/etc/network/interfaces help please

[Rory Campbell-Lange <rory@campbell-lange.net>]

I need to set my static IP address on startup to x.y.z.141. 
My router is on x.y.z.1
My network is on x.y.z.0

I'm confused about what I should be writing in the interfaces file.
ifup gives the error: 
    "/etc/network/interfaces: too many parameters for iface line"
    
for the line below.

iface eth0 inet static address 194.159.148.141 netmask 255.255.255.0 

Please help!

Thanks
Rory