objects, and the consequent similarity of the ideas which we form of them, necessarily produce a corresponding approach to sameness in the meaning of the words by which we express them. This remark applies, with equal, and, sometimes, greater force, to the ideas and conceptions which we form within the mind itself, independently, for the moment, of external things. From the fact now referred to, there arises a great danger of confusion and obscurity, in expression. In circumstances nearly identical, yet somewhat different, the diversity is apt to escape our notice. That diversity, however, may be of the greatest moment to a proper estimation of the case. The detection of the slightest difference may be requisite, in order to draw the line of discrimination, in thought and language, between similarity and dissimilarity, between truth and error, between virtue and vice, between innocence and guilt.

To recognise distinctions amidst apparent resemblance, in the meaning and use of words, must be an indispensable requisite to the right interpretation and proper use of language,- the appointed means for the communication of thought, and the advancement of intelligence. It is not less an invaluable aid, as an exercise and discipline of mind, and the chief means of training it to exactness and precision of thought, the main condition of success in the discovery and exposition of truth.

The ancient definition of rhetoric, which made it consist in saying the fit word in the fit place, is peculiarly suggestive as to the value of a perfect knowledge of synonyms. To enable us to express an idea with precision and clearness, we must have the whole treasury of English words, lying, as it were, before us, from which to select the one which exactly expresses our meaning,-presenting it fully, leaving no imperfection arising from want of definiteness, of force, or of breadth of expression, in con

sequence of which deficiency, the idea would stand, like a mutilated statue, deprived of some important feature. Neither must the word which we select, suggest more than we wish to communicate. The idea which we would express, must stand forth by itself, unembarrassed by any extraneous and unnecessary matter, which might tend only to distract the attention, and obscure our mental view, and conse quently to create confusion, as to the actual meaning intended. Language is sometimes justly called the dress of thought; and this view of it suggests the lesson implied in the figurative definition. The wellfitting garment is neither scanty nor redundant, but exactly proportioned to the person of the wearer. well-chosen word, in like manner, is neither deficient nor superfluous, in the sense which it conveys. It resembles what is happily termed, in geometry, a "neat' " demonstration, in which every part of the process comes forth clear, distinct, and exact, - leaving no deficiency, and presenting no redundancy.— The discriminating use of synonyms, renders expression not merely perspicuous, but luminous, to the understanding.

A

The primary exercise of collecting or enumerating synonyms, may be exemplified in the following form.*

EXERCISE. (1.) The Collecting of Synonyms. The first step in an exercise on synonyms, is duly to collect all the words which our language furnishes as synonymous, in any case, with a given word.

Suggestion to Students. To train the mind to promptness and self-reliance, in this part of the ex

* A few words,

nouns, adjectives, or verbs,—which have the largest number of synonyms, may be assigned, from the daily reading lesson of a class, as subjects for this form of exercise.

ercise, the student should make it a strict rule to himself always to endeavor to call up, in the first place, all such words as his own mind can furnish, from intuition and from memory. When he has

done this act of justice to his own self-culture, he may then appeal to the aid of the dictionary, and ransack its references, from word to word, till he has exhausted the vocabulary of the language, so far as concerns the synonyms which he wishes to command.*

Example." Action", - act, activity, acting, agency; motion, momentum, play; power, force, energy, vehemence, violence, exertion, effort, efficiency; practice, operation, process, exercise, per formance, doing, deed, feat, achievement, exploit, perpetration; impetus, impulsion, impulse, incitation, impetuosity, petulance, incitement, incentive, instigation, influence, stimulus, excitation, excitement, agitation, irritation, stir, bustle, commotion, fermentation, perturbation, ebullition, struggle, battle; work, business, labor, toil, task, drudgery, employment, occupation, vocation, pursuit, calling, profession; application, diligence, industry; procedure, proceeding, transaction, job, attempt, experiment, endeavor, dabbling; gesture, gesticulation, antic, trick; play, recreation, game, sport, frolic, diversion, amusement, pastime.t

Note. The synonyms, in the above example, are grouped by semicolons, according to their nearest connections in sense, and the nicer or broader shades

* Crabb's Synonyms, and other works of similar character, will be useful aids in this part of an exercise on words. But no volume can be named, which, for this purpose, is equal to Roget's Thesaurus of English Words, re-edited by President Sears, and by Professor Lincoln, of Brown University.

†The idea expressed by the primary word, in the above enumeration, creates such a multitude of synonymous terms, by all of which it may be represented, that only a selection of the most important could be offered.

of meaning by which they vary from one another. This arrangement is designed to facilitate the exemplification of subsequent exercises, as well as the present and the one immediately following.

EXERCISE. (2.) Application of Synonyms. When the student has collected all the synonyms to a given word, which occur to his memory, and all the additional ones derived from his dictionary, he may proceed to exemplify the proper use of them individually, by introducing each in a phrase or in a sentence, in which the context is of such a character that no other member of the same family of synonyms, can be substituted for it, without injury to the form of expression, in the whole clause in which it occurs.*

Act:

*

Example." Action": All action implies motion. The incendiary was detected in the very act. -Activity: Activity is indispensable to success in business. Acting: A man may be an accomplice in crime without acting. -Agency: He may employ the agency of others. -Motion: The motion of the arm and hand, is a natural accompaniment of speech.

-Momentum: The physicist will give you the momentum of a planet. -Play: The play of the different parts of the machine is perfect. -Power: The power to act does not always accompany the power to will. -Force: The entrance was effected by main force. -Energy: A mind destitute of energy can ef

* This exercise is properly one of intuitive recognition, merely, and may be advantageously practised, to a certain extent, by even the younger members of a grammar class. It may be diversified by the teacher giving out sentences in which the places for the synonyms are left blank, to be filled up by the pupil.

fect little, either for itself or for others. - Vehemence : Demosthenes was remarkable for vehemence of utterance. -Violence: War is systematic violence, sanctioned by national custom. -Exertion: Nothing valuable can be acquired by a mind which shrinks from exertion. -Effort: Sloth cannot be shaken off without an effort.-Efficiency: Activity is of little value, unless it result in efficiency. -Practice: The utility of theory is demonstrated by practice. --Operation: The experiment proved an expensive operation.Process: The operator went through a tedious process. -Exercise: Passion may prevent the exercise of reason. —Performance: Shame attends the conscious performance of a mean action.-Doing: He plainly saw the folly of his doings.-Deed: Whether praise or blame should be bestowed on the daring deed, seems doubtful. -Feat: The knight exhibited his prowess in an unrivalled feat of arms. -Achievement: To conquer passion is a high achievement. Exploit: The fame of his exploit was spread throughout christendom. Perpetration: The thoughtless youth was, ere long, tempted to the perpetration of crime. -Impetus: The impetus of a missile is diminished by distance.—Impulsion: The bar of iron was subjected to the three great tests of tension, torsion, and impulsion. Impulse, impetuosity, petulance: The youth was actuated by impulse rather than principle, and by impetuosity rather than true courage. He often gave way to fits of petulance.-Incitation: The incitation of ungoverned passion leads to many a fatal act. -Incitement: The desire of fame is, too often, the sole incitement of the warrior. Incentive: The hope of booty is, sometimes, the incentive to battle. -Instigation: The deed was perpetrated at the instigation of malice. Influence: The influence of a mother's tenderness he had never felt. -Stimulus: He was impelled by the stimulus of a morbid appetite. -Excitation: The