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Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1811. Excerpt: ... terms than is agreeable to the character of a modest woman or of a gentleman. If therefore you have a mind to relate any thing in company, it is proper before you begin, to have the whole story, whether a piece of history or any late occurrence, well settled in your mind, as also every name and expression ready at hand, that you may not be obliged every moment to interrupt your narration, and enquire of other people and beg their assistance, sometimes in regard to the fact itself, sometimes the names of persons and other circumstances, of what you have undertaken to recite.* But if you are to relate any thing which was said or done amongst any number of people, you ought not too frequently to use the expressions -- of " he said" or " he replied" because these pronouns agree equally with all the persons concerned, and this ambiguity must necessarily lead the audience * Muretus's arguments to the plays of Terence, instances of good narration. Chyt. c into an error. It is proper therefore, thai he who relates any fact, should make use of some proper names, and take care not to change them one for another during the narration. y Moreover the reciter of any incident ought to avoid the mentioning those circumstances which if omitted the story would not be less, or rather would be more agreeable without them. " The person I speak of was son of Mr. Such-a-one, who lives in St. James's street, do i/ou bww the man ? His wife was daughter to Mr. Such-a-one, she was a thin woman who used to come constantly to prayers at St. Laurence's church, you must certainly know her. Zounds ! if you don't know her, you know nothing /" Or, " he was a handsome tall old gentleman, who wore his own long hair, dont you recollect him ?" Now if the very same thing might as well have happened to any other person wh...