Hyperbole, Personification, Apostrophe, &c., let us close our
remarks upon construction by a typical example. The general principle
which has been enunciated is, that other things equal, the force
of all verbal forms and arrangements is great, in proportion as
the time and mental effort they demand from the recipient is small.
The corollaries from this general principle have been severally
illustrated; and it has been shown that the relative goodness of
any two modes of expressing an idea, may be determined by observing
which requires the shortest process of thought for its comprehension.
But though conformity in particular points has been exemplified,
no cases of complete conformity have yet been quoted. It is indeed
difficult to find them; for the English idiom does not commonly
permit the order which theory dictates. A few, however, occur in
Ossian. Here is one:--"As autumn's dark storms pour from two echoing
hills, so towards each other approached the heroes. As two dark
streams from high rocks meet and mix, and roar on the plain: loud,
rough, and dark in battle meet Lochlin and Inisfail. . .As the
troubled noise of the ocean when roll the waves on high; as the
last peal of the thunder of heaven; such is noise of the battle."

46. Except in the position of the verb in the first two similes,
the theoretically best arrangement is fully carried out in each of
these sentences. The simile comes before the qualified image, the
adjectives before the substantives, the predicate and copula before
the subject, and their respective complements before them. That the
passage is open to the charge of being bombastic proves nothing;
or rather, proves our case. For what is bombast but a force of
expression too great for the magnitude of the ideas embodied? All
that may rightly be inferred is, that only in very rare cases,
and then only to produce a climax, should all the conditions of