The Crater.

1. Description.

a. Position.

b. The snow.

c. The walls.

d. Outline.

2. Formation.

a. Probably volcanic.

b. Character of the rock.

Observe that the paragraph is a complete whole, the descriptions and the conclusions as to the formation of the crater being but different phases of the mental effect of the sight of the crater. This should be true of every paragraph. It is normally the unit of thought which first presents itself to the mind of the writer as he mentally outlines a composition before putting pen to paper. Certain things must be said before the reader is prepared for certain other things; and these various matters should arrange themselves in the mind of the writer in a definite order, each separate phase of the subject as it is to be treated forming a paragraph, a unit in itself. A composition in which each paragraph is complete and contains nothing extraneous in thought, mood, or manner, gives to the reader the sense of logical, clear-cut, orderly arrangement which is essential to his satisfaction and interest.

20. The Length of Paragraphs. The length of the paragraph must be determined primarily by the amount of detail that goes to form the one connected whole. A paragraph may consist of but one sentence, and how long it may be without becoming disjointed and awk

ward in effect the writer must determine in each individual case; but, in general, paragraphs extending over several pages are too long. When the subject is a complex one, dealing with abstract thought or with historical or scientific generalizations, the groups of related ideas may necessarily be large; but, while this will increase the difficulty of making distinctions between them, such distinctions must be made with greater care. If the completed composition is to maintain the same tone throughout, the paragraphs should not vary greatly in length. In rapid narration the paragraphs will generally be short, since the story does not dwell long upon the separate incidents. In effect, then, long paragraphs have weight and dignity when the subject matter composing them is properly connected in thought, and short paragraphs have movement and vivacity. Occasionally, for the sake of emphasis, sentences that are connected in thought, and might form one paragraph, are broken up into several paragraphs. So it is in the following, in which both sentences beginning "Lady Standish" are put in paragraphs by themselves for emphasis.

There was the bishop, the Bishop of Bath and Wells! That reverend prelate had shown her much kindness and attention. He would know how to interfere in such a crisis. He was a man of authority. Between them could they not force the peace at Hammer's Fields, and could not Sir Jasper be saved in spite of himself, were it by delivering him into the hands of the law?

Lady Standish flew into her room and called the sniffing Megrim.

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'Paper and ink,” cried she, “and get you ready to run on a message. 'Tis a matter of life and death."

“My Lady,” said Megrim, primly, "I will serve your Ladyship in all things that are right; but I hope I know my duty to my Creator; and stoop to connive at irregularities, my Lady, I won't and never will." She had been ready to condemn her master overnight, but the talk in the servants' hall had, as she had expressed it, "opened her eyes." And what woman is not ready to judge her sister woman above all, what maid to condemn her

mistress?

Lady Standish stared.

"What means this?" said she. "You shall do as I bid you, Mistress Megrim. How dare you!" cried Lady Standish, with a sudden flash of comprehension. "Why, woman, my letter is to the bishop!"

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Oh," quoth Mistress Megrim, still with reserve, yet condescending to approval, "that is another matter. Shall I," she sniffed, "be stricter than becomes a Christian? Shall I refuse aid to the bruised sinner or to the smoking lamp whose conscience is awakened? May his Lordship be a tower of strength to your Ladyship along the rocky paths of penitence- amen! "1

Direct quotations are usually put in paragraphs by themselves, though sometimes the quotation is so much a part of the context that it is included with it. In the following observe that the first sentence in paragraph 2 implies what the quotation following it expresses more definitely, and the two are therefore too closely connected to be put in separate paragraphs. The first sentence of paragraph 3 bears the same relation to the quotations following it, and they are therefore paragraphed together.

"And you," he said, "you pretended because you thought it was best for me."

1 "The Bath Comedy," by Egerton Castle.

She nodded.

time,” she said.

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"And we saw through each other all the

Grizel, has it passed away altogether now?" Her grip upon his hand did not tighten in the least.

"Yes,"

she could say honestly, "it has altogether passed away." "And you have no fear?"

No, none."

It was his great reward for all that he had done for Grizel.

"I know what you are thinking of," she said, when he did not speak. "You are thinking of the haunted little girl you rescued seven years ago.'

"1

21. The Topic-Sentence. We have defined a paragraph as a group of sentences in which a single topic is developed. This topic is usually announced in some one or two sentences which are called topic-sentences. These topic-sentences may be considered as having two specific uses they make known to the reader the subject-matter of the paragraph, and they hold the writer to the discussion of the matter with which the paragraph is concerned. A topic-sentence is usually, though not necessarily, short, and may come anywhere in the paragraph, though ordinarily it occurs at the beginning. When there are two topic-sentences they are rarely separated; but if they are, one will usually be found at the beginning and the other at the end of the paragraph. Sometimes there is no clear topic-sentence, especially in narrative and descriptive writing, in which case the first sentence will give a clew to what follows, or the topic must be inferred from all the sentences. The use of the topicsentence may be seen in the following paragraphs.

1 "Tommy and Grizel," by J. M. Barrie, in Scribner's Magazine.

Study carefully its relation to the paragraph, and be prepared to say whether or not these paragraphs show any digression from their themes as announced in the topic-sentences, pointing out such digression, if any.

To be strong-backed and neat-bound is the desideratum of a volume. Magnificence comes after. This, when it can be afforded, is not to be lavished upon all kinds of books indiscriminately. I would not dress a set of Magazines, for instance, in full suit. The dishabille or half-binding (with russia backs ever) is our costume. A Shakespeare, or a Milton (unless the first editions), it were mere foppery to trick out in gay apparel. The possession of them confers no distinction. The exterior of them (the things themselves being so common), strange to say, raises no sweet emotions, no tickling sense of property in the owner. Thomson's Seasons, again, looks best, (I maintain it) a little torn and dog's-eared. How beautiful to a genuine lover of reading are the sullied leaves, and worn-out appearance, nay the very odor (beyond russia), if we would not forget kind feelings in fastidiousness, of an old "Circulating Library," Tom Jones, or Vicar of Wakefield! How they speak of the thousand thumbs that have turned over their pages with delight! — of the lone sempstress, whom they may have cheered (milliner, or harder-working mantua-maker) after her long day's needle-toil, running far into midnight, when she has snatched an hour, ill spared from sleep, to steep her cares, as in some Lethean cup, in spelling out their enchanting contents ! Who would have them a whit less soiled? What better condition could we desire to see them in? CHARLES LAMB: Essays of Elia.

All

Let us dwell upon this contrast for a few minutes. the sunshine appears to have been on your side and all the shadow on his. Born of highly cultivated parents, in the highest rank in England under royalty, you have lived from the beginning amongst the most official aids to