"
31. Dr. Whately, from whom we quote the first of these two
arrangements,' proposes this construction:--"At last, after much
fatigue, through deep roads and bad weather, we came, with no
small difficulty, to our journey's end." Here it will be observed
that by introducing the words "we came" a little earlier in
the sentence, the labour of carrying forward so many particulars
is diminished, and the subsequent qualification "with no small
difficulty" entails an addition to the thought that is very easily
made. But a further improvement may be produced by introducing
the words "we came" still earlier; especially if at the same time
the qualifications be rearranged in conformity with the principle
already explained, that the more abstract elements of the thought
should come before the more concrete. Observe the better effect
obtained by making these two changes:--"At last, with no small
difficulty, and after much fatigue, we came, through deep roads
and bad weather, to our journey's end." This reads with comparative
smoothness; that is, with less hindrance from suspensions and
reconstructions of thought--with less mental effort.
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