There are many cases, however, in which neither the direct nor the indirect mode is the best; but in which an intermediate mode is preferable to both. When the number of circumstances and qualifications to be included in the sentence is great, the judicious course is neither to enumerate them all before introducing the idea to which they belong, nor to put this idea first and let it be remodelled to agree with the particulars afterwards mentioned; but to do a little of each. It is desirable to avoid so extremely indirect an arrangement as the following:― ―― “We came to our journey’s end, at last, with no {349} small difficulty, after much fatigue, through deep roads, and bad weather.” Yet to transform this into an entirely direct sentence would be unadvisable; as witness:― ―― At last, with no small difficulty, after much fatigue, through deep roads, and bad weather, we came to our journey’s end. 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 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 easily made. But a further improvement may be effected by putting 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 result of 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. It should be further remarked, that even when addressing vigorous intellects, the direct mode is unfit for communicating ideas of a complex or abstract character. So long as the mind has not much to do, it may be well able to grasp all the preparatory clauses of a sentence, and to use them effectively; but if some subtlety in the argument absorb the attention it may happen that the mind, doubly {350} strained, will break down, and allow the elements of the thought to lapse into confusion. * * * * * Let us pass now to figures of speech. In them we may equally discern the same general law of effect. Implied in rules given for the choice and right use of them, we shall find the same fundamental requirement—economy of attention. It is indeed chiefly because they so well subserve this requirement, that figures of speech are employed.