Then the march of the army, without a ger Soon it became the story of a general without a long there was neither general nor army. It is i of mere horrors. The straggling remnant of a Jugdulluk Pass- a dark, steep, narrow, asce crags. The miserable toilers found that the tribes had barricaded the pass. All was over. was finally extinguished in that barricaded pass British were taken in it. A few mere fugitives es of actual slaughter, and were on the road to Jella his little army were holding their own. When teen miles of Jellalabad the number was reduced five were killed by straggling marauders on the reached Jellalabad to tell the tale. Literally, came to Jellalabad out of a moving host which some sixteen thousand when it set out on its mar will search through history or fiction in vain f thrilling with the suggestion of an awful catastro solitary survivor, faint and reeling on his jaded 1 under the walls of Jellalabad, to bear the tidings of pain and shame. - McCarthy: A History of ou p. 199. Find paragraphs, in Appendix B, in which the topic-sente the theme in each of these paragraphs and state it in a brief s for a title. The student may also be given useful practice in locating paragraphs quoted in the introductory chapter of this book. phrase a brief and appropriate title for the paragraph. It will also be a profitable exercise for the student to a single headings to the short editorial paragraphs to be four edited metropolitan papers. Of the headed articles in the ne the first generally corresponds to the title, and the second, wh responds, roughly, to the working theme. Another useful exercise in detecting the paragraph-subje aloud, by the instructor, of several paragraphs, the student to each, the paragraph-subject as he has determined it from the r cise, mimeograph copies of paragraphs from which the topicmay be distributed, the student to fill the gap as skillfully as - Writing. without a general, went on again. eral without an army; before very army. It is idle to lengthen a tale remnant of an army entered the narrow, ascending path between nd that the fanatical, implacable The army of Cabul All was over. irricaded pass. It was a trap; the re fugitives escaped from the scene e road to Jellalabad where Sale and When they were within sixown. Of these six, r was reduced to six. uders on the way. One man alone Literally, one man, Dr. Brydon, g host which had numbered in all The curious eye out on its march. tion in vain for any picture more awful catastrophe than that of this on his jaded horse, as he appeared ear the tidings of our Thermopylæ 1 History of our Own Times, Vol. I. ch the topic-sentence is implied. Discover tate it in a brief sentence or phrase suitable actice in locating the topic-sentences of the In each case he should ter of this book. ragraph. the student to attempt giving appropriate raphs to be found in any of the carefully rticles in the news-columns of the papers, 1 the second, which is usually longer, cor paragraph-subject, consists in the reading As another exer the student to give, at the conclusion of ed it from the reading. hich the topic-sentence has been omitted s skillfully as he can. sentence or held in the mind of th atically developed. If we regard germ-idea, it is evident that it cont may be said on the subject in hand sentences is to bring out and dev contained in the topic-sentence, or as is necessary for the whic purpose The means by which they do thi different cases; and the forms in clothes itself as the paragraph prog different modifications. All of these various forms and germ-idea may, however, be groupe under the following heads: repea words; defining or limiting the th trary; explaining or amplifying it illustrations, or quotations; parti specific instances or details; prese ing or enforcing the theme. Any: one of these functions may claim a any sentence (not introductory, ti ing) which does none of these thing It need hardly be said that these theme are employed in various c paragraph may use one or several o be employed by the writer, in any the nature of the thought discussed the demands of the subject and o combinations will be designated follow. (a) REPETITION OF THE THEM words immediately after the topic-sent the repetition is delayed until a later st graph. Illustrations of repetition may b agraph quoted from Ruskin (see Unit quoted from the London Spectator and H Paragraph Subject). It also occurs in th graphs: [Topic-sentence] The peculiarity of ill-temper of the virtuous. [Repeated] It is often the one noble character. [Particularized] You know m perfect, and women who would be entirely perfe ruffled, quick-tempered or 'touchy' disposition. Greatest Thing in the World, p. 29. [Topic-sentence] There are few delights in a rare as the subtle and strong delight of soverei there are none more pure and more sublime. [R larized] To have read the greatest work of any beheld or heard the greatest works of any great is a possession added to the best things of life.. and Studies (Victor Hugo: L'Année Terrible). In Appendix A 3 will be found a list of topic-sentences wh other words. The student should write all of these exercises B paragraphs in which the topic-sentence is treated in this way (b) DEFINITIVE STATEMEN The topic-sentence is not always suffic exact content of the idea to be expounde more or less than the writer intends. becomes necessary for the writer to define enlargement, the terms of the topic-sentence. pressions are of the greatest value for this felicitous use may be noticed in the quotati The following will illustrate the use of (c) PRESENTING THE Often the idea can be made cle trary, negative, or contrasting ide This is illustrated by the parag quoted. It appears also in the fol [Topic and Details] We all know how is; how we all admire it; how it raises a afraid of boasting; never showing off; ne [Contrary] Whenever, on the and good men any vanity, boasting, pom it a weakness in them, and are sorry selves by the least want of divine m Sermons, III. Frequently the contrasted thou concession, and is stated first: Despotism may find here and there it Such contrasting ideas naturally exp antitheses and in balanced sentences. notony and weariness, if employed often used sparingly, and their form of present In the following we have the topic-sen by contrast and by example:— Mannerism is pardonable and is sometimes the manner, though vicious, is natural. Few would be willing to part with the mannerism of But a mannerism which does not sit easy on the been adopted on principle, and which can be su stant effort, is always offensive. And such i Johnson. — Macaulay: Life of Johnson. In Appendix A 5 the student will find a list of topic-sente trast. Also find paragraphs in Appendix B in which the topi contrast. (d) EXPLAINING OR ILLUSTR Some thoughts require explanation and tion. Similar or analogous cases and as experiences (as distinguished from spe details) are needed to deepen the impres topic-sentence. An explanation or illust ally of considerable length, detains the reader upon the thought presented for a enable him to contemplate it at greater parables of the New Testament are cond of abstract truths, and abound in explan lowing will serve as a specimen of illu planation: [Topic] Have you never seen men and women |