of

the
On

English
Writing

BLACKIE

Old

LIMITED

SON

"

Bailey,

London

50

Stanhope

GLASGOW

Street,

17

BLACKIE

Warwick

BLACKIE

Fort

House,

"

LIMITED

(INDIA)

SON

"

(CANADA)

SON

Toronto

Street,

Bombay

LIMITED

On

the

of

Writing

English

BY

GEORGE

TOWNSEND
Late

Master

BLACKIE
LONDON

of the

WARNER,
Modern

"

SON
AND

Side

in Harrow

LIMITED
GLASGOW

M.A.
School

hy
Britain

Great
Printed

in

Lii/ii/ed,
"
Biackie

Son,

Glas^^oiv

en

To

R. A. B. C.
My

Dear
You

was
an

Dick,
were

the firstboy

to

read this

it

book,when

stillin the stage of type-script.

True, I had you at
embarrassed with German
measles,
advantage;
you were

and, being shut out from

that time ruled,you had
Some

will hold that it was

thrust the

the
to

over
society

put up

with

which
my

at

you

company.

shabbytrick on

my part to
But you read
you; perhapsit was.
and hazarded the opinion
criticism,
a

thingupon
it through,
oftered some
that you might learn a good deal from it;and this you
have certainly
done, which encourages hope that others
So the book shall be inscribed to you
may do the same.
with gratitude
for your help over
other
this and many
"

more

things.
important
G.

1 (^^y't'foT*-^

T.

W.

Scholar.

"But

break

all

you

'Dominie.

"

Not

all,

rules."
your

surely."

own

CONTENTS

Page

Introductory

PART

WHAT
FROM

" I.
" II.

" III.

TO

On

and

Order
-

Order

" V.

On

Gathering

Material

Gathering

Material

about

Paragraphs

" VIII.

More

Bad

On

and

Good

3.

The

4.

Oratorical:

5.

Good

"Talk"
-

Bad

Speech

English

"Sermony"

or

The

Style

Style
_

" X.

" XI.
" XII.

The
The

"

Oratorical

or

"Sermony"

"

"

or

23

25
28

30

31
32

^6

Colloquial Style

Moralizing

16

^4

Helots

"Journalese"

33

-----

The

1 1

Newspaper"

Moralizing

"

Colloquial Style"
The

English

Style

Drunken

Journalese

2.

Again

The

1.

" IX.

On

" VII.

Order

On

" IV.

" VI.

TAUGHT

--.....

Thinking

EXPECT
FROM

Beginning

TEACHER"

On

Speech"

Style

Style

36

ag
41
44

CONTENTS

Page

" XIII.

Good

" XIV.

On

" XV.

The

" XVI.

The

English
Using

-----

47

English

the

English

of the

Writing

of Good

of the

Bible

On

" III.

On

" IV.

Mental

" V.

Beginning
Diving

" VII.
^VIII.
" IX.

In

On

69
-

75
Bivalves"

Common

Some

Ways

Mistakes

into

Sentences

the

Head

and

of

On

" II.

On

Seeing

"111.

On

the Art

of

Envoi

85
88

Say

to

Choosing
-

Merits

on

Essay
-

83

96

97

Words

Model

80

III

Further

The

------

Interlude

Some

Variety

Having Something

" I.

MERITS

OF

An

72

Wolf!

PART

" IV.

Of

63

"

66

"Succulent

On

" XI.

oi

-----

Abstracts

Wolf!

On

59

"

Processes

Connecting-Strings: Particularly Conjunctions

On

" X.

'

55

------

" VI.

II

Beginning

" II.

49

PITFALLS

ON

On

English

PART

" I.

Bible

"

102

-108

""

1 10

Ii8
121

CONTENTS

xi

APPENDIX
Page

Some

Styles Considered

1.

Bacon

2.

Bacon

3.

4.

G.

5.

Macaulay

6.

G.

M.

7.

G.

8.

Charles

9.

K.

Charles

11.

R.

12.

R.

L.
L.

13.

R.

14.

Hazlitt

15.

Two

16.

R.

L.

-125

-127

-127

-132

129

-130

Chesterton
Lamb
Lamb
Lamb

134

136

-137

138

-..--__

Stevenson

Stevenson
Stevenson

-139
-

-143

Brothers

146

_..---

E.

Mandell

18.

Bacon

Prothero

147

------

Creighton
-

-149

-150

-151

Emerson
-

Some

Scraps

20.

N.

21.

Upon

A.

Walton
the

Quality

that

Dominie

140
142

------

17.

19.

Trevelyan

Charles

10.

Trevelyan

M.

"125

Emerson

called

Romance

ought

to

have

-152

with

thing
Some-

said

before

"

148

155

Introductory

of

KNOW,

fashion

of

among
".

Essays

"

such

something
will

write

to

sum

well

But

still, all

made

in

again,

and

of

old

of
we

be

rooted

what

we

all

want

728

which

to

know

and

of

out

tell
the

him
same

some

it

beset

boy

come

"

up
Lack

him.

locution,
circumwill

moralizing
the

by changing
write.

can

the

journalese,

thing

boy

something.

called

cheap

him
to

subject;

against

which

so

"

slang, pomposity,

order,

rhetoric,
not

of

difficulties

old

the

rence;
occur-

Doubtless

mistakes

"Essay"

his

we

an

easy

No.

expected
the

them

set

"

subjects

be

reasonably

expect

minds:
or

and

setting

to

will

scene

for

"Essays?"

set

to

say,

some

on

arguments

but

proposal;
is

the

up

letter

they

boyish
a

present

the

up

we

to

describe

to

the

give

therefore

suited

them
to

absurd,

boys;

more

ask

is

It

of

things

to

many

is

it

that

course,

For,
:

we

in
wish

name

end,

the
him
2

to

THE

WRITING

think, and

down

write

to

ENGLISH

OF

thoughts in good

his

English; that is all.

That
being so, I have tried to give help in
from
older boys I cannot
because
Essay-Writings
ask for an
that it is wrong
to
Essay ".
see
They play with men's bats and cricket balls,
and learn; they read men's
books, and learn;
they may equallywell practiseusing their pens
in the same
style. Even if they fail,
grown-up
they are learning,just as they are learningin
"

cricket

Besides, there

in letters.

and

in asking them
stimulating
which

difficulties.

presents

demoralizing.
and

do

most

boy
wish

so

"

to

try

who

wishes

will

often

him

to

what

is

go

babyish", for his

forward into being man-like.
if experienceshows
that most
learn to write better,it
to

to

Yet
anxious

"

seems

for them

that it is hard
teach

to

correct

as

them
and

is

to

rebuild

But

to

take
his

"

learn.
each

thing
is

learn

"

better

"grown-up"

than

strikes

thing
some-

pap

make

to

what

Intellectual

efforts

do

is

The

whole

bent

boys
also

are

shows

best way

boy himself,and
"

Essay under his eye.

generallyready enough

although boys are

of school for this purpose,
time out
to give up
it is often impossiblefor the teacher to find the
time.
form of twenty-fourboys, even
With
a
a

quarter of

an

hour

apiece

means

six hours

in

INTRODUCTORY

the
to

week

added

half

give
select

only

is

each

to

best

or

ones,

essay

it is easy
ing
feel-

without

long. Nor are attempts

To teach
satisfactory.
is
only the worst
ones,

too

of the form

out

the

time-table,and

hour

an

time

that the
to

to

unfair

to

vidual

teachingis unquestionably
useful,it does

in

some

the

others.

And

involve

ways

though

of

waste

this

indi-

time.

The

and
to
things have to be said over
over
different boys. They do not
all make
the same
mistakes, but certain types of mistakes
occur
often.
Of
a
general criticism of the
course,
same

essays

to

the whole

form

has

leave

much

of

is bound

to

searched

nearly so
should

and

its uses,
the

besides, firingat

destructive

or

"

but

one

ground
large is

instructive

"

un-

not

as

it

be.

Accordingly,I have tried to set down

briefly
of building
the first principles
"Essay";
up an
the way
to
gather and sort material ; then to
reveal the commonest
lie in wait
which
pitfalls
for the beginner,
and
his guard
to
put him on
laid some
I have
against glaring mistakes.
unless
stress
on
these, because
a
boy knows
what
is bad, and why it is bad, he has no
dard
stanby which to choose what is better. At the
tried to explain where
lies.
end
I have
merit
As

my

aim

has

been

to

write

book

which

WRITING

THE

boy

pedagogic
and

then

another
much

reader

some

or

been

himself,
of

decorum

page
has

for

read

can

ENGLISH

OF

two,
done.

Instruction;
be

may
to

see

sacrificed

have

and

tempted
what

comes

if
to

now

read

next,

PART

What

Expect
to

From

Teacher

From

"

Taught

"1

with,

begin

TO

Essays

either

is

by

and

writer

thinker

yet awhile.

Still,it pleases

to

"Essays":

it

say

call

brief

wonder

sometimes
about

say

fair

However,

Essay,
Why

copy,

set

to

you

show

to

Prose".
would

Plato

or

or

"

or

the

even

something

or

is it

we

as

Hillard,

them

saw

business

your

expected

you

they

teachers

"Greek

Cicero

what

if

these

master's

and

as

You

just

and

North

Prose"

"Latin

Sidgwick

such

some

"

by

profound

or

well

sounds

from

passage

but

others.

be

great

set.

boys,

cannot

Essays ",

thinkers,

Emerson,

Bacon,

"

not

profound

and

writers

"

write

Essay

"

an

produced,

are

Macaulay,

don't

you

when

even

great

^egin?itng

is

.?

In

write
it

near

as

to

as

doing

These

lish
Eng-

an

can.

you

it, what

things

are

first

of

all:"
I.

That

you

thoughts

can

in

think
order.
T

little

and

put

your

WRITING

THE

2.

That

you

which

3.

That

very

is, really,

hard,

does

make

about

it.?

get

your

doesn't

It

set

fool
in

pen

all.
Let's

English

understand.

can

not

you

brief

plain

man

need

when

That

write

can

every
you

ENGLISH

OF

to

work.

of

self
yourhand.

sound

"11

OF

course

I.

As

in

if

something

ideas

they

less

Of

thinking
help

can

beginners
of

"Place

the
course

to

you

about

will

we

Culture

of

flood

head

your

the

sulky.

seem

say

".

into

comes

do

to

or

easy:

Life

National

Order

perhaps

more

are

you

take

Yet

brains

your

have

you

not

stir

and

Thinking

On

mixed

that.

Well,

then
What's
about

that
it

Well,

then,
not

wrong;

to

that
and

him

beg

you

him
If

essays,
do

always

to

be

will

soon

learn

stupid

Even
as

you

and

as

to

this,

we,

set

we

think.

the

on

kind

to

hint

but
to

at

go
him

subject,
explain
who

subjects
teachers

is
it

words;

idea

do

you

He
shout

to

many

very

understand.
so

so

school,

so

of

wise

not

single

several

in

ideas

no

teacher.

your

is

of

end

the
haven't

you

little.
the

at

there,

have

understand?

to

It

you.

You

even

so

say

and

then

say

don't

you

"

him,

you

are

set

which
not

what

you
But
and

suggests

down

just

daisies,

they

as

red,

flowers,

tropical
poppies,

tall

short

flowers,

dahlias,

wild

hyacinths,

artificial

you

flowers,

and

hot-house,
holes,
buttonand

flowers,

dafibdils,

crocus,

flower

gardeners,
in

flowers
that's

Stop;

of

colours

the

heaps,

street,
thank

!
?

Heaps
to

"c.

carnations,

sweet-smelling

sell

them

hollyhocks

flowers,

flowers,
who

people

shows,

write

flowers,

violets,

fuchsias,

orchids,

"Flowers".

say

flowers,
cut

think,

to

gardens,

flowers,

enough.

you

Roses,

blue

tell

or

plain

things:

come.

yellow,

flowers,

of

spring,

primroses,

be

let's

heap

subject,

prefers

he

easier;

something

sets

will

That

doesn't;

he

suppose

the

explain

read.

to

That
all

will

he

Perhaps

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

THE

10

sort

that

we'll

Heap
use

rather

Heap^

the

some

rest.

of

Now

it

we'll

we've
throw

got
away,

"

III

Order

On
"

YOU'VE
"

of

".

The

and

Sentence

Paragraph

Subject.

will

take

We

cannot

states

it

and

of

"But,"

sentences

of

Division

or

unless

make

do

by

mean

you
I

we

graph.
Para-

up

or

plan.

good

Subject?

Aspect

one

not

to

go

"what

say,

you

is

that

it

Paragraph.

sentence

one

Division

or

generally
a

about

in

Subject

that

make

to
want

we

yards long,

number

Aspect

sentences

all

Aspect

one

follows

it

grasp

opinion.*

or

with

Thus

say

of

m.ake

deals

to

them.

fact

is

thing

next

of

and

"Paragraphs"

of

use

several

Division

of

Sentences

meaning

the

heard

don't

an

quite

understand."

Of

back

go

to

Take

we

It
can

that

also

neglect

give
these

take

and

Heap

another

may

Let's

not.

course

of

piece
command

see

ask

or

uses.

what's

paper

Let's

example.

an

question;

in

and

but

it.

begin
for

our

purposes

to

THE

12

sort

it.

WRITING

How

"

OF

?"

Into

ENGLISH

kinds

offlowers^if

you

like.
A.

Wild

flowers:

daisies,
primroses,poppies,

violets,and
B.

Garden

so

on.

flowers:

carnations,hollyhocks,

roses,

dahlias.
C.

Hot-house

flowers:

orchids,fuchsias,
cal
tropi-

flowers.

And

lines

thinking on these
of each kind
plenty more

which

hit

can

you

on

will add

you

to

the list.
Or

let's

another

sort

that suggests

^^

"

Spring flowers ",

way.

Summer'''

and

^'-Autumn'.

Good.

A.

Spring flowers: daisies,

primroses,crocus,
dafibdil,
violets,hyacinths.

B.

Summer

flowers:

roses,

carnations,hollyhocks,

geraniums.
C.

Autumn
have
some

yes,
turn

D.

Winter

flowers:

of them

got many
more

and

um!

red ; we'll

flowers
and

glass.

(don't seem
"

to

of

think

must

chrysanthemums
well, anyhow, all the leaves
"

"

dahlias

"

"

make

Christmas
flowers

that

do.

roses,

grown

cisely.)
Pre-

drops,
snow-

under

ORDER

ON

13

if you
Or, again,by colours^
A.

Red.

B.

Blue.

C.

White.

D.

Yellow.

Or, if you
not

wish, by

like

whether

"

they

smell

or

"

A.

flowers,

Scented

B.- Unscented

flowers.
and

Or, again,in country

A.

wild

The

flowers

flowers, and
The

C.

Buttonholes

D.

Artificial flowers.

hot-house

threw

Or,

away
once

little,
we
flowers

you

we

"

flower-shows.

flower-sellers.

the

use

of the

some

in the

earlier choices.

more,

concentratingour

might

write

garden

common

gardener.

and
and

see,

and

the

B.

Here,

town

three

on

or

stufl^ we

thoughts
four

national

"

of

A.

The

Rose

B.

The

Lilies of France.

C.

The

Scottish

D.

The

England.
Thistle.

DaflFodil

George
leek.)

of

assured

Wales.
us

that

(Mr. Lloyd
it is

not

the

Now
all
what

of

WRITING

THE

14

then,

Divisions

we

or

have

Sentences^

A's,

these

to

combined

OF

ENGLISH

B's,

C's,

of

Aspects
say

in

one

D's

are

and

Subject,

the
each

about

and

we

say

Paragraph.

in

See

lot

" IV

Order

On

WHAT
into

of

that's

paper

for

"

plan

in

".

This

before

making

Yes,

I dare

of

but

If

teacher

with

Skeleton

",

quickly.
with
able

to

see

you

both

shorter
that

you
"

Skeleton

or

Essay

with

in

order

and

will

be

your
you

you

he

this

think

deal

right plan.

always

Besides,
a

guide

made
"

your

would

he

"

your

what

away

write

fer
pre-

-arrange

your

to

it is the

Essay,

your

re

you

paragraphs.

say

trouble;
every

is

to

you

to

what

choose

to

divisions

(throwing

Finally,

the

of

plan

want).

Syllabus

and

Essay,

that

on

of

sets

piece

think

to

then

into;

come

one

on

then

them

these

your

not

the

"

of

subject

"Heap";

sort

can

you
one

do

the

that

thoughts

your

"

divisions

Heap

about

the

first^ to

is:

do, then,

to

all

down

head

your

which

have

you

jot

otgai7t

teach
would

Essay,
really
16

show

you
"

Heap

much

you

probably
because
had

and

he

worked

up,
your
more

be

tent
con-

would
at

be
it.

" V

you

fool
about
he
of

say,
could

that.
I

says

ought

if I

so

Any

easy.

something

which

I can't

and

about,

put

to

something

set

am

know

to

was

of

think

What

think

.'*"

anything

if

well;

Very

Flowers''

^^^

BUT,

Material

Gathering

On

something

stir

to

mind

your
it

up

is

lazy

of

sort

some

"

find

must

we

tonic

or

stimulant.
he

Suppose
cardinal

the
"

to

of

".

"

kind

Reptiles ",

men

of

fond

are

of

one

or

Charity ",

"

I will

or

setting

they ought

(although
which

reasons

",

Mercy

Good

this

it, for

do

you

virtues,

Almsgiving

subjects

"

sets

not

explain by

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where

himself

attacked

He

the

road.

the

up.

know

even

been

they

him

picked

of

down

and

night

at

last

happened

cycling

was

late
side

Reporter

what
1

you.

the

"Talk."
"

the

to

know

very

chap lying by
off

Cyclistsaid

to

ENGLISH

Style

Colloquial

What

night.

OF

WRiriNG

pay

the

lurch.

time."

cab;

JOURNALESE

Journalese

2.

the

Hozv
a

bad

Reporter

Reporter and

for

wrote

While

o'clock

of

Movinsky
He

of

by
his

off

made

identified.

The

are

rescuer

on

all

lies

critical

entertained

police are

Josefs

individual

an

in

the

gutter.

discovered

and

been

had

his

available

the

at

present

at

his

alert.

not

the

ultimate

in

yet

Three
his

whither
him

had

victim,

has

condition

escorted

of

cash,

unfortunate

well-connected,

He

in

compassionate
Hopes

be

to

Hotel

Road,

occurrence

The

undetected.

been
Stars

and

watch

appears

frequented
un-

criminals, who, after relieving

some

who

of

machine

the

the

named

motionless

his

of

victim

the

assaulted
him

from

Pimlico

body

and

two

along

extraction

the

apparently

alighted

that

between

the

foreign

perceived

stretched

of newspaper^

yesterday morning

man

was

VIOLENCE

bicycle

locality of
young

kind

poor

he

you,

WITH

his

riding

(Mind

it.

zvrote

Style

Newspaper

Bad

ROBBERY

ALLEGED

three

The

31

cab.

recovery.

WRITING

THE

32

3. The
The

Moralizing

must

drawing:

bring

"Sermony"

or

deplorableoutrage

recent

Road

ENGLISH

OF

be

not

allowed

home

to

us

the Pimlico

on

pass without

to

from

lessons

some

Style

it.

Does

our

it

not

terrible

the

which
insecurity
twentieth
century?

pervades our

life even

That

rence
possiblefor such an occurplace on so frequenteda highway

it should
to

is

take

in the

be

astonishing.It

is

surelytime

that

steps

some

for the better

tant
policingof this imporand we
thoroughfare,
confidentlyhope
may
that the offenders will be detected
and punished.
The
man
Josefs Movinsky is deserving
young
of the highest praise;although we
gather that
that
he is not
an
Englishman, he has shown
ready compassion that unites the kind hearts of
all nations.
further, even
Indeed, he went
were

taken

sufferer

assistingthe
conduct
own

been

instructive
who

comment

condemn

authorityof

have

the

Bishop of Pimlico's
his Lordship saw

that

drunken

the

man

to

to

his

of

some

our

fear, might
assist,and
attitude

not

is

an

of those

all alien

unheard

We

we

the

upon

expense

own

lesson

people who,
equally ready

young

have

offers

indeed

his

at

the

immigration.
Right Reverend

chauffeur
what

sittingby

the

he

for
took

roadside.

saying
to

be

THE

Counsel

What

to

us

make

the

accused

were

Who

of

them

saw

in

that

day,

evidence

the

man
a

dazed

was

statement

road.

bishop

you

whether

"

very

Bear

gentlemen.
is

not

scrap

evidence, the
He

made

he

support

poor

of

able
remark-

has

not

this

not, 1 ask

"

Pimlico

lying

was

in

he

statement

Bishop

Crown

or

Was

remarkable

while

to

by

went

in

the

the

box

the

he

that the

is offered.

evidence

bewildered.

and

Now

in

story.

after midnight

Road

There

namely, that he saw

passing in his motor
the

this

It is said

one,

identify
anyone

to

state

told

has

Movinsky

he wanted

unfortunate
point. The
robbery believes that he can
doubt
his assailants,
and
no
as
his part. But as Josefs
belief on

honest

an

were

that

identifythem
it is

thieves zvho

examine

it.

no

one.

no

on

of

victim

but

.'' No

mind,

us

Pimlico

the

on

that

on

Style

Speech

so
{He was a young barrister,
most
of his chance.)

trial.

gentlemen,let
look closely
into

Now,

33

defendingthe

said when

on

put

Let

The

Oratorical:

4.

STYLE

SPEECH

put

on

the

belief,and

you

to

sider
con-

lying half-stunned on the

road could have recognizedthe Right Reverend
A strange
gentleman as he passed in a motor.
delusion!
.^^ Is it even
Is it probable
possible?
whether

( 0 728 )

man

THE

34

No!

with

WRITING

contend,
that

me,

OF

and

ENGLISH

think

of

evidence

the

will

you

agree

identification

is

satisfactory.
found guiltyand got three years.
[They were
Counsel
failingto explainaway the fact that
they had pawned the victim's watch.]
not

5. Good
I

daresay

English

already guessed

have

you

what

it is.

for the

Now
It is

story written

old

very

thus

that

certain

of his

him

fell among

there

down

came

when

he

side.

And

runs

the

But

where

other

compassion

by

chance

way:

he

the

priestthat
passed by on
Levite, when

looked

him,

on

he
and

parted,
de-

and
other
at

was

passed

side.

certain
he

him, and
And

to

stripped

certain

likewise
and

Jerusalem

wounded

half dead.

him

saw

place,came
on

had

the

It

thieves,which

raiment, and

leaving him

came

also.

from

down

went

man

Jericho,and

by

old

is

than

the

older

story, much

English, though

good English.

in

Samaritan,
was:

and

on

him,

when
and

he

as

he
went

journeyed,
saw

to

him,
him,

he

and

ENGLISH

GOOD

bound

and
to

set

an

him

inn,

on

and

and

thou

spendest
thee."

of

care

care

more,

he
the

to

of
when

him;
I

come

and

wine,
him

brought
And

him.

departed,
them

"Take

him,

and

beast,

own

oil

in

pouring

took

gave

unto

repay

his

he

when

morrow

pence,

wounds,

his

up

35

took

out

host,

and

and

the

on

two

said

whatsoever

again,

will

" IX

Drunke72

The

of

ALL
The

little

show

itself

take

us

to

You

"

late

night

at

road,

dazed

and

began
been

attacked

have

hit

left

him

called

be

a
"

dead

help

bit
After

trundled

of

him

bit

in

the

but

they
if he

he

down

got
to

bit

the

and

He

knows

36

and

that

He

said

seems

he
he
to

bisliop,

better, and
the

must

that

me

and

'em

had

head

told

of

one

he

he

the

stop.

in

half

they

directly after,
wouldn't

the

was

me

robbed:

He

gutter.

of

Then

told

over

very

side

was.

I'll

night.
Road

up.

he

whack

Pimlico

of

last

Pimh'co

where

good

passed

swell

them

study

Reporter

him

roughs

pretty

Bishop

and

lying by

together

some

motors

English.

the

picked
know

himself

half

will

do.

happened

chap

and

the

to

down

even

by

the

saw

off

for

spotted

him

of

couple

what

and

pull

to

Cyclist said

cycling

didn't

of

tale

same

to

separately

was

jumped

not

model

know

to

the

defects.

the

want

tell you,

is

their

What

of

what

them

see

Style

versions

to

story

Let

Colloquial

these

serve

Helots

Three

found
Stars,

cab

was

and
in

COLLOQUIAL

hurry,

Oh

yes,
the

in

so

did

saw

after

him.

old

boy

used

in

the

lea\e

must

be

not

English.

Abbreviations:

I'll

"

and

words

Slang

time."

whole

the

which

things

writing good

2.

look

to

couldn't

cab;

Bobby

Observe

1.

the

pay

there

lurch.

Never

"

landlord

the

told

37

himself

".

didn't

","

"pull

colloquial phrases:
",

together

chap ",

"

spotted

"

".

3.

of

Omission

4.

careless

and

Ugly

phrase:

practically

but
of

in

good

is

the

same

good

English

one

and

him
in

shape

should

there

of

kind

picked

enough

that

see

be

he
tence:
sen-

up",
its

way,

variety

the

dipped

sentences.

Learn
and

It

B.

will

you
but

off

jumped

"I

and

nothing

uses

of

repeating

bit".

"a

further,

him

Study

saw

time".

whole

the

Bobby

"Never

subject:

the

then

shortened

that

you

style in

must

which

not

you

write

talk.

in

yournalese^''

*'

Or,

Sir

as

Quiller

ALLEGED

riding
the

extraction

named

the

and

stretched

victim

all

The

his

of

the

present

the

at

whither

his

cab.

police
Plainly
I.

more

not

who

Stars

are

the

Count

the

used

by

of

is

the

spade

of

words

He
.

off

his

by

watch

well

be

to

He

critical

lies

at

condition
him

in

recovery.

plague of long
three

is

syllables

Now

cyclist.
.

Thus

he
38

puts

or

the

count

who

man

words

cannot

call

spade.

the

undetected.

ultimate

his

with

man

reporter.

in

alert.

the

Reporter

of

escorted

rescuer

entertained
on

him

body

discovered

identified.
in

the

assaulted

appears

Hotel

compassionate
are

been

made

been

yet

Three

Hopes

The

had

victim,

has

and

relieving

cash,

foreign

motionless

had

after

of

perceived

machine

occurrence

who,

unfortunate

his

three

unfrequented
man

young

apparently

from

available

connected,

the

Josefs Movinsky

criminals,

some

and

two

along

Road,

Jargon'"'

VIOLENCE

between

morning

alighted

He

gutter.

bicycle

^^

it,

WITH

Pimlico

individual

an

that

his

yesterday

locality of
of

calls

ROBBERY

While
o'clock

Couch

"

Individual

"

for

JOURNALESE

He

Don't

writing".

Where

words

and

easier

to

have

self.
your-

from
Saxon

use

are

much

so

thing, and

one

they

derived
terminologyis principally
in composition
the Latin language. When
selection,employ the
a
possibleto make
his

and

alternatives

their Latin

not

synonyms.

comprehensibleand make
founder
impression."
it is again,in Latin style.Which
There
version
best } Unluckily the second
home

They

are

in this

write

to

3. The

that leads

reporter

available

The

cash

fact is he

"

are

This

word

apt

is

seen

call
a

an

Find

"

looks

people

oyster

horrible

fault ;

"

and

succulent
you

"

is one,
more.

described

cannot

He

the other.

place
common-

some
"

victims

often that he

so

without

to

victim

is another.

has

of

number

uses

unfortunate

"

"unfortunate"
one

gets

foolish

some

pro-

ponderous way.

phrases:
"

more

learned, and

more

fine

"Again,

Saxon

They

on.

"

drawn

are

choice,

ones.

for

for

mistake

same

so

force.

Observe

it is

Latin

understand

more

from

have

and

words

of his words
you

not

the

make

Again, many

Latin.

"found",

using of long

the

mistakes

2.

for

"discovered"

"man",

39

will

think

as

of

his tribe
bivalve
find

more

".

about

it

if

that

sub

find

He
he
-editor

Find

the

Not

in

walk

here,

with

certainly

This

"

with

in

",

roundabout

should

is

my
are

you

".

anyhow

disorderly

another

remember

present,

saying

noun

always

begins
has

For

that

ENGLISH

OF

80.

p.

"

answer

4.

and

on

you

adjective
to

WRITING

THE

40

sentence

which

one

have

put

the

right.

it.
Learn

plainly.

from
But

the
it

is

reporter
more

then

dijjicult

to

than

tell
it

plain
seems.

tale

" XI

The

3VIoraiizing

''

^^Sermony

or

Styli
e
The
must

lessons

from

terrible

to

is

to

for

offenders

will

Josefs Movinsky

man

praise; although
he
the
even

has

kind

We

those
have

Bishop
saw

what

is

who

of

all

the

took

be

of

41

our

been
upon

all

alien

Right

the

for

drunken

roadside.

the

saying
man

tant
importhat

hope

The

highest
man,
English-

an

that
went

unites

further,
his

expense:

have

unheard

chauffeur
to

own

some

not

of

of

not

he

comment

authority

Pimlico's
he

to

this

compassion

his

lesson

condemn

is

foi

some

punished.

Indeed

nations.

instructive

an

he

ready

at

that

of

deserving

that

fear, might

we

assist,and

that

sufferer

the

offers

people who,
of

of

assisting
indeed

to

shown

hearts

is

gather

we

time

and

detected

be

the

frequented

confidently

may

in

possible

so

policing

the

us

even

be

surely

is

some

to

life

should

better
we

home

on

Road

drawing

our

place

It

the

and

thoroughfare,

young

take

astonishing.
taken

were

pervades
it

Pimlico

our

bring

not

That

occurrence

highway

the

it

century?

the

on

without

pass

which

insecurity

an

outrage

Does

it.

twentieth

steps

allowed

be

not

such

deplorable

recent

own

duct
con-

young

equally ready
the

attitude

immigration.
Reverend
that

the
he

sitting by

only
the

WRITING

THE

42

[This
of

is

from

extract

:in

ENGLISH

OF

Parabola's, Pimlico, and

St.

written

by

was

churchwarden

the

zine
Maga-

Parish

the

bably
proedits

who

it.]
and
object of the moralizer
of the preacher is not
main
only to
view, but to persuade you to agree with
learn something
that
from it. Remember
The

in

"

state

"

the

of

of

aim

an

essay,

as

well

as

convince, but

does

not

course

which

facts and

or

it is

strive

may

point-blankat

aim

Still less should

instruction.

or

it

to
not

opinions

state

may

the

it

to

suasion
per-

give

advice.
1.

He

uses

many

praise or

express

first; find the

2.

He

is

reader.,
e.g.
from
draw

"

words

blame-,

and

phrases that
"deplorable" is the

others.

himselfwith his
constantly
associating
lessons
without
our
drawing some

it ".
some

persuade you

But

what

lessons
to

he
for

agree

means

you.

with

is that
He
him

he will

wishes
that

he

to

is

right.
of a
of the marks
3. Having caught some
sermon
(a bad one), he has a sort of mildly
It is surelytime ", and
argumentativetone.
are
expected to say: "Yes, high time!"
you
Find
other examples.
of commonplace
number
He
also has
a
4.
"

THE

phrases
find.
because
Learn

preachy

MORALIZER

bivalves"),

("succulent
But

is

that

of

his

from

advise^

43

because

he

which
writes

can

you
ill

not

style.
the

moralizer

persuade^

or

that
instruct.

you

must

not

"XII
The

Oratorical''''

^^

Speech^''

'^

or

Style
gentlemen,

Now,
look

closely

Road

evidence

no

Bear

of

victim
them

this

belief

his

on

the

Was
made
statement

in

Now

ask

stunned

in

Is

contend,

the

it

and

evidence

The

road

the

gentleman

delusion!

orator

not

of

he

the

saw

wishes

to
44

honest

an

bishop
he

wildered.
beHe

in

it

will
not

the

box

half-

the
A

motor.

Right
strange

possible?

even

agree

with

too,

No!
that

me,

satisfactory.

persuade

to

not,

or

lying

man

road.

the

by

recognized
in

Pimlico

of

on

went

is

told

remarkable

very

lying

the

Is

you
identification

is

Bishop

was

passed

think

identify

can

it

"

have

probable?

he

identify anyone?

to

whether

as

not

unfortunate

The

and

put

could

is

dazed

whether

and

one,

has

he

consider

to

you

he

No

There

was

but

day,

them?

doubt

us

were

Josefs Movinsky

state

that

has

belief,

this

Reverend

in

that

one.

man

while

motor

Crown

the

support

his

as

accused

on

that

no

Let

story.

the

point.

statement

namely,

"

no

poor

remarkable

passing

he

mind,

and

But

evidence,

in

saw

believes

robbery

part.

Who

that

on

that

midnight

in

assailants,

his

as

you

evidence

of

scrap

after

that

this

said

is

offered.

is

gentlemen.

examine

us

It

it.

into

Pimlico

the

on

let

as

did

ORATORICAL

moralizer, but

the

in

the

to

morahzer's

intellect\ the
a

appeal is

to

Thus

"Please

",
He

2.

His

let

"

asks

is

orator

think!"

(" Now

Such

answer.

and
questions,
Your

is

business

Observe

that

questions:
leaves

he

to

avoid

them

facts

state

or

sometimes

he

the

it twice

he

some

jurymen

called

questionsare
should

you

constantly saying,

of

number

is

orator

phrase says
").

examine

us

the

feelings^

first

himself, others

answers

to

the

th^

The

sense

1.

and

reason

of duty, to conscience.
continuously argumentative.

to

different

somewhat

appeals more

He

way.

45

rhetorical

in

an

essay.

opinions.^
asks

question

fact.
Is it
to
state
a
reallymeans
Is it possible.'^"He
that it
means
probable.''
is neither
probable nor
possible.
uses
imperatives freely: bids you
3. He
he

where

this

Bear

"

"

4.

He

5.

He

mind."

in

exclaims

remarkable

'An
the

advocate

is

and

suggests

course

is free
his

making
come

to

the

to

state

audience
same

not

statement

rather

"

permitted to
things
his

them

pressive
im-

"

very

".

tricks

are

make

to

remarkable

statement

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ENGLISH

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THE

52

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ENGLISH

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54

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Macaulay's

bush

bather

their

it.

you

begin.

to

roundabout

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are

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of

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it hard

scare

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have

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length

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"

should

they

pages.

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cautiously

the

sixty

or

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to

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of

essay

always

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hi

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in.
from

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he

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in

of

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that

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it does

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in

he

money
was

to

tell

and

lonely

us

well-

was

that

all

this

story.

most

this

road

pause

celebrated

head-first

Truth
"

63

way.

essays
Thus

in

lish
Eng-

Bacon's

is truth?'

'"Wliat

stay for

not

Or, again,On

God

if

And

is

writer

the

that he

Essay

on

Gardens

words,

surface

in two

at

for

back

garden ".
of these
his

cases

beginning,

lingerin the past. The

continues:
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not

pleasures".

of human

purest

in other
the

does

"

first planteda

far

goes

justice".

Gardens

on

allegethat

notice

is the

"

of wild

kind

Almighty

you

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".

Or, again,his Essay

"

jestingPilate; and

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Revenge

"

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an

ENGLISH

OF

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THE

64

that

after his dive

once,

and

he

to

comes

where

see

we

Remark,
he

is

going.

skill.

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what

"belly-flopper",making
and
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onlookers
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which
rate

may
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or

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may

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before

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is

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the writer
bad

out

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neatly.

the

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far under
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of

sentence,
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mind

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water

long
clumsy, but

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An

vulgarlycalled

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sometimes

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IN

DIVING

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headers.

crawl

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(0728)

the

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foot

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65

neatness

of Bacon's

perhaps,win
less dive

time;

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in.
don't

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cup

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sprawl

IV

D^ental

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is

essay

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Troubles

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wrote

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what

you

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got

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that

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what

all

omit

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probably

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of
will

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the

is
be

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likely

fight

is

66

why

reason

because

For

Turks.

by

hostility of

they
the

from

Macedonians

be

to

marked

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creed.

under

circumstances

the

Balkans

the

will

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ferocity.

in

war

any

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fought,
peculiar
various

desire

barbarity
the

case

as

race

the

and

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of Christian
the government
ference
indifand an
callous brutality

Turks

the

wherever

have

they displaya
subjects,
of
the sufferings
to
is well

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67

THINK"

"I

little faith

that

known

promises of reform,

Turkish

says

Thus

sentence.

think

will, I think,

it

that

have

to

live

nents
oppoto

recourse

first

his

in

times

be

think

how

will, I think,

Balkans

the

her

"

when

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"

"

I think

"

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can

therefore

and

decide
at
may
any moment
of the sword."
arbitrament

the

population.
be placed in

downtrodden

in

war

fought, I think
marked
by peculiar
be

".
ferocity
But

it is his essay,

as

that

it is all what

him

down

to

take

we

thinks, and

he

for

so

granted

"

marked

likelyto be
by peculiar ferocity"(we give him
think ").i
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in the

the

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to

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will find

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plenty

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to qualify. The
thingsat once:

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such

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this country

observed

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as

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writer is really
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is,and

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illustration,drawn

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Africa".

as

at

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essay

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frst sis;ht,

may
in the case

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What

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be

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a

of

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might
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action
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68

THE

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mental

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ENGLISH

So

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rare

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less

how

[Count

is that

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there

Turks

have

may
strict

of

truth,

these

qualifies

he

the

Christian

savage

speak

to

in

except

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sufferings

times

many

which

least,
the

to

to

doubt,

no

at

that,

say

almost

an

Pashas,

majority

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they try

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indifferent

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wlien

honest

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are

Turks,

the

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lations.
popu-

general

his

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misgovern

races.]

of

Beware

Beware

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If

mind.^

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couple

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point,
find

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of

(i) "Going
that..."
may

be

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of

examples
to

(2)

"This

on

both

in

the

sides."

ginal
ori-

but

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question

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you

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Connecting-Stri7tgs:

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cularly
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the

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creed.

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the

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idiom.

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some

THE

70
modern
has

dilution

to

with

excellent

ENGLISH

OF

of that

down

go
be

may

WRITING

hence

sage:

because

or

everything
This
therefore.

English. The order of your

of these.
supply the place of most
Notice,

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when

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way

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of

with

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should

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(commonly) wrong.

start

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ideas

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."

consider

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it makes

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not
begin another; and as you canthe
see
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attention
call your
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to
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omit the
now
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ing,
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at this moment
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thirdly^
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CONNECTING-STRINGS

He

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71

that

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find

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"VI
Abstracts

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indicate

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to

well

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Turks

have

display

arbitrament

that

any
of

of

beginners

is

likely

are

callous
of

little

reform,

sword."
72

the
is

desire

the

case

of

brutality

and

downtrodden

and

that,

Christian
an

ference
indif-

population.
be

can

therefore
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the

barbarity

government

faith

as

race

various

why
they

it

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by

reason

because

and

fought,

be

hostility of

from

the

under

to

marked

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is

moment

the

be

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sufferings

known

at

fight

Turks.

promises
may

creed.

the

the

is

there

Macedonians

the

of

oppression
wherever

will

to

useful

are

circumstances

the

probably
of

can

them.

Balkans

the

we

possible

them

most

consider

difference

states

the

in

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Christian

is

of

we

war

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ferocity.

but

nouns

that

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of

"

when

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is

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all

Nouns:

things

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them

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ideas,

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and

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full

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ENGLISH

Despond

of

have

placed
her
recourse

in

nents
oppoto

ON

Count

them

Abstracts

ABSTRACTS

here.

73

There

for

tiresome

are

far

are

too

many.
reasons.

many

from
mostly drawn
Latin
that
Greek, and you have alreadyseen
or
good English rests mainly on the Saxon words.
Then
they are stupid,dull. They say little,
and
they are so long.
To

begin with, they

are

They desire the liberation of the Macedonians

from
the barbarity and
The
oppression
of the Turks.
Turks display
callous brutality
and an
to the
a
indifference
population."
sufferings
of a downtrodden
"

'orts,doubtless.

Prave
And

there

musing

I dreamt

that

But
hour

an

Greece

Byron

wrote:

alone

might yet

be

free.

brutality,
oppression,
indifference
Again,barbarity,
do.
reallytell us nothing about what the Turks
If you
were
tellinga story, do you think you
would
interest
hearers
by such words.''
your
Not
all: you
would
at
give examples. You
would

that

say

beat

houses, and
would
and

go

the

Turks

them, plunder them,

sometimes
to

on

illtreat the

say

cut

that

their

the

they do not care

they rule; they have no mercy
child.
or
(Unless, of course,
go
the

with

the

Turks, and

Macedonians

are

then

about
on

their

you

You

are

callous

the

people

man,

woman,

sympathies

your

really
very

burn

throats.

Turks

brutal ;

donians,
Mace-

will say

well

that

governed.)

THE

74

Be

WRITING

the

on

of

many

think

hiding
or

You

in

adjectives
you

for

watch

them.
their

abstract

what

do

behind

meaning

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or

make

of

instead

mean

-ation^

an

kill

verbs

use

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you

and

nouns,

generally

can

place:

exactly
your

ENGLISH

OF

an

-//y,

-ism.

an

Of

there

course

of

some

"

abstracts

JVar,
truth,

long-winded
in
office

your
ink.

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replace

them.

finest

words

pity., faith,

"

courage,

the

of

dozens

are

evil.

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imitators;
like

pen
Clean

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them

verb

in

hope,

will

long

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find
hairs

mercy,

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are

them
in

the

stracts
ab-

are

charity,

there

you

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clingpost-

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will

usually

"

VII

Wolfl
On

Adjectives;

himself

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a

himself

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are

forty

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presumably
down

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cigars

are

"

is

fragrant

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was

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his

solace

of

"

we

no

Solaces

are,

phrase

habit.
76

two

"

cosy

buy

that

of course,

"forty

",

winks"

the
his

is

self
him-

sizes

another

drinks

one

it

plumps
is

say

adjectives

arm-chair

man

no

to

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usual

his

sweet

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whisky.
the

"

of

commonly

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it

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and

winks.

"capacious":
in

small.

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of

jorum

himself

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fragrant

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dinner.

to

capacious

moderate

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lighted

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to

in

with

noun

every

arm-in-arm

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fire

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in

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adjective clinging

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jorum
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"sweet",

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76

THE

if
Still,
bald.

WRITING

OF

take

you

Leave

all

them

here

one

ENGLISH

and

it

out

may

appear

there.

Nothing calls for so much painsas the choice

of adjectives.To begin with,
you will have to
decide whether
is needed
an
at all.
adjective
"

No

The

rank

The

man

is but
's the

could
adjective

and, while
of the word

and

consider

about

's a

man

individual

If,however,
await
pitfalls
may

for a' that."

"man"

an

's

the

dignity

in the line
for a'

man

forcible,

more

it,just note

the latter thus

"An

You

gowd

here, and

man
"

guinea-stamp,

make

are

you

the

that,"

remodelled:
for a' that."*

person

be needed,
adjective

different

you.
choose

lazy adjective,i.e.

one

that

of
Great
is
merely is a sort
stopgap.
(often)such an adjective.Thus, if you are not
mountain
on
guard, writing say of some
your
will be speaking of the
tains^
pass, you
great mounwith great avalanches^
great snow-fields
great
and great forests^
and great clouds overprecipices^
head'^
and great poolsfrom which
great waterfalls
^^

^"Man"

"lady"

and

in their

"woman"

are

good words;

though they

so

have

are

"gentleman"

been

much

soiled

and

sense,
proper
by
"human
"individual", "person",
indifferent
being", are
Mibstitutes ; but boys are
curiously fond of them, though they rightly
resent
being described,
themselves, as "juveniles",or "young persons".

misuse:

LAZY

ADJECTIVES

of salmon
great quantities
Of

course

will

you

like

this; they will be

lazy

mind

which

taken",

are

not

77

scattered.

cannot

see

it is

than
will

you

fitting

more

with

on.

string

But

any

epithet to describe a thing

it to talk,and
big". Reduce

so

all in

them

put

and

"

very
how

see

idiotic it is.
"

"

Tell

about

me

They

"

And

"

They

were

the

snow-fields."

were

very

"

And

"

Oh, they

big."

the avalanches."
were

big,too

very

Edifying conversation, is

it

remember

also

that

and
epithet,
talk.
and

was

for

", of

well

cannot

that

mean

Even

more

course,

say

he

says

"

and

not?

certain

so

on.

will

You

only

uses

to

sameness

one

his

appropriate adjectives
has

very

than

the

"

meaning.

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but

otherwise;

was

worse

them.

man"

great

navvy

imparts a

will find

Great
a

the

so

Search
you

"

saw."

you

big."

very

the

mountains

which

it does

big.
of
pitfall

mental

He
we

not

ness
lazi-

of Exaggeration. Great, of
pitfall
the Megatheriums,
nowhere:
in rush

is the
course,

is

Unparalleled,Unprecedented,Stupendous,and
This

is the

becomes,

to

mood
a

in which

tea

Frenchwoman,

in

the

Co.

garden

ravissant, and

causes

German

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

THE

78

describe

to

good

beer

as

kolossal.
like

Large words,
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Ox

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homely pastures.

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are

into

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exaggerationthat
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writer

brave

was

to

till
an

for him.

room

no

of very.

use

to

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on

curiosity

your

matter.

""""""

"

You

possibly stay

can

you

have

thought

Good

kindly

in

mind.]
Tliree

Siberian

fail

be

to

knew

all

in

of

Kaffir

description

of

between

France

he

was

written

of

and

of

almost

three

were

out-of-the-way
(.0 728)

Italy

hand

so

third

it,

lucky
things.
97

and

in

Still,

would

and

for

of

station

Riviera.

having
Now

the

delightful

frontier

railway

any

and

That,
a

the

on

at

about

on.

wrote

the

Ventimiglia,

good

well

These

hardly

flowers,

and

porters,

good.

was

course,

could

Transvaal,

"

habits

about

wrote

the

local

the

travelled

wrote

Another

Station

well

it

he

That

station.

interesting.

River

Penaars

and

express,

way-side

had

One

lucky.

were

Siberian

the

by
a

boys

have

station.

knowledge
the

rest,
8

WRITING

THE

98

ENGLISH

OF

only-

presumably all started fair, with

knowledge of railwaystations as any

who
such

of

us

have.
One
whither

he

had

he

and

of

of his

it.

When

felt you

in

his

middle

He

did

of

to

way

shoes, with
on

the

see

reading

were

company,

the

owing
motor-cycle. During

and

seen,

you

were

cyclefor

his

make

station

of

be

to

was

to

way-side

waiting for the next train

to
study the ways of the stationall
watch
to
porter (same official),

time

master

there

forced

was

leisure

ample

the

Sussex

break-down

the

to

of

wrote

his essay
a

deserted

humour
you

sulky motor
platform,in

swelteringAugust

afternoon

well.

Glynde, which is a small

station on
the Southern
Railway. Obviously
because
the description
it intimately,
he
knew
But, like
was
photographicin its minuteness.
the photograph, it had
character; there was
no
nothing to show why he had written about it,
Another

and
or

he

little
what

wrote

to

what

convey

he felt.

writer

the

So, althoughhe

was

well.
only fairly
chose
Another
a
junctionin Wales,

was

like,

individual,

did

of
interestingly
"

of

little train

filled it.

the

", and

Another

train

of

the

chose

some

and

bach^ which
Welsh
other

wrote
means

folk
station

who
on

STATIONS

RAILWAY

railway(I forgetits name),

Cambrian

the

99

but

of it in
of it, and
fond
wrote
plainlywas
did a picture of
One
more
friendlyway.
sea-side
be

to

taken

child.

as

many
"

fair ".

These

Each,

writer's

He,

"

good

"

to

idea of the

some

gave

some

good

likings. Each

and

habits

all

were

see,

you

had

missed

used

he

too,

he

though

pleasant memories,
chances.

which

Belfast,to

station,near

in

was,

word, "characteristic".

That

Dominie.

off

of

is

London

on

better

than

Dominie.

They

the

terminus

Scholar

same

you

subject.

Some

mine

of

", of

"

thought
"

should

great
know

hackneyed

so

of

Some

trust

choose

were

ceaseless

not

so

ject.
sub-

wise.

processionsof

carriagesin

crowded

which

seats
", of
difficulty
they duly secured
of bagmountains
gage
perspiringporters ", of
officials and
the reharassed
sponsibili
", of the
"

with
"

what

(Stiffly).I
to

will break

We

was.

", eh

maundered

passengers

so.

if you

tedious

twenty-five.

shall tell me

here, and you

doing

whole

the

going over

were

rather

be

would

You

Scholar.

"

"

of the

even
so

on.

signalmen". One or two

moralized
the "journey of life", and
on
Yet, all the same, one
might write as

WRITING

THE

100

good

an

St. Pancras

say,

on,

essay

But

railway station.

other

ENGLISH

OF

as

on

any

interrupting

am

you.
I

Crewe, which

I chose

Scholar.

happen

to

well.

know

When.?

Dominie.
Scholar.
doesn't

much

change

Doesn't

Dominie.

station

SurelyCrewe

"when".?

Why

it.?

it

Was

by night or by

day.?
at

see

much

so

night.

Scholar.

Does

Dominie.

Of

with

the

dislike

is

different

station

where

of the
Scholar.

what

St. Pancras
to

say;

thing.
your

see.

"

but

school

your

You

the

like it
to

or

your

form,
departure platarrival platform

now,

is.

much.

changes

it suggests
the

tination
des-

implied

station

it.

Come

platformmatters.
1

at

on

your

change

other

look

which

according to

that
a

every

On

You

mind.
doesn't

Crewe

it and

I love

mind.

of

frame

eyes

it

destination;

your

that

I tell you,

on.?

you

matters!

it

course

your
now

imagine

can

that matter.?

platformhangs
just

perhaps you

platformwere

Which

more.

but

True;

Dominie.

is

can't

You

Oh, by day!

Scholar.

think

Surelythe

of the
tion
ques-

Good!

'Dominie.
it

at

What

loi

sort

of

weather

the

trains

was

Crewe?
It

Scholar.

all

EYE

SEEING

THE

and

raining,

was

were

shiny.

Scholar.

Oh,

"matters

say

Think

again

But

clear

it

raindrops

If

calm.

was

the

that

they

is

wind

is

steam

blow

to

else

is

all this

put

in

were

quite

it about.

if

look

see

at

of

with
to

you
cannot

you
touch

him

want

you

unless

mind

Each

reader

in?

But

your
it.

see

your

what

But

to

necessarily.

makes

Scholar.
a

If the

then.

course,

picture

anyone
detail

such

am

Not

T)ominie.

that

how

Precisely!

Scholar.

and

of
there

when

T)ominie.

think

windy.

was

And,

Scholar.

make

it

then

slanting,

have

can't

"

falling straight,

different

Which

that.

"

T)ominie.
were

noticed

you

falling?

rain

the

was

way

glad

I'm

T)ominie.

rate
accu-

your

eyes,

do.

everything,

see

lot.

T)ominie.

There

comes

in

the

art

of

choosing.

"111

the

0?!

PERHAPS
of
and

great

size.

friend,

If

and

of

Each
an

essay
so

almost

get

you

"

or

of

big subjects
little

down

confronting

Forests

", set, for

"Your

Favourite

National

Emblems

Woods

",
of

the

"

"

or

sort.

On

"

Beech-woods
This

somewhat

choice.
102

culty
diffi-

to

say"

"

When

that

"

people

or

Wet

"

Flowers

Wild

Flowers",
or

into

subjects, and,

with

example,

",

reptiles ".

whose

find

these
you

"

flowers

is excusable.

will

you

would

"

what

know

old

made

be

beginners

of

were

"

"

might

don't

is "I

narrow

of

To

making

you

about

some

your

about

did

paragraphs

often

on

much

you

itself.

by

commonly
instead

as

to

Britannica^

as

in

paragraphs

recourse

"

your

setting

this

had

that

practice

into

Encyclopaedia

the

forests

"

for

set

these

you

noticed

have

may

you

sorting

found

have

of Choosing

subjects

the

heaps

Art

or

Flowers

",

"Flowers

Day
",

or

restricts

as

in

the

thing
some-

your

THE

much

however

Yet,

CHOOSING

OF

ART

of

Think

all
have

musicians

mind

your

of twelve

out

woven

to

work.

patterns which

marvellous

the

and

for observation

encourage

you

narrowed

subjectbe

down, there is always room

fancy,if

103

notes

on

far greater
have
piano. Ideas and words
varietythan a piano. The puzzle is not that
but that they can
to be original,
people manage
achieve
being humdrum.
theme.
Now, apply this to your railway-station
Choose
such a lot.
As you say, you see
wisely.
a

There

all

are

the lines

than

even

of

First

of lines of

sorts

I repeat

they

pick out

are

one

not
two

or

that is

Choose, then, one

more

railway station,a particular

railway stations in general.

not

"

Crewe.

at

is

all, it

one

far

thought

like the

not

all alike.

from

rest.

mind

Your

The

the ruck.

No;
will

ruck,

they have no clear

mind.
It is they that contain
to
your
message
the "average passenger",the "perspiring
porter","the incessant va "?/w;z/ of humanity",

it is true,

and

so

on

(forlack
the

is

"

the

"

of

marvel
do

August

it

course

not

some

scenes

something

of the

eve

Of

alike,because

are

of

occurs

newspapers

describe

write

about) on

better

to

Holiday.

Bank
to

that

you
"

organization;

know

how

but

it is

great station
as

you

ably
prob-

organized,nor

WRITING

THE

104

by whom,

his

touches

hat

whether

or

calls

officials reckon
and

which

their

in

bob

"

station-master

deputy superintendent,
him
'Enery ", or which
salaryin pounds a year,
deals
week
a
", or which

the

to

he

the

whether

even

nor

ENGLISH

OF

"

not
are
likelyto be
conjectures
interesting.Again, you may enlargeupon the
of this man
and that, the
crying
responsibility
for
should
be paid a fair wage
that each
need
be
that may
fair day's work
whatever
a
let loose a flood of cheap socialism,or
and
a
of directors,the
jeremiadabout the iniquities
woeful
doings of trade unions, and strikes and
their effects (according
to your
ideals);
political
that this is likelyto be
but reflect once
more

with

what, your

"

"

"

"

boneless
the

class of

railwaymen,
And, anyhow,

maundering.
wanted
"

or

It

The

would

you

present

unrest

something of
was

have
among

this

know

you
and

hours, prospects, wants,

wages,

of each

Unless

second-hand.

and

aims

will be
you
if this had

been

asked

been

have

been

for

railwayservants

kind, would

only
it.

",
set.

not.

Reject all that stuff. Try something else,

interests jyo^; for example:
something that really
The

station

favourite
taste

kind

in your

from
of

mind;

which

you

holiday:that

for your

start

has

pleasant

NIGHT-EXPRESS

THE

Or

station

the

that you

105

for this holiday,

at

stop

if you live in the country, the

arrival
and
school
from
your

or,

home

journey
at

your

station;

own

Or

some

change,

to

out

morning
you

winter
and

Scotland, or
luck

the

have.

be

to

get turned

you
in

the

grey

Carstairs,or

at

B^le

taken

hurry off

and

"

be

it may

Carlisle,or

at

"

to

go

placewhere

queer

Perth, if

Berne, if you

or

Switzerland

to

in

scaldingcoffee

swallow

to

early

rolls;

way-sidejunctionwhere
often had to wait, impatient to get
have
you
of you.
to the pleasuresahead
Waiting is
on
do
not
a
bore, but you
altogetherhate the
place.
first long
remember
do
Or
not
your
you
You
probablyfelt it was
nightjourney alone?
Or

some

tiresome

an

adventure.

rather

Can't

you

recall

how,

having got your seat, you walked

up and down
the platform,
tryingto feel much older than you
and ogled the engine,told
how
were;
you went

guard

the
then

how

hoping
dreamed
Or

wake

to

settled

you

other

no

have

you

blackness, up

the

down

passengers

dreams

at

you

Don't

never

line

wherever
in

your
would

it
rug,

get

boys still dream

stood
staring into
and

down,

was

while

and,
in,
.''
the
you

io6

THE

waited

for the

OF

WRITING

the glimmer of
night mail; seen
frostyrails,heard the shunted

the
light on
over
engine sizzling
caught the outline
one

and

way

with

the

you

were

of the

from

keeping
red

steam

another,

an

sometimes

the

on

eye
into

wink

one

it blew

as

now

tinged

fire-box;all

the

half

dark, and

in the

there

now

gleam

that

catch

ENGLISH

the

time

signals to

that
white, telling

signalled";then you heard her, and

her come
with
rushing round the curve
off you
and
engines to-night,by Jove

"she's

"

saw

"

"

two

"

went.
"

all unseen,

And,

Romance

Yes,

will

has

you

9.15."
it wasn't

say, but
it.

choose

thought

write

something

which

of

people will

choose

in it.

Scholar.
the

rate

any

dare

wrote

these

at

the

If you
personal lines of

its maker

of

one

some

you

quotation,I

prosy
when

prosy

brought up

But

number

same.

'Dominie.

because

same,

his

own

heap

Dominie.

you

take

each

the essays will

writer

will

seems

to

treat

not

be the

his choice

way.

Scholar.
do

but

True;

H'm

of

"

it

thinkingbefore
Just

any

of

so.

the

You
usual

that I have

me

to

begin.

will

find

if

that

subjectsyou

can

CRITICISM

think

them

from
will

you

from

learn

the

is

what

That

purpose.
first

criticism:

step
you

yourself.

in

are

rubbish

either
is

the

to

most

beginning

much

or

say,

you

difficult

to

be

as

you

practice

You

quickly.

reject

to

little

soon

for

useless
made

have

portion
able

"

as

arranging

with

But

writing.

will

and

with

learn

will

You

rejecting,

collecting,

recognize
your

".

Station

Railway

done

have

we

as

over

107

to

of
cize
criti-

Interlude

t/T;/

Here

is, again, in another

it

rO

How

did

you

Could

'"'"

not

Something

yohich

say

"

"

T)uly

The

Of

"

secures
"

train

conveys
"

course

ask

all

They
^^

were

Shoulders
the

Laden
"

with

of

his

bring

to

of

twaddle?

basket;
lives

human

their

of

mind

arrives,

luncheon

its freight

unconscious

course

and

seat

noddle

find

not

you

purely

not

was

passenger

average

"

Station

"

The

^'^

to

Coiild

in your

reason

Railway

time

your

vestiges of

Some

"

ESSATISTS

^OME

waste

shape

doom

"
"

"

why

it?

there
your

the

^^

box'\

sturdy porter""
the

^^

attentive

who

guard"",

trolley
Christmas

Fussy ", of

course

fare^^
because
108

old
"

she

woman

'i lost her

too,

brolly.

TO

And

then you

Surely^'you said^
And

Can

then you

not

you

'The blur
While

Can

the

see

of red

you

you

no

not

see

the

'Blows

Can

Nor

how
Means

No!

rain

fallings

hear

its

"

o'er

Teviot,with

the

miles

to

her

Magic^ from

commonplace

set

air

thinking?

you

cup.

goldenglory.
'"^

can't; you

you

and

not

you
to

catch

the Golden

too

are

or

^^up^^

young.

far enough asunder.

the

Days

"

sinking

sun

the keen

whence
hills^

how

lightof heart
near

"

curlingsteam^
echoes calling
?

thoughtof platform down"

Paradise, or back to purgatory

I suppose

Too

dream

throughthe

the

Childhood
Too

exclamation.

an

half-bridge^
half-stationthere

"

see

the

."

the restless

to

ears

"

all these hundred

Spillson

termination^'

night-express in
green

"

lesson hid

with

up

and

western

not

you

we

did

inevitable

^^

find

^^

twists

High perched
behind

its

109

/'faith^you

"

wound

the wind

Have

ESSAYISTS

moralized

Life's
journey'':

^^

'""'

SOME

songs
to

miss

unsung.
their wonder.

"IV
Fu7^ther

So7ne

YOU
to

things,
a

step

Many

say.
and

to

about

have

of

studying

read

the

writings

your

eyes

open,

hand;

what

and
is

that

your

original

few
the

of

not

the

examples

the

Bacon

that

in

orderliness

you

they

they

will

say
you

brilliance

of

developing

no

you

Macaulay
and

be

learnt

be

should

essayists

what

logical march

illustrating and
in

end

great
for

way

best

that

the

only

Merits

can

To

others.

for

also

but

arrangement,
each

get

say

neatly,

People's

expression

from

notice

these

must

should

and

thing
some-

attain
you

something

Other

On

Neatness

take

have

to

well

orderly,

it.

I.

say,

be

to

will

You

deftly

say

should

essay

and

really

further.

two

or

clear,

people

do

to

yet

be

to

Merits

on

English,

good

use

have

you

expected

are

to

Words

the
the

chiefly

with

have
it.

to

To

should
of

the

sentences,

subject
struck

in

by

force of the

brevityand
profundity of
the

packs

the

the

of

riches

profusionwhich

To

read

almost

learn

is to

them

simply,so

so

all his troubles.

is like

some

To

Lamb's

shining on

Emerson's

Aladdin's

cave,

and

flowers.

You

may

love

to

like
like

Lamb's
not

agree;

mention
To

Quincey, and
but

help

Appendix

in

typicalessays.
better

much
but

^
are

let that

If you
models

read

of what

this

in others

there
book

Every

pass.

is

like

jewels of

the

of wild

bunch

reveal

study
learnt
is

what

too

numerous

gathered in

are
a

few

might have
They will serve

easily,you will realize

clear, brief,and direct.

that

agree
been

for

many

the

from

extracts

critic will

selection

French

who

all different.-^

this

to

them.

son,
Stevenson, in Hazlitt,in Addi-

in

"

have

man

if you
will have

enough to disagree,you
study will
something. And
in de

ideas

but

them

characteristic

the

full

essays

tapestry. Bacon's

gorgeous

singlediamond,

to

in

of the
(in the proper sense
cleanly,so gently through
mind
Macaulay's work
my

"expresses himself"

term)

son
in Emer-

poured out
careless,so

are

flung together.
prodigally
of a kindly nature
the charm

the

writer

other

no

"

of high thought, of
illustration,

of

is he

mind

seems

and

scanty space;

so

iii

sentences

thought

into

much

so

MERITS

PEOPLE'S

OTHER

that

made,

study.

French

essays

THE

112

If you

WRITING

ENGLISH

OF

rightlyyou may learn many

things. You win see, for example, how Ideas
find endless
are
grouped in a paragraph. You
illustration of neatness
of phrase,of metaphors
and
similes kept in hand, of the
right
word
of thought, of epi", of happy turns
gram,
aphorism and irony, and other skill in
letters.
You
can
amuse
yourselfby reading
each
times
till you
three
or
attentivelytwo
them

use

"

the

master

can

version
not

to

will be
like"
a

in

score

Remember

Yet

imitative

the

the

better

then

ing
try-

than

as

great

or

one

other.

do

it

great batsmen

low

extract, and

closelyas may be ; and

humiliate
yourselfby comparing your
with the original.Mind
are
you, you
down
that
to copy
set yourself
slavishly;
as
disastrous,
surelyas attempts to "play
reproduce

to

you

of the

thread

case

the

and
Ass

will produce
golfers
a

high

in the

in the

one

Lion's

skin.

is a stairway
to inspirafaculty
tion
first step in learningto do a little
how
others
badly is to understand

well.

2.

Here

it is not

merits, but
have

that

On

Originality

of your

questionof
own.

Your

something originalabout
is your

own.

other
essay
it

"

people's
should

something

ORIGINALITY

This

sounds

say that
to

it is

you

and
difficult,

perhaps you
which
are
good many subjects
almost
impossible. But it is

on

nearlyso hard
again,all that

it

as

Of

seems.

asked

are

you

facts,or

known

113

other

do

to

is

to

set
not

and

now

course,

will

sum

up

political
subjectsand
this kind ; though even
thought about
your

people'sopinions. Most
historical subjectsare
of
here, if you have really
subject,the thought is

bound

you

show

to

"

from

is to

ever

toy called

your
I suppose

it

of

consisted
tube

that

extent

likes

who

that

see

are

to

the

notions
the

common

them.

use

somewhat

antiquated

used
wilder
beto
kaleidoscope,which
children .''
they were
parents when
It
has gone
into limbo
long ago.

few

of which

surfaces.

to

common

say, which

property of anyone
you

of

mind

your

notions,that
Did

will be

is, after all,only

originality

original. For
reflection

and

"

scraps

the sides

Every

time

fresh order, and

it in

new

but
beautiful,

were

you

took

pattern.

of coloured

the

These

made
shook

of

it the

reflectors
were

glassin a
reflecting

not

scraps

repeated
perhaps

thing was used

by mid-Victorian
designersof wall-paperswho
had
of ideas.
out
run
Well, the scraps are
and the
materials; you shake and reflect,
your
very

result is
"

( 0 72s )

of

sort

I believe

"

the

original.
9

WRITING

THE

114

No

of

two

or
light,

motor

is

car

the

see

same

of witchcraft

novelty with a smack

interior; to
humming

of

emblem
riches ;

what
the

to

The

Mr.

infirm

of

steep crags

the

to
picturesque,

the

horrible
into

no

classes.

remember
"

everyone

it follows

subjectin
mind

barren

tourist

that

the

chance

same

because

and

productive
un-

ground,
play-

it is bound

to

be

boys

certain

that

and

you^

about

same

of

divisions

exactlylike

himself

reallysee
will

If you

way.

artist

two

are

of you

two

the

terror.

mass

no

you

else feelsthe
no

only

are

is

form

its

mauvais

the

to

are

that;

know

you

"

the

rock-climber

just

it is

is

objectof

an

nervous

But

it

you

breaker;
potentiallaw-

economist
the

else in your

one

it is

precipices. These

alike

are

it is

Snowdon

soil, to
to

called

Punch

same

about

socialist

the

policeman

the

to

ENGLISH

objectin the
same
quaHtiesin it. To
familiar necessity
; to me

us

the

see

OF

to

any

give

your

extent

some

original.
But
wish

you
be

to

to

groove,
say

that

You

must

For

asked

must

lazy,to

give
run

repeat what

they
use

see,

your

it that

along in
it has

instead
eyes and

example, nine boys

to

describe

any

of

natural

some

heard

else's

one

other

people

looking for

your
out

It will

chance.

itself

brain.

of ten, if

object
"

they be
view,

COLOUR

place,and
colour.
over

so

on

of

set

favourite

observe
colour

it ?

"

say,

on,

your

misty morning ", or

kind, and you will soon
"

or

that

yourself.For

fact for

the

by shape and not by

Very well then, look

done

essays

",

view

subjectof

any

describe

"

doubt

You

113

some

reason,

little

impression,or at any rate

ing
the writer is too lazy to record it. Yet in lookat
a
pictureof a landscape the first thing
in nature,
is the colour,and
remarks
every one
if
for colours,you will see
will look
them
you
in

makes

variety; but to no two

shade
appeal in the same
hill,for example
a distant

the

same

of

colour

word

describe

you

to

seem

"dim",

notion:

some

group

"cold

",

The

way.
with

"

will

it you

will

minds

infinite

ever
what-

almost
blue

those

evitabl
in-

greys

"mysterious",
"restful","faint", "melancholy", and
some

others

to

forth.

so

used

all

But

Scholar.

these

times.

many

You

been

epithets have
don't

call that

being

original.
Yes

Dominie.

it

made

throughyour

your

memory

It may

not

eyes

of what
be

And

you.

and

day you

some

to

your

some

originalto

originalto

the

is,so long as

from

mind^ and
one

the

said.

but

it is

world,

on

by

not

else has

that you

will stumble

is
suggestion

will get on,

some

idea

or

ii6

THE

phrase which
and

having
do

to

of

it

must

feel

what

you

will have

again.

But

these

be

is

not,

If

you
will

you

the luck

do

you

not,

certainly

humbug.

every

be

not

must

you

saying,for

what

see

it;

observations

honest.

and

to

do

you

fact is that

hard

real

pretend

betray yourselfas
The

originahtyabout

rarer

once

it

and

and

"sham",

the

done

now

yours

and

has

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

shy.

beginner is

This

ful
distrust-

unwillingto put down

him
be private. It
what
to
to
on
seems
paper
is a natural
feeling. Every one has inner and
of workshop
sort
secret
a
places in his mind
of his

own

ideas,and

"

which

he

is reluctant

to

show

to

the

outsider.

he fears that
good reasons:
be unworthy of admission,
the intruder
may
of all,he
unsympathetic,unkindly,cold; worst
might laugh,and the echo of an alien laugh in
the mind's
forgotten,and
workshop is never
unforgivable. Besides, all sorts of things are
stored
there, growing, not
yet ready for the
the door
if you will not
even
day. Still,
open
of this workshop ever
never
little,
so
bring out
He

is reluctant

any

of the

for

boyish treasures
that they are

because
worth

you

are

not

anything,never
admit
glimpse of that
any reader to have some
complicated medley of hopes, and plans, and
fears,and swift thoughts, and long memories

quite sure

THINGS

which
in

writing,

but

that

have

not

else

words,

here

get

are

the

but

qualities

of

critic

are

should

true,"

myself,

it."

see

your

it's

feel

to

seems

or

good!

what

skill

which

reader

that

exactly
ever

attain

further.

no

"That's

of

117

may

you

your

say:

that's

one

no

from

thought

Why,

OLD

compliments

highest

should

he

will

you

draw

can

AND

mind,

your

two

ideas

"

called

is

The

NEW

In

originality

or

and
other
and

sympathy.
There
be

forth

is, you

likened

out

the

to

of

see,

his

something
householder

treasury

things

else
who

new

which

can

bringeth
and

old.

The

Model

ua

Essay

MODEL

ESSAY

THE

119

120

THE

WRITING

Scholar. What
Dominie.
Scholar.
Dominie.

For

all these

are

the

Model

Well, why
Not
I, my

Scholar. O"

oh!

OF

don't

ENGLISH

blank

pages

Essay, of

for?

course.

you write
friend; that's

it,then ?

your

business.

ENVOI

121

ENVOI

Prince

when

Ec

in

Pray keep
A

Beast

Calm

Don't

sight
two

or

and

sedate

point refine,

Your

emulate

The

Be

write

you
careful,do ;
"

Porcupine.

sure

know,

you

Ere

set

you

Whither

out,

you'd go,
lengthen out

Nor

Parenthesis
In cumbrous
Don't

be

The

as

style
"

is

Crocodile.

Don't

shake

the

clean

and

ground
With
trampling feet,
Nor
wallow
round,
But

Dive

in

Is better
Not

your
thus

neat

dip
"

HipPopotamus.
as

the

122

THE

is said

's said

What

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

"

For
That

's

Once
Don't

stuff

simple
in

your

is

enough
and

buzz

Eternally
Around,
The

as

does

Bumble-bee.

head

buzz

Appendix

wish

Of

little.

things

be

to

it

do

\A
till it
will

is

boy

becomes

be

given

character

Essay

he

and

to

brief

tracts
ex-

One

hoping

will

to

Of

"

spin

trained

If
allusions

to

endless

these

by

adequate
in-

may
that

at

BACON

inclined

thin.

and

harm.

no

from

often

their

are

suggest.

critics

I.

Extract

points

placate

can

there
even

who

exercise

haphazard

course

from

the
to

rate

any

of

learnt

besides
endeavour

it is

those

to

to

or

course

equally

useful

be

may

improve,

to

Co72siciered

Styles

collection

THIS
wits

Some

what

out

he

classical

on

ity often of
them

explain

"

Delay

has

say
he

mythology
a

commonplace

needless

at

to

length.

He

writes

long

brief sentences
from

can

you
it

is

and

appearing

Fortune

sometimes

see

Observe

sentences.

what

hinders

the

the

classical

of

use

allusions

pedantic^
like

is

stay

involved

the

market

little,the
like

price

where
will

times,

many
fall.

Sibylla's offer;

which

And

if

again,
at

first

THE

126
ofFcrcth
and

WRITING

the

commodity

(as it

is in

after she
taken

least turneth

at

There

clasp.
to

time

are

no

the
more

surely no
beginnings and
light,if they
deceived

dangers

have

it

better

were

they

their

is odds

will

deceived

with
the

when

them

to

come

is another

of

the

weighed

eyes,
first

and

in

when
no

of

the

the

secrecy
bullet
eye.

then

the

their

once

air,which

good

time

politicman

to

the

to

celerity
;
flieth

so

ness
unripewell

ginnings
be-

hundred

hands;
helmet

of

is
invisible,

go

celerityin
come

his

the

towards

the

his hundred
For

teach

be

ever

with

Argus

be

been

to

or

commit

to

long, it

enemy's

ripeness or

with

and

comparable

in the

the

watch

have

on

speed.

to

counsel

things are

to

Briareus

to

and

is

actions

maketh

which

secrecy

is

ends

Nay,

side,to

other

said) must

generallyit

watch,

to

Pluto,
For

the

too

(as some

The

(as we

of all great

the

shone

extreme.

occasion

and

and

long

too

by over-earlybuckling

on,

more

them.

watch

man

off before

shoot

to

so

shadows

low

was

keep

On

asleep.
long

too

moon

back), and
dangers

fall

to

well

than

forced

to

for if

is hard

dangers half-way, though

than

near,

first

light; and

seem

than

some

approaches

he

once

hold

?io

things. Dangers

of

onsets

noddle^

bottle

the

wisdom

greater

men

meet

nothing

come

upon

to

of

belly,which

the

is

bald

front, and

handle

the

after

in

loch

part
Occasion

For

price.

turneth

verse)

presented her

consumcth

tlien

the

up

common

received,and

be

to

the

hath

or

full

at

still holdeth

part, and

ENGLISH

OF

the

execution.

execution, there
like

swift

the
as

it

motion
outruns

APPENDIX

BACON

2.

.Extract

\_Touhave
See what

Essay

from

told

been

127

not

there is in this

Of

"

to

Great

'"^moral'tze^''
or
that redeems

extract

"

Place

'"'"preacV^
it from the

chargeof doingeither of these things.!

All

place is by a winding stair ; and

it is good to side a man's
if there be factions,
self whilst
he is in the rising,
and
himself when
he is
to balance
of thy predecessor
and
placed. Use the memory
fairly
rising to

tenderly;
paid when

great

for if thou
thou

respect them, and

for

it,than

look

to

be

dost

art

If

gone.

Be

not

they
sensible

too

be

sure

have

colleagues,
they look not

when

when

them

will

debt

thou

call them

rather

exclude
called.

not, it is

have
or

to

reason

too

bering
remem-

of

thy place in conversation and privateanswers

to
suitors; but let it rather be said,JVhen he sits
place he is another man.
3.
Extract

from

in

EMERSON
Essay

"

on

Compensation

"

them
[Paragraphs should have topicsentences; mark
here.
tion
Beginners'essays oftensuffer
from lack of illustrathis is in reality
because the homeliest
lack of thought^
:

of illustrations are oftenthe best. Beginnersendeavour to

use
metaphorsand similes far too elaborately.See here
how
they are used and dropped quickly.']
A

his will
eye

cannot

man

or

of his

speak

but

againsthis will
companions by

he

he

judges
draws

every

his

word.

himself

With

portraitto

the

Every opinion

128

THE

reacts
at

WRITING

him

on

who

mark, but

Or

bag.

unwinding,

it.

It is

other

end

remains

it is

it

as

if the

the

in

well

not

twain

in

steersman

thrown
thrower's

the

the

whale,
boat, and,

at

in

coil of cord

good, or

not

thread-ball

hurled

harpoon

a
flies,

is

harpoon
nigh to cut

go

utters

the

rather

ENGLISH

OF

the

it will

thrown,

sink

to

or

the

boat.
You
"

do

cannot

No

had

man

ever

him"

to

point of pride that

said Burke.

life does

not

sufferingwrong.

without

wrong

that

he

attempt

to

see

exclusive

The

excludes

in fashionable

himself

enjoyment,

in

the

exclusionist

in

religiondoes not see that he

on
himself, in strivingto

door

heaven

of

Treat

others.

men

shall suffer

as

heart, you

shall

the

his purse
All

fear.

as

soon

for

him, my

IS

get

shut

leave

The

of women,

of

the
out

you
their

out

would

senses

vulgar proverb, I will

it from
his skin ", is sound

children,of
get

it from

philosophy.

of love and

water,

perfectdiffusion
attempt

no

If you

own.

shuts

ninepins and

"

meets

and

from

and

they.
your

The

tions
equityin our social relaare
speedilypunished. They are punished by
Whilst
I stand in simple relations to my
fellowin meeting him.
We
I have no
meet
displeasure

with

But

lose

infractions

water

as

or

as

from

appropriate it.

pawns

all persons;

The

poor.

man,

well

things of

make

as

jurious
in-

not

was

me

as

in him

as

and

two

of air

currents

of
interpenetration

is any

departure from
or
halfness,
good for me that
there

as

at

neighbour
far

longer seek
hate

or

I have

as

mine
and

feels the

shrunk

there

fear in

me.

is

war

wrong;
from

him

between

mix,

nature.

simplicity
is not good
he

shrinks

his eyes

us

there

APPENDIX
All the old abuses

in

129

universal
society,

all

of
unjust accumulations
manner.
avenged in the same
the
of great sagacityand
One
thing he teaches,that
he appears.
well

not

Our

He

what

property
classes

mowed

That

and

is a carrion

he

hovers

is

timid,our

not

which

great wrongs

G.

4.

Extract

is

and

see

you

somewhere.
vated
culti-

timid, our

are

be

Clio,

has

boded

and

nothing.

and

property.
He

cates
indi-

revised.

Muse

and

other

"

Essays

\JVhat is here

though

government

must

where

rottenness

is death

for

instructor

an

all revolutions.

for ages

there

are

power,

TREVELYAN

M.
"

from

crow,

Fear

gibbered over
bird

is

laws

is

of

for,there

timid.

are

obscene

Fear

there

particular,

and

property

herald

and

by Mr. Trevelyanabout Macaulays

is also true ofessays. Mactreatment
ofnarrative history
he studied properly
aulafs methods of arrangement cannot
in short extracts.,but his style
be studied.
In what
is
can
it ^^ open to criticism "P"]
In

said

say, in the

planningof
the book, in the way
to
subject leads on
subjectand
paragraph to paragraph, Macaulay's History has no
studied by every one
equal,and ought to be carefully
who
intends to write a narrative history. His "style",
of his sentences,
be
the actual
form
to
ought not
to
imitated, partlybecause it is open
criticism,still
more

"

arrangement

because

anybody

could

(0 728)

it

was

", that

his

imitate

own

his

is

to

and

inimitable.

"arrangement"

But
and
10

if

then

invent

style

influential

thousands, and

feelingof

the

Extract

reflections than

phantom

and

higher thought

collection

sight,a

monstrous

the

of

character

Italian

of

half snake, majesticand

divinity,
We
grovellingand poisonousbelow.
half

thoughts and
never
other, who
to
seduce, who

have

words

at

wants

never

monwealths.
com-

statesman

contradictions,a

Milton,

oath

an

beautiful
see

pretext

above,
whose

man

each

with

connection

no

hesitates

Lombard

portress of hell in

the

as

important

more

and

Tuscan

of the

"

Machiavelli

"

historysuggests

that

first
as

of

hundreds

to

MACAULAY

no

The
at

familiar

results

best

the

make

to

Macaulay's

as

age

all the

on

from

this respect

seems,

our

day.
5.

In

be able

historyschool

modern

of the

effective for

as

his, he would

for

was

"

"

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

THE

130

wishes

he

when

he

when

clined
is in-

betray. His cruelties spring,not from the

blood, or the insanityof uncontrolled
power,
like
His passions,
deep and cool meditation.

to

heat

of

but

from

well-trained

troops,

impetuous by rule,and

are

headstrong fury

most

which

have

is

with

they
occupied

ambition
but
into

forget the

never

complicated

and

vast

Hatred

moderation.
philosophical

gesture

of
purpose

yet every

familiar

caress.

schemes

look
He

is

never

and

cordial

soul
of

nothing

revenge

eat

smile, every

excites

the

picion
sus-

by petty provocations. His

it is accomplished.
only when

his adversaries
is disclosed

whole

language exhibit

yet his aspect and

his heart

disciplineto

His

accustomed.

been

in their

APPENDIX
His

face

is

unruffled,his speech

is laid
aim

sure

asleep,till a

is taken;

last time.
of

the romantic

values.

then

the

frivolous

and

arrogant

He

shuns

for the first and

strikes

the

exposed, till a

is

boast

of

the

means

prating Frenchman, of
Spaniard,he neither possesses
because

danger, not

and
speediest,
how

the

he

societyin

does

not

are

He

cannot

declare
stab

in

which
To

he

do
to

as

the

an

do

most

surest, and

those

whom

think

againstrivals

embrace,
friendly

is insensible

comprehend

would

He

hostilities

open

the

deceive

scruple to

scrupleto destroy.

to

might

which

darkest.

the

should

man

those

are

sottish

and

lives,timidityhas ceased to be shameful.

injuryopenly is,in his estimation,as wicked
him
it secretly,
and far less profitable.With
honourable

till vigilance

is courteous,

point

he

because, in

but

shame,

to

and

vital

Military courage,

German,
nor

131

or

poison

vices

which

he

it madness
whom
in

he

secrated
con-

wafer.
Yet

black

this man,

assassin,was

by

which

virtues

no

in

who

warriors,
breach,
which
never

of character.

confused

his
with

his

tongue,

dangerous
he

could

be

inferiors.

Even

the

caution

almost

inscrutable

his

out

still

just and

more

or

secret

brow.

from

Though

dangerous

beneficent

the

dangers
pusillanimous

paralysedhis
one

in

barbarous

battle

wrung

and

those

the

those

indicating

as

mind,
in

of

civil courage,

perceptions,never

and

enemy,

In

foremost

were

never
faculties,

smooth

of

presence

avoided

he

sider
con-

we

even

generallyconsider

far

were

destitute

means

we

superior elevation
perseverance,

the

loathsome, traitor,hypocrite,coward,

most

as

with

plice,
accom-

ruler.

ventive
inhis
a

THE

132

WRITING

6.
Extract

G.

M.

TREVELYAN

Clio,

"

from

Muse

Essays

[Somethinghas

ENGLISH

OF

and

other

''

"

of originality that is to
at facts
oflooking
from a novel standpoint.
say^ the capacity
In the followingextract
the factsthat Oxford was
the
in the Civil War^ that the Court
King''s
chiefstronghold
dwelt
in St. Johns
that in the end Oxford
and
College^
had to he abandoned
when
Charles marched
offto his last
But
how
much
is
fieldat Naseby,are well known.
see
here made plainby the skillwith which
the writer himself
and
in
women
of the men
beleaguered
grasps the feelings
the city. This is the work
of sympathy. Note also the
phrasing^the use ofexactlythe rightword.,especially
of the
Find examples
: you
rightadjective.
can
foryourself
hardly
miss them.'l
said

been

"

"

"

The

value

abroad, is

and

whether
pleasureof travel,

doubled

at

home

history. For
places,like books, have an interest or a beauty of association,
well as an
absolute or aesthetic beauty. The
as
garden front of St. John's,Oxford, is beautiful to every
lover of history,
its outward
charm
is
one
; but, for the
blent with
the intimate feelings
of his own
mind, with
images of that same
College as it was during the Great
or

Civil War.

Given

by

over

knowledge

to

the

use

of

of

Court

whose

days of royaltywere
numbered, its walks and quadrangles
the end
with
as
were
came
filled,
men
near,
and
their lot
women
as
learning to accept sorrow
the ambitious
through life,
abandoning hope of power,
the wealthy hardening themselves
to embrace
poverty,

APPENDIX

those

and

shores,
strolled

England

loved

who

lovers

the

through

fell, listening,
broke

silence

the

the

inexorable

this

who

men

And

die,

but

God,

live,

selfishness
sound

unalterable
such

vile
and

those

church

Europe.

of

neither

to

each

destroy
St.

John's

whom

it

history,
throughout

was

once

with

every
the

is

garden

and

other

is

College
but

seen.

ruined

wide,

an

who

in
old

the

loyalty
and
The
died

ago

with

besieged,

permit
not

only

the

stone

mere

appropriate

and

it

and

see

And

faith

heavy

and

besiegers

those

between

long

has

the

to

king.

nor

cannon

not

corruption

of

but

country

over

witness

reader

old

tastefully compiled,

mortar,

by

the

fate, brooding

the

survive.

mournful

and

of

haste

to

of

them,

sterner

awful
not

all

on

and

Restoration,

silence

still

ranked

victors,

their

them,

Roundhead

the

but

away,

had

that

of

for

loyal

too

was

lose

the

hands

their

the

of

to

for

gay

Behind

strength

to

curse

the

saw

too

was

it

almost

and

they

that

the

siege-guns

were

lay

to

they

evenings

the

northward

to

came

was

hopeless

iteration.

change

to

this

when

gaiety
that

to

hills

foreign

There

while

all,

of

ominous

low

beauty, hoping

virtue.

in

with

tliose

on

cannon

end

for

ever.

the

as

sail

to

for

parted

garden,

the

at

preparing

be

to

133

so

castle

it

and

mysterious

now

is, for

the

ancient
lands

of

THE

134

WRITING

7.

G.

OF

K.

Extract

CHESTERTON
"

from

We

become

may

get the

convince

laboured

extract.

deal

or

how

more

human

more

that

far

so

the pio-

the writer

is

more

anxious

to

sider
of his opinions.Consuch judgment applies
to the following
Both
the previousextract.
it with
cleverness than

less with

the
dignity^
even
ideals.^

"

Watts

F.

or
unconvincing.
artificial

or

impressionthat

of his own
far some
Compare

us

G.

be carried

\C are for '"'"style"

may
duct

ENGLISH

the

TVhich

idea.

same

sympathy^the

more

when

broken

?
Consider
for your answer
more
comprehensible
/", sayy

appreciation
of

more

What

are

also which
two

possessesthe

is

hundred

the

reasons

to prove
likely

years

time

"

%vhy.?]
It will appear
to

talk about

and
were

which
a

columns
such

to

many

period in

somewhat

which

grotesque
of

most

us

matter

born

were

only been dead a year or two, as

primal Babylonianempire of which only a
And
left crumbling in the desert.
are
has

the
is,in spirit,

fact.

There

is

no

more

if it
few

yet

able
remark-

in
element
in historythan the way
psychological
which
a
unintelligible.
period can
suddenly become
in a moment
To
have
the earlyVictorian
period we
gotten
lost the key : the Crystal Palace is the temple of a forThe
creed.
thing always happens sharply: a
Beerbohm
whisper runs
through the salons,Mr. Max
wand
and
whole
a
a
waves
generation of great men
and
and
suddenly looks mildewed
great achievement
the same
see
thing in that
unmeaning. We
precisely

APPENDIX

other

Restoration
schools

and

old

Cavalier

sharply

The

gentleman

drinking

The

roar

great

that
shrank
saw

God

the

to

Victorian

as

can

see

There

is

see

no

nothing

about

doubt

of

deepest

Restoration

The

from

heaven

of

turbid
and

the

Jin

de

the

say,

not

as

and

his

but

Steele

we

hat,
nose.

of

the

ingly
accord-

according
shall

philosophy

of the

his

is that

nature,

dream,

as

his

sharpness

things, we

early
did,
splen-

Just

but

difference

age

infamous,

as

Cromwell

pompous
wars

see

Shaftesbury

and

polite

ugly.

as

out

meadows

we

fruitful,not

shock

about

and
the

and

to

flagon.

cried

new

only
man

intuitions
and

the

which

The

is

country

old

English

simply
Lord

think

we

but

old

in

as

about

transition.
as

not

dwindled

loosed

it, that

saw

bad,

nothing

could

from

they

the

head.
Round-

the

absurd

an

tant
dis-

despised

absurd

exactly as

one

worship

chivalry

psalms

was

serious

or

of

out

snuffle.

disastrous,

as

they

our

good

not

silent

and

era

not

Battles

single

old

the

wine

the

the

seemed

despised

English

Roundhead

of
of

of

he

solitaryfigure of

the

to

than

stand

the

Cavalier

new

Strafford

hand;

one

both

great
either

of

the

other

the

seemed

dreams
on

the

more

last

The

both

had

the

upon

even

vanities, the

English Commons,

ridiculous.

and

the

hour

which

men:

the

law

English

that

Churchmen

of

frenzy

the

all

High

great

In

valour

to

and

art

II.

and

devils

Moslem
of

faith

or

the

Charles

of

of

angels

towards

reaction

great

135

or

angels.

see

man

man

in

to

the

ing
wakhurled

WRITING

THE

136

LAMB

CHARLES

8.

Extract

the

"

Elia"

tuhich

all
to

on

"

the

taken

of

its

to

Every
in

every

of
that

or

about

the
and

cake

time,
our

him

his

mortal

of

matter,

the

how

one

by

extract

It
upon

Adam.

be

what

the

from
is left.

in

New

First

custom

at

Year

by
of

is

the

all

beyond

it

is of

king

or

January

all date

which
It

In

his.

nothing

pretermitted

regarded
is that

reflect

is

nearly passed

hath

of

lapse
one

this

anything

birth

the

The

observances,

who

least,

at

the

termeth

he

birthday

to

ever

indifference.
count

old

days,

duration.

understand

nor

wide

too

No

common

done

not

revolving

upon

children,

to

But

orange.

and

upon

"

commonplace

is

two

manner

proper

our

is left

cobbler.
with

set

desuetude

interest

an

birthdays

especial

an

solemnizing

away,

of

which

in

gradual

of

Day

and

this

that

the

which

Tears

intolerablyprosy

two

it affects

which

the

New

^'"eloquence'*'':
see

or

hath

man

as

with

skill

deft conclusion.^

year,

time,

of

Observe

level.

new

display of learnings
works

idea
be

could

us

the

and

arrangement^

has

writer

Essays

Eve

Year's

New

"

from

OF

[Study

ENGLISH

OF

their

nativity

APPENDIX

CHARLES

9.
Extract

"

from

Beggars

LAMB

Complaint

Decay

the

of

Metropolis

the

in

137

Essays

"

of

of

Elia"

the charm of Lamb's

to say where
precisely
[// is difficult
if one attempts to definethe whereabouts^
essays lies: and
it is harder
still to get others to agree in the definition.
has so many
He
charms
perhaps the greatest^ the kindly
"

heart

within

Observe
that

Remark

him.

this

also that both Bacon

theyare

unlike

most

each

theydo talk. If theywere

lose somethingthat one
may

qualityin
Lamb

and

these extracts.

talk

to

you^ hut

other; that is partlybecause

to

call

admonish

theywould
originality.Why ?

both

If a Goliath roundlydeclared that Lamb's stylewas

and archaic^that his subjects
were
trivial^and
affected
that he was
how
would
egotistical^
insufferably
you rout
the Philistine?^
Pauperism, pauper,
but

degree of

Its poor
told.

it.

man,

expressionsof pity,
one
temns
properlycon-

are

No
pity alloyedwith contempt.
a
beggar. Poverty is a comparative thing, and

each

Its

poor

rents

it is mocked

and

by its " neighbour grice".

summed
comings-in are soon
up and

Its pretences

pitiful
attempts
companion can
Poor

to
to

property

save

weigh

excite
his

are

almost

ludicrous.

smile.

ful
Every scorntrifle-bigger
purse against
a

in the streets
with
reproachespoor man
of his condition, his own
impoliticmention
being a
shade
better,while the rich pass by and jeer at both.

No

man

comparative insults
rascally
He
weighing purses with him.

Beggar, or
is

not

thinks

of

in the scale of

138

WRITING

THE

He

comparison.

is

under

not

He

hath
confessedly
none,
twitteth
sheep. No one
his

No

means.

him

with

neighbour sceketh
man

I would

than
a

poor

and

be

relation,I

Extract

mind,

Essays
then

its

beauty at a
unprovocative

sense

the

who

rather

led

captain,

delicacy

Meat

"

"

before

table,or

at

eating has
simple and

the

It is here

of children.

day or not, sits down

of the blessing,
which
minds
rich, into whose

next

could

entered.

The
"

man's

I am,

that

the

exceedingly graceful. The

indigent
meal
he shall have
whether
a
hardly knows

dinner

If I

beggar.

benediction

man's

repast

No

becomes

grace

the

poor

wealthy

of the

before

Eua

of

of the

for

LAMB

Grace

"

him

him.

that

great,

be

to

above

tenement.

with

choose, out

CHARLES

from

form

the

to

would

of my

10.

man,

his

law

to

or

pride,or upbraideth

from

goes

retainer

the greatness

The

of

jostlewith
precedency. No

ejecthim
man

ostentation

independent gentleman

the

not

or

No

him.

sues

were

to

dog

None

wall,or pick quarrelsfor

the

than

with

him

of property.

measure

more

liim

humility.

mock

the

any

accuses

one

ENGLISH

OF

is

bread

never,
proper

but

by

end

to
can

the
some

of

his fare with

present

feeblyacted by
conception of wanting
extreme
theory,have
be

food

but

"

the

barelycontemplated by them.
is his dailybread,literally
his

are
perennial.
day. Their courses
the
Again, the plainestdiet seems
is
That
which
by the grace.

animal
The
bread

fittest

to

tenance
sus-

poor

for the

be

ceded
pre-

least stimulative

APPENDIX

appetite,leaves

to

A
over

leisure

eating;

with

the

of venison
at
hospes)

rich

men's

steaming

messes

lipsof

the

introduction
With

It is
a

the

impertinent

seems

confusion

mouth

that

round

The

own.

needs

takes

end

and

are

startled

means.

for

It is

to

praise the

Gods

religioussentiment.
out

of

The

praisesfrom

epicurism
incense

put

which

out

rises

STEVENSON

"The

from

Lantern

that

stolid.

poet

It may

young

has died
be

Bearers

"

Plains"

the

[The bearingof this for the

most

it

you,

amiss.

L.

Across

the

upon

seasonable.
un-

the

R.

II.

It is said

be

to

"

Extract

and

soup

belly-godinterceptsit for his

of the provisionbeyond the
very excess
all sense
of proportion between
the
away
The
giveris veiled by his gifts.You
the
for
at
injusticeof returning thanks
starve.
having too much, while so many

what

"

(a rarus

sate

ceremony

mutter

heats

the presence

at

savoury

orgasm

to

of devotion.
and

ravenous

The

waters.

is pagan,

and

of that

purpose

of

moistening the
distracted choice, I

interpose a

to

of

gentleflame

the

I have

When

desire

institution

grace,

with
the
tables,
and
the nostrils,

up

have

perturbationof mind,

of the

purposes

guests with

felt the

hav6

and

ordinance

turtle.

or

turnips,and

with

he shall confess

when

inconsistent

the

siderations.
foreigncon-

ful,
thankthankful, heartily

plainmutton

reflect upon

to

free for

most

feel

may

dish of

mind

the

man

139

essay-writer
?'\

young

in the

breast of

contended, rather,that

this

THE

140

WRITING

ENGLISH

OF

(somewhat minor) bard in almost every

is the spice of' life to his
and
possessor.
done

the

and
versatility
imagination. His

to

of man's
but

rude

chamber

and
he

mound
the

at

for

of mud
heart of

dark

as

will have

12.

Extract

R.

of

L.
"

from

without

there

will

which

he

pathway

kind

some

life from

it,in

his

as

Justiceis not
unplumbed childishness

the

guess

would

be

to

seems

he

Stevenson

No

that is

one

observer,

"

Puerisque
the
so

impressionoj
evenly. You

effort and

your

"

gave

he laid

this extract^

of ^^ exactlythe right word".

is used throughout^
the
though'"'"you
the style
conversational.
nor
Why
"

find

Remark
essay is
not

guess

pains to

more

somethingto

by ordinarypedestrians.In

in it saves

the

STEVENSON

without

wrote

golden
delighted;

some

his belt.

at
bull's-eye

Virginibus

entirely
wrong.

than

work

that

be

seem

may

dwells

s
[Stevenson
writings always give
:
limpidity
they are so clear and flow

would

survives,

case

not

his

heart

to

many

amples
ex-

also that

colloquial,

What

quality

it from loss ofdignity

?'\

Times

are

with

changed

him

who

marries;

there

cently
by-path meadows, where you may innolinger,but the road lies long and straightand
which
is often becoming
dusty to the grave.
Idleness,
and even
wise in the bachelor,begins to wear
a different
are

no

aspect
you
you.

are

more

when

you

have

married, one
What

of

happened

wife
those

to

support.

Suppose,after

little slipswere

last November

to

befall

might surely

APPENDIX

happen February next.

the
at
time, because
meant

but

and

They may
they were
they annoy

will

how

make

the time

in

you

you
had

you
the

future,

defeats,and

uncomely
name

not

must

judge, but

and

stand
And

actions.

your

from

shrank

in those

care,

too

days,

would

nize
recog-

the victim

so,

up

straightand
witness

your

of your

sins;

put

is

not

only

not

but she
sharpestpenalties,
in their endurance.
herself share feelingly
And
must
what
with
observe, once
temerity you have
more,
her to be your spy, whose
chosen
esteem
precisely
you
value highest,and whom
have
alreadytaught to
you
can

she condemn

nod,

but

passages,

upon
the

you

good day. But

these reserves
is over.
You
have wilfully
into your
of these
witness
life,the scene
can
no
longer close the mind's eye upon

for

introduced

only

what

not

conscience; you

failures with

your

did

you

fetish of
your

life that

realizing
particularly
;

annoyed

fidence
they shake the fabric of your wife's conpeace! A thousand thingsunpleasingwent

in the chiaroscuro of

to

have

will

how

and
on

141

think
had

better

you
a

of their

than

to

wife?

the

you

believed
Wise

those

board,

they

in the

of yore

may
;

but

think

you

what

is

erected

statues

performed their part in

consciously
them
A god watched
marble
at
eyes,
in the morning
stood by their bedside

and
woke

and

all about

they bought and sold,or

wrestled,there would stand some
are

in God

men

where

that

You

are.

and
deities,

life before

when

to

conscience,and

conscience

the

you

outside

of

man.

These

quietdialect

of

but

It is the

gently.

art, which
same

their

ancient

cities,

they piped and

symbol of the things
delivered
were
lessons,

where

fully,
told their story faith-

lesson,if

you

will

"

THE

142
but

how

WRITING

OF

haiTowlnglytaught !

when

"

respect
shame

shall weep
at

their

Madonnas

painted

wife.

not

Extract

L.

ViRGINIBUS

Age

advance

the

take
is

answered
seemed

the

have

not

of

"

hit

tlie

on).

ending that

ofan

"

true,"said
other,

me

there

to

"

there

are

sides

two

illustration.

The

We

admit

never

it

pause
as

an

the whole

not

Sir,"returned

was

"

But

"

one.

"

we

illustration

the value

smack

is

the

of Dr.

such

no

truth,"
first (and it
Johnson in

thing as

the whole

is

nothing so evident in life as

to a question.
Historyis one

forces

day by day, in cudgelling it

but

"

"

I zvould

or

Youth

day a scrap of conversation,

What
I
libertyto reproduce.

Sir,there
speech)
truth!"
Indeed, there

long

nothing

other

the

the

that

is

cording
Re-

thinking?^

I overheard
which

the

good.

and

Further

meaning of a paradox?

leaves you

set

cannot

you

be

to

PuERISQUE

\_Findthe topicsentence.
rightword"
(theword you
The

with

STEVENSON

"Crabbed

from

domesticate

to

suicide,but

R.

you

blush

or

married, there

are

you

even

13.

is

woman

girlsin Italyturn

wall

the

marry

Angel. Once
left for
you,

Poor
to

To

the

unkindness

your

misconduct.

your

aside your

from

ENGLISH

for

of

into
a

axiom.

nature
our

moment's
An

are

engaged,

backward

gences.
intelli-

consideration,
enthusiast

sways

this great truth, and

humanity exactlyby disregarding
dinning it into our ears that this or that question has
only one possiblesolution;and your enthusiast is a fine

APPENDIX
florid

world

the
an

fellow,dominates
of

army
remind

to

of

out

While

exactlyright in
is thundering in

his

the

predictingthat they
Bible

in the

Age'

have

may

is

them

perhaps

differ may

to

than

form

be

not

difference

of

"

from

The

["/

couIdn^t

to

the generous

demolish

putting everybody

alreadyin
certain

more

that

both

who

the Church.

form

has
that

than

are

the
both

Let

wrong.
what

ing
agree-

of agreement

rather

but

knows

Day

Fire

the

by

"
"

Table

Round

anything more''''

see

work

HAZLITT

14.

Extract

people set

is

found

differ;for

to

agree

is gone,

he

libraryin Perigord,and
much
to quarrelabout
as

his

will find

nothing

right,except

are

shakes

Youth
side, but assuredly

one

There

other.

in

they had

as

and

hot-headed
Knox
and
Institutes^
ing
pulpit,Montaigne is alreadylook-

side

other

the

Calvin

while
once

side and

of the other

us

when

but

uninfluential

and

quiet

imposture.

at

things for

doze

143

"

'"^

Did

you

use

your

eyes?"}
But

to
to

attend

to

our

The

gather in.

face of watery

grey,

The
his
serene.

fire

the

window

intersected

becoming
darker,

fireside. The

darker;

assumes

contemplatistkeeps
fancies

The

and

stillness would

that

posture,

around
even

as

glowing

more

his easy

everything

is

beginning
which
presents a large
percepti
is imby strong lines,
and

evening

him

ferment

becomes
presence.

absorbed

in

is still and
in his ear,

THE

144
and

it were,

as
wliisper,

and

now

every

below,

OF

WRITING

of what

then

ENGLISH
the

air contained:

the

lightashes

but

still

shed

but

themselves

gentle,flame flutters
the chimney.
with
At
a
gleam over
length, the
up
darker objectsin the room
mingle ; the gleam of the
fire streaks with a restless lightthe edges of the furniture,
or

and

while
then

stronger,

itself in

reflects

his feet take

settle

his face
in

even

ruddiness

very

of

what

only time perhaps at

and refreshing. How
is every

in,
flash

blackening window;

observed

This

upon.

idleness

with

of the

the

fire !

is

coal

lightning,nothing escapes the eye

little flame appears
a
imagination. Sometimes
of

the

it swells

lambency ;
the

grate,

tongue,

continued

sable
walled

which

even

wings;

"

then

of

at

the
the

times
some-

brief

light beneath

spiralthinness
puffingas from a

and

exhibit

of

restless and

bars

one

falling

reed.

like
a

phureous
sulThe

the

shiftingforms
gulfs, of fieryAlps, whose heat
of black precipices,
or
by spirit,
"

fairies

swart

the

meantime

vales and

into

only by

seen

with

out

is uninhabitable
from

top

effort

and

quivering spangle;

it curls around

or

coals

of hills and

at

it is

anon

and

glowing

out

darts

or

like

grate

salutary

mockery

of

corner

is the

smallest
A

miniature

"

general
pale in the

indolence, and
sheer

fender,and

of the

out

comes

which

fume,

the

on

it looks

aspect

fleeter ing

"

and

trick

the

gentle move

again,and

darkness,earnest

heat

and

seem

and

about

fire

to
are

springaway on
forgotten,and

of unknown
figures
animals,
and
far-distant
countries
scarcelyto be reached
by
human
ing
journey; then coaches, and camels,and barkdogs as large as either,and forms that combine
towns

appear,

"

APPENDIX

145

shape and suggest every fancy; till at last,the

ragged coals tumbling together,reduce the vision to
chaos, and the huge profileof a gaunt and grinning
has passed.
face seems
to make
a jestof all that
During these creations of the eye, the thought roves
of them
into a hundred
about
some
abstractions,
gested
sugof them
suggestedby that
by the fire, some
of them
arisingfrom the general
suggestion, some

every

"

"

"

"

sensation

of comfort

whatever

the

meditation

and
such

at

contrasted

composure,

affords

world

high .wrought
benevolence

and

of

evil, or

whatsoever

on

inspirationto

wisdom.

with

dignifiedby
gives hope to
The
sopher
philo-

plans his Utopian schemes,

moments

prove:
happy certainties which he cannot
tress
the lover,happierand
certain,fancies his mismore
round
his arm
and confiding,
with him, unobserved
his shoulder,and earth and
her waist, her head
upon
the poet,
in that sweet
contained
heaven
:
possession
the other,springs
the one, and ardent
as
as
thoughtful

and

of

dreams

"

"

off

at

world, treads

spheres, darts

harmonious

through

the

above

once

the

of

sunshine

up

with

every

of the

turn

gleaming wings
systems, and

thousand

stops

fields
whose
perfectparadise,
whose
air is music,
whose
roses, and
young
whose
the
light is as
are
liquid diamond,
through crystal,whose dwellingsare laurel

not

till he

are

of

has

found

"

waters

"

radiance

"

language is poetry, whose inhabitants

of
the very verge
are
congenial souls, and to enter
city
whose
atmosphere strikes beauty on the face,and felithe heart.
so
loftyshould
Alas, that flights
on
with earth by threads as slender as
be connected
ever
bowers,

"

whose

"

"

"

they

are

long,and

(0 728)

that

the

least twitch

of the
11

most

146

THE

WRITING
hand

commonplace
viewless
of

the ambitious

\JVhen

TWO

"

down

The

the

the

entrance

twilightand

dreamer

Guesses

"

similes and

call them

is summoned

**

Truth

at

IVhen do
metaphorssuccessful!'
or
or
theybe elaborate^
original^

apt ?

Need

What

is the

meaning of mixed metaphors?

great subjectwill oftenennoble a homespun metaphor;
familiarexample will oftenilluminate a remote
subject.
The

^^

sublime

beginnerto
bold; be
The

not

be ridiculous than

But
and

stream

is

eddies

as

and

reverberations.

during

what,

some

when

change ?

different:
eddies

for months
in

are

just as

at

The
but

affairs

them

the
and

same

years,

changes every

drop in its passage tends

particleof the channel,

its descent

river

this

waterfall;where

froths

every

detach

continue

which

the

And

for a
bold^be

of human

working a change all the time

the fall,
by alteringits bed, and

of

Be

pompous.

the real progress

and

illustrated in

noisy,bubbling
though the water
loosen

be

to

it is better

bold.^

too

well

moment.

the ridiculous ^\

and

apparent

both

are

of

snatch

BROTHERS

from

are

recondite?

to

tea

Extract

be able

existingcomforts!
at
once
dissipates

15.

we

ENGLISH

to

sunshine,and
his

to

should

singlecandle

the

wanderer

OF

to

new

set

in the
so

of

to

the

ance
appear-

subjecting
percussions

last eflfected,
is the consequence
foam

the

violent

breaks

noise,the
as

before.

into

what
shapes somebubbling, and the

APPENDIX

16.
Extract

[Observe how
the

turned,

are

withered

As

of
What
it

the

of

hand

that

flower

between

pages

the

to

joy

is

which

ground,

of

the

the

desire
of

sorrow,

or

distant

the

Psalter
the

placed
similar

human

through

of

its

which

is
To

past.

meaning,

been

the

effort

by

verses,

read

its

of

of

words

hope,

of

effort and

fall thick

from

book.

life persons

change.

women

in the

But

before

as

us,

final

victory.

leaf in the

we

one

their

flower

has

be

the

divided
read

by

read

pages,

must

events

of the

death, proclaimed

Psalms

the

the

from

familiar
the

one,

who, passing from

language

the

petalsand

Vain
or

colour,

withered

these

page

life?

scarcelya

some

did

with

studying

of

some

this

bring

and

men

joy, have,
terrors

they

to

centuries

of
into

as

by

secret.

the

throbbing

is

been

native
unimagi-

despair or

effect of

stained

gather

recall

the

is the

not

purpose

to

still

it there

shape

it has
most

to

the

faded, dry,

days, when

history. There

their

new

leaves

the

imprinted something

in

Something

the

between

The

rose.

it floats

moment

from

volume

brown-bound

yet unstained, the petalfull of fragrance and

the

us

it has

commemorate

was

of

of

is conscious

us

Life"

Human

in

ancient

some

flutters

there

on

pressed.

of

pages

but

colour

and

Psalms

completethis isi\

petal

scentless;

PROTHERO

"The

from

When

E.

R.

147

dreds
hun-

tribulation

Psalms, conquered
faith,or

risen

to

CREIGHTON

MANDELL

17.

Execution

"The

thingsaptly:

two

from

an

The

"

"

it illustrates

hut

essay

the scholar''
s

one

Prag

of

Papacy

the

of

extract

an

Jerome

of

History

[^Thisis not

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

THE

148

of irony; the

use

other

is fairlyobvious.']

but

before

to

his

Sentence

went

cathedral

he

the

Litany.

When

kneeled

image

of

recited
in

going
"

the

that

Come

feared

voice

Hus,

would

gathered

round

choked

his clothes

into the

died.

Rhine.

by
were

he

bound

people to

before

he

he

left

and

then

execution
been
he

called

As

an

again

witness

that
was

to

here."

sang

burned, and

he

him,

face ; if I had

my

come

smoke.

he

executioner

back,

him

the

it had

his

have

Creed

was

Hus,

As

though

the

never

led away

was

place of

When

lightit

justice

retractation.

face.

the

into

Jerome

Like

Hus.

quence
elo-

called

over

he

and

the

called the

The

former

chant

As

brought

of the

was

cheerful

reached

prayed.

front,and

death, I

was

heretic

his

the stake, as

and

he

to

lightthe pile at
in

flames

he

Creed, and

faith

to

began

before

Hus,

and

tion,
considera-

was

again

sermon

of

calm

die with

the

he

the

he

30

was

passedagainsthim,
in the same
placeas

was

to

Lodi

withdrawal

his

burnt

be

to

When

days for

cathedral.

the

the obstinate

convince

repeated

few

May

in

of

Bishop

doom.

On

purpose.

the

to

request

no

him

general session

of

of

still gave

Council

The

As

hymn
in the

his ashes

were

the

till his
case

of
cast

APPENDIX
The

Council

restore

had

Extract

paradox^ nor

as

is

of

brief,you

and

The

call

strivingafter it

handSj yet
unskilful

will

you

strive

to

see

must

you

that

must

you

choose

the

be

right

epigram or anythinglike it.

also the forcewhich is given by antithesis,
ting
by setthingin contrast to another.']

own

use

above

contradict

granted;

and

use

but

that

find

consider.

be

swallowed,

Some
and

books

is

are

to

be

for

to

be

but

not

take
to

only in

and

to

for

weigh

tasted,others

be chewed

read

and

not

them

Read

believe

to

teach

without

discourse

are

admire

men

they

wisdom

to

talk and

few

observation.

nor

books

some

simple

them

by

won

confute
to

nor

and

that is,some

men

them,

an

studies

contemn

wise

and

write

can

Crafty men
their

in

member.
re-

The

and
sensible,

be

must

before
you

sense

proverb^ nor as a
^*epigrammaticstyW''

as

same

writers.

some

these models:

fail. Study

them

writing sense;

again is the onlyway to learn to handle

that your teacher should not reprove
so
required^
for " trying to be epigrammatic", even
if you

much

one

"

Studies

and

now

it when

Remark

with

aphorism.

wearisome

oftenbecomes

words

content

the

not

an

is characteristic

you

"

expressedin a form which peoplewill

form ofpithysumming-up of thingswe

epigratn:it

afterit

to

be

"

One
an

rest

Of

Essay

from

enoughto

not

often

"

its power

BACON

18.

may

lay in

all that

done

in Bohemia.

peace

is
\_It

149

to

digested:

parts; others

THE

150

WRITING

be read, but

ENGLISH

OF

and some
curiously
;
wholly,and with diligenceand attention.
also may
be read by deputy,and extracts
by others; but that would be only in the
to

and

arguments,
books

are

like

Reading

maketh

and

not

the

full

writing an

exact

he had
little,
confer little,
he had
read little,
he had
know

that he

Another

have

need

have

need

doth

have

of them

less

important

else distilled

flashythings.
a

ready man

memory

present wit

much

man

if he

if he

and

cunning,

to

seem

EMERSON
on

"

Self-Reliance

"

of false prayers

sort

made

therefore,if
great

books

not.

Essay

from

conference
And

need

19.
Extract

man.

write

to

man

read

be

to

Some

distilled waters,

common
a

of books

sort

meaner

few

are

of self-reliance:

content
Dis-

regrets.

our

of
infirmity
will.
Regret calamities if you can
thereby help the
and alreadythe
work
sufferer;if not, attend your own
evil begins to be repaired. Our
sympathy is just as
base.
them
who
We
and sit
come
to
foolishly
weep
down
and
instead of imparting to
cry for company,
them
truth and health in rough electric shocks, putting
is the

them
reason.

once

in

more

The

Welcome
man.

want

For

of
to

evermore

him

with

communication

secret

fortune

gods and

all doors

are

it is

is
men

joy

in

is the

their

hands.

our

self-helping

flung wide;

him

desire.

all eyes follow

greet, all honours
crown,
love goes out
Our
him
and
embraces
to

because

he

tongues

did

not

need

it. We

own

all
with

him

and apolosolicitously

APPENDIX

and

celebrate

scorned

our

geticallycaress
his

and

way

love

him

because

The

disapprobation.
him.

the

on

gods

ing
persever-

Immortals

blessed

"the

Zoroaster,

To

"

held

he

because

him

hated

men

said

mortal,"

151

sw^ift."

are

SCRAPS

SOME

the

When

vi'ill

pit

drive

soon

itself

seats

and

both

out

in

Guesses

house.

Much

of

world's

this

necromancy,

by

"

wisdom

consulting

is

Suspicions
birds, they
I

call

The

word

Roman

baggage

is

spared,

be

and

yea,
the

riches

to

an

care

adored

foolish

by

it

but

it sometimes

to

consistency
little

statesmen

is the
and

amongst
Essays.

of virtue.

baggage

For
It

virtue.
the

hindreth
loseth

or

Bacon's

victory.
A

the

is riches

so

behind,
of

bats

better, impedimenta.

army,
left

nor

the

is

Truth.

at

Bacon's

than

better

by

dead.

like

are

fly by twilight.

ever

cannot

thoughts

amongst

acquired

still

Guesses

the

Truth.

at

oracular

the

of

whole

the

occupy

gallery

the

boxes,

the

hobgoblin

of

philosophers
Emerson's

as

the

cannot

march

disturbeth
Essays.

little
and

minds,
divines.

Essays.

THE

152

Essay

skill. Here

had

is a

Sixth

pieceof work
also^which you
slips

and

young

Trace

in it that

authors ojacknowledged
fi'otn
it was
as
printedexactly

extracts

boy's
essay^

in the Modern

written

Morning"

Frosty

"A

have

we
\_Hitherto

WALTON

A.

N.

20.

ENGLISH

OF

WRITING

Form

bears

will

by

was

It is
It has

of this.

traces

nature

too.

artist.

an

some

merits

it has

but

duly note,

the hoy

Harrow.

at

Tou

will

find evidence,
too, that he had a keen sense of the sound
clear in the last paragraph,
of words; this is particularly
he wishes

where

of
express firstthe idea of the crispness

to

Look
frostand afterwardsof the silence of the snow.
you,
I do not hold that in writing it he deliberately
set himself
which
He
would
to stringconsofiants
convey these ideas.
did it subconsciously;
he had the happy touch."]

The
with

wind-swept

round

bare

looks

on

through

now

blue.

blows
the

tender

Above

drift in

Before

this

rugged oak,
the

shapes which

trees

the

land

rolls

beautiful

the

place

Sea and

wood!

keen

sweeps
the

Above,

processionof

the

when

sombre

grey,

displaybehind them a clear,cold

quoise
ground of unpolishedsilver and turto

the delicate
and

them

North

the

of

rises the

trees

morning,

the grey

is clothed

the

How

branches

then

lonelyhill

below
hill,

from

up

and

sway

beneath

wood.

seashore.

heavy snow-clouds
torn

certain

frostyDecember

wind

the

to

of

the

of

top

gentlyaway
east

side

eastern

the

green

pale-brown

is covered

rustle

branches

along

with

before

of

hazel.
dead
the

the

ash,

The

earth

leaves,thin
wind, and

the

sere

crackle

APPENDIX
beneath

the

frozen

of

tears

As
and

feet.

one

They

becomes

full of little diamonds, the

are

nature.

gazes

hears

153

delicate

the

upon

gentle sighing of

the

with

peopled

folks

the

colours,

shapes and
the

of

trees,

long

the

wood
There

ago.

and
is the flash of mail
of the trees
through the stems
raider drives
the glintof a plump of spears, as the Border
off the sheep from
the bare stone
their shelter behind
The
Saxon
walls,to graze them in a Scottish pasture.
herdsman
flyingfrom the Danish invader; the soldiers

of

Imperial Rome

short
and

sharp
tread

most

all pass

skin-clad

the

beneath

rustlingleaves.

the

faces

But

hunter

hazel

the

their

on

with

branches

place seems

the

belong to an earlier and a wilder race, whose

priesthoodhave left the relics of their worship
the strange
rollingshoulder of the hill. On
above
were
performed their fearful and solemn

the

mounds

stood

there, in

And

rites.

rises from

at

arms

the

like the
brown

live in

behind

sets

rustlingsound
leaves; it is the
of the

is

sun,

gazing
Cheviots

wood

and

limbs

shrivelled
These

them.

lived and

have

placesunspoiled by man.
raisingthe
only the wind

patter of their

little feet

on

full

seems

with

underneath
that

with

in

distorted

thin

them

had

pale gold which

the

with

around

dry leaves
the woods,
not

Druids,

the

Now

rose.

the

the

the

ball of clear

primeval creatures,

people of

the

before

age

faces like the

to

As

and

bending boughs

the

carpet

the

and

sea

flush of
orange
of strange

an

joyfulworshippers of

the

outstretched

are

determined

to

awful
on

spear

sad

Wall

Great

the

to

way

with

the

tinue
con-

The
dead

winter

woods.

warmth

from

the

exertion

of

climbing

the

WRITING

THE

154

ENGLISH

OF

when

the milder
the thoughts turn
to
seasons
oflF,
year, to the breezy sunlightof a May morning,
the burstingleaves
the grass is fresh-sprungand

make

the

wood

when

the

summer

across

the

long grassy

hill

wears

of the

its

evening,when
out
one
by

summer

stars

come

haze

in

leaves

of the

music

in

drenched

calm

deep

broken

That

"

the

luminous
is

world

distant

the

only by

The

bitingwind

cuts

left

traces

wind.

in

For

Ice-kinghad
frozen

and
clear

to

done

pale moon.

rain-soaked
tree-stems

the

North,

silent

their

their
and

work,

then

and

sprays
a

bent

frost

beautiful

keen

converted

the
the

among

ice-bound
the

watched

east

of

arms

haunts

over

branches

frost,but

blue

icy fingershad

The

is filled with

the

frost and

long

on

gentle sighing

lightwhite

stolen

had

man",

the

from

of the

country
into

night

appeared

from

black

hard

down

crept

mountains

measureless

by

the

that

The

gaunt.

piteousmoaning, and
the product of
not
hang icicles,
becomes

realizes

before

What

musings, and

such

one

and

strange

seems

night

".

across

wood

looking again at the

is a terrible thing.
now

all

sleepingwoods

the

to

Singeth a quiet tune

wood

and

dreamy

of the sea,

murmur

the

and

of the

thinks

swimming above
when
the
violet,

one

of fathomless

sea

One

all is moist

sea

lazilynod

flowers

above.

the

silver under

shimmer

wild

countless

or

green;

from

gently up

fields which

and

and

of grey

mist

blows

wind

light caress,
the

to

delicate

"caverns,
bleak

sides
hill-

only by

first chilled
the

the
the

dripping

The
sparkling diamonds.
The
sighing of
deadly cold.
of

APPENDIX
rustic

trees, the

the

of

155
whistle

dry leaves,the

walls
through the bare stone
Winter, the prelude to the silence of

is the

wind

the

is

snow

when

coming,

sharp edges rounded, and

her

roads

the

the

of

song

the

snow.

will

be

laid

the earth

of

For

muffled,

sleepbeneath

to

coverlet.

soft white

21.

Upon

Quality

the

is a
\^Hereyfinally^

the

ground
:
might even
fanciful
on

some

of this

illustrate

that

or

condemn

three

would

it is

criticism is just.

two

the
pieceof stuffs

still younger

Its writer
ofa fifteen-year-old.

it

But

things.

elaborate and
No

sentimental.

as

In

serves

my

purpose

teacher is glad to
which
a
qualities
hut then it is
imagination perhaps over-full;
train a hedgelingbriar
more
easy to prune and
"

and

cabbage. Again.,the

words

are

can

thingsset
should

have

to

much

so

than

well

to

chosen

is musical.
of the sentences
from thingsseen with
pass easily

Lastly^the

For

doubtless I

the cadence

writer

doubt

firstplace it has
It is fullof
see.

the

the

encourage

work

criticize itferociously

now

too
altogether

it

"

Romance

"

called

in

the

said

mind.
this

in

but
before^

truth
better

"

and

the eyes to

late than

never

"

of Letters where all who

have
and fellowship. The
admission
read
essay-writer
his reader
in the flesh.,
and
never
meet
never
may
may
in common.
But
have one
mortal acquaintance
they
even
have the whole world of the Immortals.
can
They know
his best coat.,uncommon
and
Colonel Newcome
shinyat the
and
Rachel
meet
them.,she still
seams
Harry Esmond
;
of In Convertendo, and Barry
thinkingof the last verse
there

is

great commonwealth

156

THE

Lyndon

swaggers

OF

WRITING

Pendennis

Major
how

such

orders

to

the call
wealth
Hawke
Mark

fro7n each

Letters

of

ivill

Crawley

with

Tapley ivalks by

anyone
with

wonders

is still under
called

for,and

into the Cojumon-

venturer

new

and

Sam

her

under

ana
trifle,

till they are

Rawdon

gamble

borrow

to

into the service

his anecdotes

reserve

comes

up

Major Bagstockaskance

eyes

fellowgot

impudent leer

by,castingan

hat; Captain Costigan comes

ENGLISH

has

who

grin

Sir

and

Mulberry
to

money

lose.

his

face aftera
futile
attempt to cheer up Job Trotter;furtherdown in the
the ill-favoured
countenances
room
are
Squeers,
of Mr.
Monsieur
Jonas Chuz-zlewit,
Bill Sikes,
Rigaud, Pecksniff,
Mr.

Uriah

and
Carker,Glossin,

on

Heep,

all in consultation

to turn
from them to Long John
together.It is a relief
with
Dirk
Hatteraick,
Silver,sharing a bottle of rum
Vanderdecken,Jas. Hook, and SergeantBothwell, who
is boasting
panions.
of his ancestry,yet a little ashamed of his comThere
and
crowds
crowds
are
of them, heroes

and

rogues,

pretty

cardinals,lords
kings,
and

know

wrongly;

generations
;

and

share

our

it is

that

our

like will die and

They
through our

die.

never

the Immortals
and

Tou

I and

and

these will

but

and

be known.
you

wits and fools,

loyalhearts,
plainfustianmen, all ready to
real :
not
you say
say theyare

and

women

may

we

reveal

In

be

the

forgotten,
to

same

all

with
acquaintanceship
our

tastes

one

to

another

sympathies.^

It is difficult to define Romance

to

will

he

it is like

attempting
so
describe the air,it is so universal,
all-embracing.
there is
everything done alone, and out-of-doors,

much

Romance.

broad

curving

It
moors,

lies in
in

the

u^alkingalone
tracking of a

over

stream,

the
in

APPENDIX
the

discoveryof

opening

of

hills :

Romance

book.

new

rocky hollow, hidden

in a lesser degree,in the

narrow

cleft of the

in the

away

some

157

comes

upon

one

friendlybuffetingof the North Wind,

far off, in the
heard
in the
tinkle of flowing water
down
the opposite slope,
sailingof a cloud's shadow
suddenly in

the

valleybetween, and up the hillside to where

stands watching.
one
Walking alone on a winding road,what pageant may
the next
round
to one's sight,
not
bend, suddenly,
come
clear
with the abruptness of a kingfisher's
a
flightover
challengeof dimly-heard music, borne on
pool; what
wind
white
?
the
The
freakish
gleam of the bent
of the
the lances
sun
-glitteron
grass is reallythe
in that dark
into Roncesvalles
armies, marching down
;
lies Medoro, and
wood
riding on her
Angelica comes
which
white palfrey
lookingfor him ; over that hillside,
is the Glistening
girtwith Gram,
Heath, rides Siegfried,
for that hawk
wisdom
and wise with a new
circling
; as
high above me, it is reallythe wide-winged Hippogrif
the

across

bearing Astolfo
known
things

the

to

of

the

moon

moorland

and
are

so

all the

well-

changed by the
dark river-pool
a

alchemy of Romance, as when

is lit by the shoalingbraveryof the sun's rays, breaking
of a sudden
through a cloud.
is the
The
idea that
runs
through all Romance
It is the
gold thread showing through the
quest.
have
that the centuries
worked,
motley embroideries

subtle

and

left unfinished

it is the

lands, for strange

good.

It

for

known
guessed-at,un-

beauty, for

an

ultimate

strongly in the story of the

adventuring through strange lands,for

shows

Argonauts, the

new

search

so

THE

158
a

WRITING

OF

strange prize; in the Norse

it becomes

the search

ENGLISH

Sagas it reappears.

for the

it

Sangreal;

Later,
again

comes

in the

World, instinct with the

discoveryof the New
of the unknown.
Thus, shining
strange possibilities
with
the same
ings,
lightamidst so many different surroundreflectingthem, seemingly altered,yet still the
as

same,

born

stream

through placid
leit-motif

of

in

quest, that

flows

mountains

the

to

pastures

the

the

thus

sea;

be

can

down
this

goes

traced

in all

true

Romance.
There

is
of

glamour
the

quest

romantic

book

Romance,
it is the

taking thought
I

said,"
leads
I

the

to

am

want

to

there

There

that

as

if

more

material

no

siasm
enthu-

child

see

castle

let's

me;

idea of

all the

road,and

enchanted

an

for

it is

along

is

it has

morrow;

will be

waiting

sure,

start?

Crusade

go

all the

me,

all the
simplicity,
Pilgrim'sProgreiS. What

for the

First

contains,for

all the

Christian's

than

of

which

at

had

where
the

it

end,

start",whereupon

he

The
main
idea is simple,thereby
promptly starts.
the
becoming so romantic
quest, the strugglefor
eternal
beauty, the perilous journey through dark
woods
the sunny
fields beyond.
to
green
Romance
is one
of the few
things that all hold
"

alike

it may
made
and

child

every

called

be

of

term

is born

by

strive

to

stamp
custom

restrictions

the

it out,
may
it ;

upon

eternal,eternal

different

opprobrium,

widespread as

as

as

Romance

with

but

red

change

youth.

red
its

what

in it ;

poppies

guise, and
end

be

even

beautiful

cultivation

poppy;
as

to

it may
it is still as

names,

even

but

inbred

are

may
bated
com-

impose

Romance

is