Page:A Dissertation on Reading the Classics and Forming a Just Style.djvu/141

Rh too scrupulous, and doth not make himself a Slave to his Rules, for that will introduce a Stiffness and Affectation, which are utterly abhorrent from all good Writing.

By a perfect Mastery in any Language, I understand not only a ready Command of Words, upon every Occasion, not only the Force, and Propriety of Words, as to their Sense, and Signification, but more especially the Purity, and Idiom of the Language; for in this a perfect Mastery doth consist. 'Tis to know what is English, and what is Latin, what is French, Spanish, or Italian, to be able Rh