Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-03
CONSTRUCTION or PARAGRAPHS.

they ara put together in tine right order
OF succession, ard are connected by the
proper ronlunctions or other Ink words,
We Say the proper COZ functions or other
link words because, although the gram
mars commonly give 10 only one part of
speech the rame conjunction, almost
any part of speech may be uiads to do
COD junctive work in linking together
tho parts OF a paragraph. IL ia true,
indeed, that III come forms of writing
conference is largely determined by the
arrangement Of the sentences in a
logical and necessary order. This is
true in some degree of argumentative
writing. where the course of reasoning
requires that for best effect tho sen
tences be arranged in something like a
certain necessary sequence. II is true
in a greater degree of Mathematical
demonstration, wherein it Is necessary
that each sentence have it's proper
place or the chain Of mathematical
reasoning is broken and disorderad,
and the demonstration does not demon
Htrate. In such forms of writing as do
not demand an absolutely logical order
ing of sentences, however, conductive
words play an important part in bring
inc about conference.
1t is precisely in the management of
such conDeciives that young writers
are especially unskilled, ana it is
partly through their lack of skill in
this matter that what they write seems
rough, disjointed and often incon
| sequent. 1t may happen indeed. Gnd
frequently doeB happen, that young
| writer not only omits or misplaces con
| nectiye words, but leaves out even
whole sentences, themselves essentially
conjunctive ami necessary TO the
readers easy comprehension uf what
the writer would convey. Because oil
| this fact teachers must ta6e care thai
pupils understand the value moi only oil
coniunctive words. but al we'll an Of
coniunctye sentences.
All this will he made clearer, per'
haps, by two or three illustrative para
graphs. Here is 0ne from Sir Joshua
Reynolds:
1.-THE value and rank of every art II
10 proportion to the mental effort EN-
ployed in it, or the mental pleasur,
produced by it, As this principle il
observed or neglected our profession
becomoH either liberal art or me
chanical trade. In the hands OF on
man it makes the highest pretensions
as it is addressed to the noblest facul
ties; in those of another il is reduced
to mere matter of arrangement, ant
the painter has but the humbl
province of furnishing our apartment
with elegance. "
The frat c0njunctive word shat help
to make this paragraph coherent in it
PARTS is the demonstrative pronoul
"this," the second word in the secont
sentence; the next IL the pronoun ii
occurring three times in the third sen
tence.
Here is part of paragraph from
Burke:
First, the people of the colonies ar
descendants of Englishmen. England
sir, is a nation which still, | hope
respects, and formerly adored her free
dom. The colonists emigratsd iron
you when this part of your characte
was most predominant and they too
this bias and direction the momen
they departed from your hands. The
are, therefore. not only devoted t
liberty, but to liberty according I
English IDEAS, and on English prin
ciples. Abstract liberty, like othe
. mere distractions, is not to be found
Liberty inheres in some sensible object
and every nation has formed to itse
some favorite point. which by way {
sminence becomes the criterion of thel
| happiness. ~
The words that Emit together th
sentences of this paragraph are th
! first word of the second sentence
! England, which carries the min
back to English in the first sentence
"you" and you" in the third ser
, tence, which carry the mind back
3 "sir" in the second. the person address
ed as momentarily standing for the EN-
] lish mutton; they the first word
the fourth sentence, which refers
: colonists'' in the third sentence
r "liberty'' in the fourth sentence
, which carries the mind back TO fire.,
i dom in the third sentence, English
: in the fourth sentence, which relates
! kindred words in several preceding sci
fences; ''Iibsrty" again in tine fiji
sentence, which links the sentence
several that have gone before.
= 1t is useful exercise to have pupi
pick out such connecting words in
: paragraph and 10 criticise the absenl
. Of many such in their own composition
IS This subject will be further considers
Q in tho next Of these articles