A Manual of the Art of Prose Composition: for the Use of Colleges and Schools

A Manual Of The Art Of Prose Composition: For The Use Of Colleges And Schools by John Mitchell Bonnell is a comprehensive instructional treatise on English prose, designed for use in colleges and schools. The compiler presents a structured program that blends the two arts of invention (generating thoughts) and expression (styling and purifying language). The work is organized into four major books and multiple parts, including preliminary exercises on terminal punctuation, inflectional orthography, and diction, followed by extensive sections on invention—description, narration, and letters, then on the structure of sentences, punctuation, and the ornamentation of style. It emphasizes coram preceptore—originality and rigorous revision by the teacher and mutual critique among students—to foster independent thinking and condemn plagiarism. The volume includes numerous directives for teachers, sample lectures, and a wide array of exercises, questions for review, and exhaustive appendices on syntax rules and synonyms. It also propagates methods for creating effective orations, extempore debates, and critical discussions, all grounded in classic examples and practical class-room practice.