guages of Europe are generally distinguished by the latter character, the modern by the former; and of modern languages it has been remarked, that none is more natural than the English. This arrangement is for the most part the clearest; but sometimes in prose, and more frequently in verse, a great degree of elegance and force is imparted to an expression, by introducing what is called Inversion, or a departure from this natural disposition of words. The general principle by which the extent of inversion ought to be limited is, that it should never produce obscurity.

Different kinds of composition admit of inversion in different degrees. Those of a didactic, or philosophical nature, in which something is to be taught or demonstrated, require but little embellishment of any kind, and are not generally improved by any deviation from simple and natural arrangement: but in such as are intended to rouse the passions or to please the imagination, whatever can strike most forcibly, or delight most eminently, ought to be introduced; and here the cause, for the most part, will be found adequate to the effect to be produced, for as the style is affected by the state of the mind, the mind of the writer roused by passion or gratified by pleasing images, will, provided he is accustomed to the expression of his thoughts, find the most appropriate

words and modes of arrangement for imparting them to others. Hence in such compositions inversion is frequent and appropriate.

There are however certain words which, especially in modern languages, cannot properly be separated from one another: such are two substantives dependent on each other, a preposition and the word which it governs, an adjective and the noun or pronoun to which it belongs.

The following are some of the most common inversions which our language admits.

A circumstance is occasionally placed before the nominative, as in the following sentence from the Rambler. "That a garret will make any man a wit, I am very far from supposing; I know there are some who would continue blockheads even on the summit of the Andes, or on the peak of Teneriffe."

In some instances, a circumstance is put between the the nominative and the verb, or between the auxiliary and the verb. Of the former construction, we have an example in the following sentence from the Spectator. "When a man, with a steady faith, looks back on the great catastrophe of this day, with what bleeding emotions of heart must he contemplate the life and sufferings of his deliverer." Of the latter construction we have an example in the following

sentence from Stewart's Philosophy of the Human Mind: “As all our knowledge of the material world is derived from the information of our senses, natural philosophers have, in modern times, wisely abandoned to metaphysicians all speculations concerning the nature of the substance of which it is composed."

In poetical composition the nominative is frequently placed after the verb, as in the following examples :

"Sweet is the harp of prophecy: too sweet

Not to be wrong'd by a mere mortal touch:
Nor can the wonders it records be sung
To meaner music and not suffer loss."

"Poor is the friendless master of a world: A world in purchase for a friend is gain.”

Cow PER.

YOUNG.

This kind of inversion is also to be met with in prose, and when judiciously employed, gives force and elevation to the style. The follow passage occurs in Dr. Chalmers' Discourses:

"But Christianity stands in a higher and firmer attitude. The defensive armour of a shrinking or timid policy does not suit her. Hers is the naked majesty of truth; and with all the grandeur of age but with none of its infirmities, has she come down to us, and gathered new strength from the battles she has won, in the many controversies of many generations."

The object is sometimes happily placed before the verb, as in the following examples:

"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess sing."

POPE'S Homer.

"Him the Almighty Power

Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky."

MILTON.

The same order is observed by Hoole, in the first lines of his translation of Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered:

“Arms, and the chief I sing, whose righteous hands
Redeem'd the tomb of Christ from impious bands;
Who much in council, much in field sustain'd,
Till just success his glorious labours gain'd."

Dyer, too, a poet little known, though justly meriting regard, begins his poem, entitled the Fleece, in a similar manner:

"The care of sheep, the labours of the loom,

And arts of trade, I sing. Ye rural nymphs,

Ye swains and princely merchants, aid the verse."

The following lines of the Shipwreck afford a fine example of inversion :

"Graceful of form, by nature taught to please,
Of power to melt the female breast with ease,

To her Palemon told his tender tale,
Soft as the voice of summer's evening gale."

That inversion, especially in poetry, contributes greatly to strengthen and elevate the style, is undeniable; the couplets of rhyme, however, confine inversion within narrow limits; nor would the elevation of inversion, even were it more admissible in rhyme, easily accord with the more humble tone of that kind of verse. It is the general opinion, that the loftiness of Milton's style, admirably supports the sublimity of his subject; and the loftiness of his style arises chiefly from inversion.

The first sentence of his Paradise Lost, affords an example equal, if not superior, to any that has been yet produced:

"Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste

Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater man

Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing Heavenly Muse."

OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE.

IN attending to the progress of language, we may perceive, that the first words used by men, are the names of those natural objects about which they