How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition by Edwin Abbott Abbott, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . BREVITY. here BREVITY. SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON. The following extract exhibits examples of tautology and lengthiness. The "implied statement" (50) can often be used as a remedy, but, more often, the best remedy is omission. ORIGINAL VERSION. PARALLEL VERSION. The Russian empire is (50) (54) vast boundless resources, is obviously strength and boundless destined to exercise on the course resources, it is of history a great and lasting obviously destined to make a influence. The slowness of her great and lasting impression on progress only renders her human affairs. Its (50) progress durability more probable. The has been slow, but (5) [37] is Russian Empire has not, like the only on that account the more empires of Alexander the Great and likely to be durable. (5) has Napoleon, been raised to sudden not suddenly risen to greatness, greatness by the genius of like the empire of Alexander in individuals or the accidents of ancient (19) (31), or that of fortune, but has been slowly Napoleon in modern, times, from enlarged and firmly consolidated the force of individual genius, or by well-guided ambition and the accidents of (54) casual persevering energy,[38] during a fortune, but has slowly advanced, long succession of ages. and (40 ) been firmly consolidated (15) , from the combined influence of ambition skilfully directed and energy (15 ) . a Russia, with her vast strength and state of such that it It a during a succession of ages a perseveringly applied * * * * * * * * * * The extent and fertility of the The extent and fertility of her Russian territory are (54) territory furnish unparalleled furnish facilities of facilities for the increase of her increase and elements of strength population and power. European (47 ) . European west of the Ural Mountains, Russia—that is, Russia to the contains one million two hundred westward of the Ural thousand square geographical Mountains—contains a hundred and miles, or ten times the surface of fifty thousand four hundred square Great Britain and Ireland. marine leagues, or about one million two hundred thousand square geographical miles, being ten times the surface of the British Islands, which contain, including Ireland, one hundred and twenty-two thousand. Great part, This vast territory is intersected no doubt, of this (54, by no mountain ranges, no arid see below) deserts; and though much of it is with forests, or (40 ) rendered almost unproductive of so far to the north as to be food either by the denseness of almost unproductive of food; but forests, or by the severity of the no ranges of mountains or arid northern winter, yet almost all, deserts intersect the (54, except that part which touches see above) , and almost the Arctic snows, is capable of the whole, excepting that which yielding something for the use touches the Arctic snows, is of man. capable of yielding something for the use of man. The (3) (54) The steppes of the south present steppes of the south an inexhaustible pasturage to present (54) those nomad tribes whose numerous fields of pasturage, and give and incomparable horsemen form the birth to those nomad tribes, in chief defence of the empire. whose numerous and incomparable horsemen the chief defence of the empire,[39] as of all Oriental states, (15 ) . The rich arable lands in the heart The rich arable lands in the (54) produce an interior produce grain enough to (2) quantity of support four times the present grain, capable not only of population of the empire, and yet maintaining four times (5) leave a vast surplus to be present inhabitants, but affording transported by the Dnieper, the a vast surplus for exportation by Volga, and their tributaries, into the Dnieper, the Volga, and their the Euxine or other seas. tributary streams, (30) which (54) into the Euxine or other seas; (44) while the cold and Lastly, the cold bleak plains shivering plains which stretch stretching towards Archangel and towards Archangel and the shores towards the shores of the White of the White Sea are (48) covered Sea, and covered with immense with immense forests of fir and forests of oak and fir, furnish oak, furnishing at once (54)[40] materials for shipbuilding and materials for supplies of fuel that will for shipbuilding and supplies of fuel. many generations supersede the (54) for many necessity of searching for coal. generations will supersede the necessity of searching in the (14 ) of the earth for (54) . such as to which no nation a in the Russia, that is, Russia to the world enjoys immense territory is covered a lies vast extent boundless inexhaustible a is to be found of the empire incalculable its form so many natural outlets inexhaustible These ample stores a bowels the purposes of warmth or manufacture Formidable as the power of Russia Much as we may dread Russia for is from the vast extent of its the vastness of her territory and territory, and the great and of her rapidly increasing numbers, rapidly increasing number (54) , (5) is in the military spirit and the still more (5) from the docility of her people. military spirit and docile disposition (54)[41] . The prevailing (54) of the A burning thirst for conquest is nation is the (54) , and this (54) as democratic ambition in the free (54) , which (54) (54) in them as passion is the unseen spring[2] democratic ambition does in the which, while it retains the free states of Western Europe, is Russians in the strictest the unseen spring[42] which both discipline, unceasingly impels retains them (54) their united forces against all and impels their accumulated forces in ceaseless The national energy, which is as violence over all the adjoining great as the national territory, states. The energies of the rarely wastes itself in disputes people, great as[43] the territory about domestic grievances. For all they inhabit, are rarely wasted in internal evils, how great soever, internal disputes. Domestic the Russians hope to find a grievances, how great soever, are compensation, and more than a (54) overlooked in the thirst for compensation, in the conquest of foreign aggrandizement. (15) In the world. the conquest of the world the people hope to find a compensation, and more than a compensation, (15 ) . of there is greater cause for fear its subjects it so by which they are distinguished passion love of as prevalent a passion in Russia conquest ardent desire burns states of Western Europe. This as fiercely submissive under the standard of their adjoining states. chief a for all the evils of their interior administration FOOTNOTES: [37] Apparently "it" means, not "progress," but the "Russian empire." [38] Not "energy," but "a long succession of ages," needs to be emphasized. [39] There is nothing in the context that requires the words, "as of all Oriental states." [40] If they were really "inexhaustible," the "necessity of searching in the bowels of the earth" would be "superseded," not for "many," but for all generations. [41] The words can be implied, and besides they are expressed in the following sentence. [42] The metaphor is questionable; for a "spring," "spring," does not retain at all; and besides, "a passion" ought not to "burn" in one line, and be a "spring" in the next. qua [43] The meaning appears to be, "great as" (is), "though the territory is great." not i.e. THE END. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edwin Abbott Abbott (2007). How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22600/pg22600.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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