The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase

There is something liberating about simply putting together words with no need to bother with structuring them. Even when a congeries is simply found lying around it has a certain magic to it. Take this list from 1953 of words approved by the East German government for describing the British:
Paralytic sycophants, effete betrayers of humanity, carrion-eating servile imitators, arch-cowards and collaborators, gang of woman-murderers, degenerate rabble, parasitic traditionalists, playboy soldiers, conceited dandies.

I have never said the words ‘free gift’. It would seem a sinister thing to say when gathered around the Christmas tree. ‘Here’s my free gift, and, as an added bonus, here’s a festive Christmas card.’ People would think I’d gone mad. Yet, if you wander into a shop or make the terrible mistake of turning on the television or radio, you will hear of havens that are safe, co-operation that is mutual, and prizes that are, it turns out, to be won.

back was beaten brass

Not by saying something different, but by saying something in a different way.

argumentum ad baculum, which means threatening somebody with a stick until they agree with you.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

Make love not war” is a syllepsis,

boys in Tom Sawyer who “covered themselves in dust and glory.”

out of your mind and out of a job,”

With isocolon one seems reasonable; without isocolon one seems hasty. With isocolon language acquired a calm rhythm, without isocolon prose became a formless heap.