3 CHAPTER I.INTRODUCTORY It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric. When they do so,however,the reader will usually find in the sentence some compen- sating merit,attained at the cost of the violation.Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules.After he has learned,by their guidance,to write plain English adequate for everyday uses,let him look,for the secrets of style,to the study of the masters of literature.2 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find in the sentence some compen￾sating merit, attained at the cost of the violation. Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules. After he has learned, by their guidance, to write plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for the secrets of style, to the study of the masters of literature