second Charge at the High Kirk of St Giles in Edinburgh; his sermons were later collected and published. A year later, he began lecturing at the University and in 1762 a Chair of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres was created for him. He retired from the University in 1783, and published a collection of his lectures. A key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, Blair was friends with David Hume, Thomas Carlyle and Adam Smith, as well as James Boswell and Samuel Johnson. He died at his home in Argyle Square on December 27th, 1800, having survived his wife Katherine and also their two children.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Give. Mutual. Precision.
2 Acquire. Mistake. They.
3 Care. Connection. Thought.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. May. 2. Order. 3. Clear. 4. Point. 5. Mean. 6. Man. 7. Rest. 8. General. 9. Subject.
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
sld (9+1)
sailed. salad. sealed. slid. slide. soiled. sold. soled. solid.
sled.
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