. The Foundations of Rhetoric: written by and similar items

From the Preface: FOR practical purposes there is no better definition of a good style than Swift's, — PROPER WORDS IN PROPER PLACES. Differ as good writers may in other respects, they are all distinguished by the judicious choice and the skillful placing of words. They all aim to use no word that is not established as a part of the language in the sense in which they use it, and no word that does not say what they wish it to say so clearly as to be understood at once, and either so strongly as to command attention or so agreeably as to win attention; (2) to put every word in the place fixed for it by the idiom of the language, and by the principles which govern communication between man and man, — the place which gives the word its exact value in itself and in its relations with other words; and (3) to use no more words than are necessary to effect the purpose in hand. If it be true that these simple principles underlie all good writing, they may properly be called THE FOUNDATIONS OF RHETORIC.