public function option($option, $value = '') {

        // if a connection was already made
        if ($this->connection)

            // inform the user that options can only be set before connecting
            return $this->_log('errors', array(

                'message'   => $this->language['options_before_connect'],

            ));

        // if option is given as an array
        if (is_array($option))

            // iterate over the options
            foreach ($option as $property => $value)

                // save them to a private property
                $this->options[$property] = $value;

        // if option is not given as an array
        else $this->options[$option] = $value;

    }