# The King's English/Part 2

PART II
Some less important chapters had been designed on Euphony, Ambiguity, Negligence, and other points. But as the book would with them have run to too great length, some of the examples have been simply grouped here in independent sections, with what seemed the minimum of comment.
I. Jingles
To read his tales is a baptism of optimism.–Times.
Sensation is the direct effect of the mode of motion of the sensorium.–Huxley.
There have been no periodical general physical catastrophes.–Huxley.
It is contended, indeed, that these preparations are intended only.–Times.
It is intended to extend the system to this country.–Times.
M. Sphakianakis conducted protracted negotiations.–Times.
Those inalienable rights of life, liberty and property upon which the safety of society depends.–Choate.
He served his apprenticeship to statesmanship.–Bryce.
Apparently prepared to hold its ground.–Times.
I awaited a belated train.–R. G. White.
Hand them on silver salvers to the server.–E. F. Benson.
...adjourned the discussion of the question of delation until to-day.–Times.
In this house of poverty and dignity, of past grandeur and present simplicity, the brothers lived together in unity.–H. Caine.
Their invalidity was caused by a technicality.—Times.
...had for consolation the expansion of its dominion.–Spectator.
The essential foundation of all the organization needed for the promotion of education.–Huxley.
The projects of M. Witte relative to the regulation of the relations between capital and labour.–Times.
The remaining instances are of consecutive adverbs in -ly. Parallel adverbs, qualifying the same word simultaneously, do ​not result in a jingle; but in all our instances the two adverbs either qualify different words, or qualify the same word at different times. Thus, in the Huxley sentence, unquestionably either qualifies is, or qualifies true only after largely has qualified it: it is not the (universal) truth, but the partial truth, of the proposition that is unquestionable.
When the traffic in our strects becomes entirely mechanically propelled.–Times.
He lived practically exclusively on milk.–E. F. Benson.
Critics would probably decidedly disagree.–Hutton.
The children are functionally mentally defective.–Times.
What is practically wholly and entirely the British commerce and trade.–Times.
...who answered, usually monosyllabically,...–E. F. Benson.
The policy of England towards Afghanistan is, as formerly, entirely friendly.–Times.
Money spent possibly unwisely, probably illegally, and certainly hastily. Times.
The deer are necessarily closely confined to definite areas.–Times.
We find Hobbes's view...tolerably effectively combated.—Morley.
Great mental endowments do not, unhappily, necessarily involve a passion for obscurity.–H. G. Wells.
The proposition of Descartes is unquestionably largely true.–Huxley
2. Alliteration
Alliteration is not much affected by modern prose writers of any experience; it is a novice's toy. The antithetic variety has probably seen its best days, and the other instances quoted are doubtless to be attributed to negligence.
I must needs trudge at every old beldam's bidding and every young minx's maggot.–Scott.
Onward glided Dame Ursula, now in glimmer and now in gloom.—Scott.
I have seen her in the same day as changeful as a marmozet, and as stubborn as a mule.–Scott.
Thus, in consequence of the continuance of that grievance, the means of education at the disposal of the Protestants and Presbyterians were stunted and sterilized.–Balfour.
A gaunt well with a shattered pent-house dwarfed the dwelling.–H. G. Wells.
​It shall be lawful to picket premises for the purpose of peacefully persuading any person to...–Times.
3. Repeated Preposition
The founders of the study of the origin of human culture.–Morley.
After the manner of the author of the immortal speeches of Pericles.–Morley.
Togo's announcement of the destruction of the fighting power of Russia's Pacific squadron.–Times.
The necessity of the modification of the system of administration.–Times
An exaggeration of the excesses of the epoch of sentimentalism.–Morley.
Hostile to the justice of the principle of the taxing of those values which...–Lord Rosebery.
The observation of the facts of the geological succession of the forms of life.–Huxley.
Devoid of any accurate knowledge of the mode of development of many groups of plants and animals.–Huxley.
One uniform note of cordial recognition of the complete success of the experiment.—Times.
The first fasciculus of the second volume of the Bishop of Salisbury's critical edition of St. Jerome's Revision of the Latin New Testament.–Times.
The appreciation of the House of the benefits derived by the encouragement afforded by the Government to the operations of...–Times.
The study of the perfectly human theme of the affection of a man of middle age.—Times.
His conviction of the impossibility of the proposal either of the creation of elective financial boards...–Daily Express.
Representative of the mind of the age of literature.–Ruskin.
Indignation against the worst offenders against...–Times.
A belief in language in harmony with...–Daily Telegraph.
The opposition...to the submission to the claims.–Times.
Taken up with warfare with an enemy...–Freeman.
Palmerston wasted the strength derived by England by the great war by his brag.–Granville.
Unpropitious for any project for the reduction....–Times.
Called upon to decide upon the reduction...–Times.
4. Sequence of Relatives
A garret, in which were two small beds, in one of which she gave me to understand another gentleman slept.–Borrow.
Still no word of enlightenment had come which should pierce the thick clouds of doubt which hid the face of the future.–E. F. Benson.
The ideal of a general alphabet...is one which gives a basis which is generally acceptable.–H. Sweet.
He enjoyed a lucrative practice, which enabled him to maintain and educate a family with all the advantages which money can give in this country.–Trollope.
The clown who views the pandemonium of red brick which he has built on the estate which he has purchased.–Borrow.
The main thread of the book, which is a daring assault upon that serious kind of pedantry which utters itself in...–L. Stephen.
Practical reasons which combine to commend this architectural solution of a problem which so many of us dread...–Times.
The teachers, who took care that the weaker, who might otherwise be driven to the wall, had...their fair share.–Times.
Let the heads and rulers of free peoples tell this truth to a Tsar who seeks to dominate a people who will not and cannot...–Times.
He made a speech...which contained a passage on the conditions of modern diplomacy which attracted some attention.—Times.
There is of course no objection to the recurrence when the relatives are parallel.
5. Sequence of 'that' or other Conjunctions
Here, as with relatives, the recurrence is objectionable only when one of the clauses is subordinate to the other.
I do not forget that some writers have held that a system is to be inferred.–Balfour.
I say that there is a real danger that we may run to the other extreme.–Huxley.
It is clear...that the opinion was that it is not incompatible.–Nansen.
I find that the view that Japan has now a splendid opportunity...is heartily endorsed.–Times.
I must point out that it is a blot on our national education that we have serving...–Times.
The Chairman replied to the allegation made by the Radical press to the effect that the statement that the British workman will not work as an unskilled labourer in the mines is inaccurate.–Times.
An official telegram states that General Nogi reports that...–Times.
The conviction that the Tsar must realize that the prestige of Russia is at stake.–Times.
He was so carried away by his discovery that he ventured on the assertion that the similarity between the two languages was so great that an educated German could understand whole strophes of Persian poetry.–H. Sweet.
I may fairly claim to have no personal interest in defending the council, although I believe, though I am not certain, that...–Times.
6. Metrical Prose
The novice who is conscious of a weakness for the high-flown and the inflated should watch narrowly for metrical snatches in his prose; they are a sure sign that the fit is on him.
Oh, moralists, who treat of happiness / and self-respect, innate in every sphere / of life, and shedding light on every grain / of dust in God's highway, so smooth below / your carriage-wheels, so rough beneath the tread / of naked feet, bethink yourselves / in looking on the swift descent / of men who have lived in their own esteem, / that there are scores of thousands breathing now, / and breathing thick with painful toil, who in / that high respect have never lived at all, / nor had a chance of life! Go ye, who rest / so placidly upon the sacred Bard / who had been young, and when he strung his harp/ was old,... / go, Teachers of content and honest pride, / into the mine, the mill, the forge, / the squalid depths of deepest ignorance, / and uttermost abyss of man's neglect, / and say can any hopeful plant spring up / in air so foul that it extinguishes / the soul's bright torch as fast as it is kindled! / –Dickens.
But now,—now have resolved to stand alone,— / fighting my battle as a man should fight, / seeking for neither help nor sympathy, / and trusting not in self...–Corelli.
And the gathering orange stain / upon the edge of yonder western peak, / reflects the sunsets of a thousand years.–Ruskin.
His veins were opened; but he talked on still / while life was slowly ebbing, and was calm / through all the agony of lingering death.–W. W. Capes.
Can I then trust the evidence of sense? / And art thou really to my wish restored? / Never, oh never, did thy beauty shine / with such bewitching grace, as that which now / confounds and captivates my view! / ...Where hast thou lived? where borrowed this perfection? / ...Oh! I am all amazement, joy and fear! / Thou wilt not leave me! No! we must not part / again. By this warm kiss! a thousand times / more sweet than all the fragrance of the East! / we never more will part. O! this is rapture! / ecstasy! and what no language will explain!–Smollett.
7. Sentence Accent
It is only necessary to read aloud any one of the sentences quoted below, to perceive at once that there is something wrong with its accentuation. To lay down rules on this point would be superfluous, even if it were practicable; for in all doubtful cases the ear can and should decide. A writer who cannot trust himself to balance his sentences properly should read aloud all that he writes. It is useless for him to argue that readers will not read his work aloud, and that therefore the fault of which we are speaking will escape notice. For, although the fault may appear to be exclusively one of sound, it is always in fact a fault of sense: unnatural accentuation is only the outward sign of an unnatural combination of thought. Thus, nine readers out of ten would detect in a moment, without reading aloud, the ill-judged structure in our first example: the writer has tried to do two incompatible things at the same time, to describe in some detail the appearance of his characters, and to begin a conversation; the result is that any one reading the sentence aloud is compelled to maintain, through several lines of new and essential information, the tone that is appropriate only to what is treated as a matter of course. The interrogative tone protests more loudly than any other against this kind of mismanagement; but our examples will show that other tones are liable to the same abuse.
The accentuation of each clause or principal member of a sentence is primarily fixed by its relation to the other members: when the internal claims of its own component parts clash with this fixed accentuation—when, for instance, what should be read with a uniformly declining accentuation requires for its own internal purposes a marked rise and fall of accent—reconstruction is necessary to avoid a badly balanced sentence. The passage from Peacock will illustrate this: after pupils, and still more after counterpoint, the accentuation should steadily decline to the end of the passage; but, ​conflicting with this requirement, we have the exorbitant claims of a complete anecdote, containing within itself an elaborately accented speech. To represent the anecdote as an insignificant appendage to pupils was a fault of sense; it is revealed to the few who would not have perceived it by the impossibility of reading the passage naturally.
'Are Japanese Aprils always as lovely as this?' asked the man in the light tweed suit of two others in immaculate flannels with crimson sashes round their waists and puggarees folded in cunning plaits round their broad Terai hats.–D. Sladen.
'Here we are', he said presently, after they had turned off the main road for a while and rattled along a lane between high banks topped with English shrubs, and looking for all the world like an outskirt of Tunbridge Wells.–D. Sladen.
I doubt if Haydn would have passed as a composer before a committee of lords like one of his own pupils, who insisted on demonstrating to him that he was continually sinning against the rules of counterpoint; on which Haydn said to him, 'I thought I was to teach you, but it seems you are to teach me, and I do not want a preceptor', and thereon he wished his lordship a good morning.–Peacock.
She wondered at having drifted into the neighbourhood of a person resembling in her repellent formal chill virtuousness a windy belfry tower, down among those districts of suburban London or appalling provincial towns passed now and then with a shudder, where the funereal square bricks-up the church, that Arctic hen-mother sits on the square, and the moving dead are summoned to their round of penitential exercise by a monosyllabic tribulation-bell.–Meredith.
The verb wonder presupposes the reader's familiarity with the circumstance wondered at; it will not do the double work of announcing both the wonder and the thing wondered at. 'I wondered at Smith's being there' implies that my hearer knew that Smith was there; if he did not, I should say 'I was surprised to find...'. Accordingly, in this very artificial sentence, the writer presupposes the inconceivable question: 'What were her feelings on finding that she had drifted...tribulation-bell?'. To read a sentence of minute and striking description with the declining accentuation that necessarily follows the verb wondered is of course impossible.
​How doth the earth terrifie and oppress us with terrible earthquakes, which are most frequent in China, Japan, and those eastern climes, swallowing up sometimes six cities at once!–Burton.
Of the many possible violations of sentence accent, one—common in inferior writers—is illustrated in the next section.
8. Causal 'as' Clauses
There are two admissible kinds of causal 'as' clauses—the pure and the mixed. The pure clause assigns as a cause some fact that is already known to the reader and is sure to occur to him in the connexion: the mixed assigns as a cause what is not necessarily known to the reader or present in his mind; it has the double function of conveying a new fact, and indicating its relation to the main sentence. Context will usually decide whether an as clause is pure or mixed; in the following examples, it is clear from the nature of the two clauses that the first is pure, the second mixed:
I have an edition with German notes; but that is of no use, as you do not read German.
I caught the train, but afterwards wished I had not, as I presently discovered that my luggage was left behind.
The second of these, it will be noticed, is unreadable, unless we slur the as to such an extent as practically to acknowledge that it ought not to be there. The reason is that, although a pure clause may stand at any point in the sentence, a mixed one must always precede the main statement. The pure clause, having only the subordinate function normally indicated by as, is subordinate in sense as well as in grammar; and the declining accentuation with which it is accordingly pronounced will not be interfered with wherever we may place it. But the mixed clause has another function, that of conveying a new fact, for which as docs not prepare us, and which entitles it to an accentuation as full and as varied as that of the main statement. To neutralize the subordinating effect of as, and secure the proper accentuation, we must place the ​clause at the beginning; where this is not practicable, as should be removed, and a colon or semi-colon used instead of a comma. Persistent usage tends of course to remove this objection by weakening the subordinating power of conjunctions: because, while, whereas, since, can be used where as still betrays a careless or illiterate writer. There is the same false ring in all the following sentences:
I myself saw in the estate office of a large landed proprietor a procession of peasant women begging for assistance, as owing to the departure of the bread-winners the families were literally starving.–Times.
Remove as, and use a heavier stop.
Very true, Jasper; but you really ought to learn to read, as, by so doing, you might learn your duty towards yourselves.–Borrow.
To read; by so doing,...
There was a barber and hairdresser, who had been at Paris, and talked French with a cockney accent, the French sounding all the better, as no accent is so melodious as the Cockney.–Borrow.
Use a semicolon and 'for'; the assertion requires all the support that vigorous accentuation can lend.
One of the very few institutions for which the Popish Church entertains any fear, and consequently respect, as it respects nothing which it does not fear.–Borrow.
For instead of as will best suit this illogical and falsely coordinated sentence.
Everybody likes lo know that his advantages cannot be attributed to air, soil, sea, or to local wealth, as mines and quarries,...but to superior brain, as it makes the praise more personal to him.–Emerson.
Again the clause is a mixed one. The point of view it suggests is, indeed, sufficiently obvious; but (unlike our typical pure clause above—'you do not know German') it depends for its existence upon the circumstances of the main sentence, which may or may not have occurred to the reader before. The full accentuation with which the clause must inevitably be read condemns it at once; use a colon, and remove as.
Pure clauses, being from their nature more or less otiose, ​belong rather to the spoken than to the written language. It follows that a good writer will seldom have a causal as clause of any kind at the end of a sentence. Two further limitations remain to be noticed:
i. When the cause, not the effect, is obviously the whole point of the sentence, because, not as, should be used; the following is quite impossible English:
I make these remarks as quick shooting at short ranges has lately been so strongly recommended.–Times.
ii. As should be used only to give the cause of the thing asserted, not the cause of the assertion, nor an illustration of its truth, as in the following instances:
You refer me to the Encyclopaedia: you are mistaken, as I find the Encyclopaedia exactly confirms my view.
The Oxford Coxswain did not steer a very good course here, as he kept too close in to the Middlesex shore to obtain full advantage of the tide; it made little difference, however, as his crew continued to gain.–Times.
My finding the Encyclopaedia's confirmation was not the cause of mistake, nor the keeping too close the cause of bad steering.
9. Wens and Hypertrophied Members
No sentence is to be condemned for mere length; a really skilful writer can fill a page with one and not tire his reader, though a succession of long sentences without the relief of short ones interspersed is almost sure to be forbidding. But the tiro, and even the good writer who is not prepared to take the trouble of reading aloud what he has written, should confine himself to the easily manageable. The tendency is to allow some part of a sentence to develop unnatural proportions, or a half parenthetic insertion to separate too widely the essential parts. The cure, indispensable for every one who aims at a passable style, and infallible for any one who has a good ear, is reading aloud after writing.
1. Disproportionate insertions.
tended, by the childhood I have suffered, by our meeting in this dreary house at midnight, by the cry wrung from me in the anguish of my heart, O father, turn to me and seek a refuge in my love before it is too late!' may have arrested them.–Dickens.
Captain Cuttle, though no sluggard, did not turn so early on the morning after he had seen Sol Gills, through the shopwindow, writing in the parlour, with the Midshipman upon the counter, and Rob the Grinder making up his bed below it, but that the clocks struck six as he raised himself on his elbow, and took a survey of his little chamber.–Dickens.
A perpetual consequent warfare of her spirit and the nature subject to the thousand sensational hypocrisies invoked for concealment of its reviled brutish baseness, held the woman suspended from her emotions.–Meredith.
Yesterday, before Dudley Sowerby's visit, Nataly would have been stirred where the tears which we shed for happiness or repress at a flattery dwell when seeing her friend Mrs. John Cormyn enter...–Meredith.
'It takes', it is said that Sir Robert Peel observed, 'three generations to make a gentleman'.–Bagehot.
Behind, round the windows of the lower story, clusters of clematis, like large purple sponges, blossomed, miraculously fed through their thin, dry stalks.–E. F. Benson.
It is a striking exhibition of the power which the groups, hostile in different degrees to a democratic republic, have of Parliamentary combination.–Spectator.
Sir,—With reference to the custom among some auctioneers and surveyors of receiving secret commissions, which was recently brought to light in a case before the Lord Chief Justice and Justices Kennedy and Ridley (King's Bench Division), when the L. C. I. in giving judgment for the defendants said:—Unfortunately in commercial circles, in which prominent men played a part, extraordinary mistakes occurred. But a principal who employed an agent to do work for him employed him upon terms that the agent was not liable to get secret commissions. The sooner secret commissions were not approved by an honourable profession, the better it would be for commerce in all its branches. I desire to take this opportunity...–Times.
In the course of a conversation with a representative of the Gaulois, Captain Klado, after repeating his views on the necessity for Russia to secure the command of the sea which have already appeared in the Times, replied as follows to a question as to whether, after the new squadron in the course of formation at Libau has reinforced Admiral Rozhdestvensky's fleet, the Russian and Japanese naval forces will be evenly balanced: [here follows reply]–Times.
​2. Sentences of which the end is allowed to trail on to unexpected length.
But though she could trust his word, the heart of the word went out of it when she heard herself thanked by Lady Blachington (who could so well excuse her at such a time for not returning her call, that she called in a friendly way a second time, warmly to thank her) for throwing open the Concert Room at Lakelands in August, to an entertainment in assistance of the funds for the purpose of erecting an East London Clubhouse, where the children of the poor by day could play, and their parents pass a disengaged evening.–Meredith.
How to commence the ceremony might have been a difficulty, but for the zeal of the American Minister, who, regardless of the fact that he was the representative of a sister Power, did not see any question of delicacy arise in his taking a prominent part in proceedings regarded as entirely irregular by the representatives of the Power to which the parties concerned belonged.–D. Sladen.
The style holds the attention, but perhaps the most subtle charm of the work lies in the inextricable manner in which fact is interwoven with something else that is not exactly fiction, but rather fancy bred of the artist's talent in projecting upon his canvas his own view of things seen and felt and lived through by those whose thoughts, motives, and actions, he depicts.–Times.
The cock-bustard that, having preened himself, paces before the hen birds on the plains that he can scour when his wings, which are slow in the air, join with his strong legs to make nothing of grassy leagues on leagues.–Times.
I don't so much wonder at his going away, because, leaving out of consideration that spice of the marvellous which was always in his character, and his great affection for me, before which every other consideration of his life became nothing, as no one ought to know so well as I who had the best of fathers in him—leaving that out of consideration, I say, I have often read and heard of people who, having some near and dear relative, who was supposed to be shipwrecked at sea, have gone down to live on that part of the seashore where any tidings of the missing ship might be expected to arrive, though only an hour or two sooner than elsewhere, or have even gone upon her track to the place whither she was bound, as if their going would create intelligence.–Dickens.
What he had to communicate was the contents of despatches from Tokio containing information received by the Japanese Government respecting infringements of neutrality by the Baltic Fleet in Indo-Chinese waters outside what are, strictly speaking, the territorial limits, and principally by obtaining provisions from the shore.—Times.
​3. Decapitable sentences.
Perhaps the most exasperating form is that of the sentence that keeps on prolonging itself by additional phrases, each joint of which gives the reader hopes of a full stop.
It was only after the weight of evidence against the economic success of the endeavour became overwhelming that our firm withdrew its support /, and in conjunction with almost the entire British population of the country concentrated its efforts on endeavouring to obtain permission to increase the coloured unskilled labour supply of the mines / so as to be in a position to extend mining operations /, and thus assist towards re-establishing the prosperity of the country /, while at the same time attracting a number of skilled British artisans / who would receive not merely the bare living wage of the white unskilled labourer, but a wage sufficient to enable these artisans to bring their families to the country / and to make their permanent home there.—Westminster Gazette.
Here may still be seen by the watchful eye the Louisiana heron and smaller egret, all that rapacious plume-hunters have left of their race, tripping like timid fairies in and out the leafy screen / that hides the rank jungle of sawgrass and the grisly swamp where dwells the alligator /, which lies basking, its nostrils just level with the dirty water of its bath, or burrows swiftly in the soft earth to evade the pursuit of those who seek to dislodge it with rope and axe / that they may sell its hide to make souvenirs for the tourists / who, at the approach of summer, hie them north or east with grateful memories of that fruitful land.–A. G. Aflalo.
Running after milkmaids is by no means an ungenteel rural diversion; but let any one ask some respectable casuist (the Bishop of London, for instance), whether Lavengro was not far better employed, when in the country, at tinkering and smithery than he would have been in running after all the milkmaids in Cheshire /, though tinkering is in general considered a very ungenteel employment /, and smithery little better /, notwithstanding that an Orcadian poet, who wrote in Norse about 800 years ago, reckons the latter among nine noble arts which he possessed /, naming it along with playing at chess, on the harp, and ravelling runes /, or as the original has it, 'treading runes' /—that is, compressing them into small compass by mingling one letter with another /, even as the Turkish caligraphists ravel the Arabic letters /, more especially those who write talismans.–Borrow.
10. Careless Repetition
Conscious repetition of a word or phrase has been discussed in Part I (Airs and Graces): in the following examples the ​repetition is unconscious, and proves only that the writer did not read over what he had written.
...a man...who directly impresses one with the impression...–Times.
For most of them get rid of them more or less completely.–H. Sweet.
The most important distinction between dialogue on the one hand and purely descriptive and narrative pieces on the other hand is a purely grammatical one.–H. Sweet.
And it may be that from a growing familiarity with Canadian winter amusements may in time spring an even warmer regard...–Times.
It may well induce the uncomfortable reflection that these historical words may prove...–Times.
The inclusion of adherents would be adhered to.–Times.
The remainder remaining loyal, fierce fighting commenced.–Spectator.
Every subordinate shortcoming, every incidental defect, will be pardoned. 'Save us' is the cry of the moment; and, in the confident hope of safety, any deficiency will be overlooked, and any frailty pardoned.–Bagehot.
They were followed by jinrikshas containing young girls with very carefully-dressed hair, carrying large bunches of real flowers on their laps, followed in turn by two more coolies carrying square white wooden jars, containing huge silver tinsel flowers.–D. Sladen.
It can do so, in all reasonable probability, provided its militia character is maintained. But in any case it will provide us at home with the second line army of our needs.–Times.
Dressed in a subtly ill-dressed, expensive mode.–E. F. Benson.
Toodle being the family name of the apple-faced family.–Dickens.
Artillery firing extends along the whole front, extending for eighty miles.–Times.
I regard the action and conduct of the Ministry as a whole as of far greater importance.–Times.
The fleet passed the port on its way through the Straits on the way to the China Sea.–Times.
Much of his popularity he owed, we believe, to that very timidity which his friends lamented. That timidity often prevented him from exhibiting his talents to the best advantage. But it propitiated Nemesis. It averted that envy which would otherwise have been excited...–Macaulay.
I will lay down a pen I am so little able to govern.—And I will try to subdue an impatience which...may otherwise lead me into still more punishable errors.—I will return to a subject which I cannot fly from for ten minutes together.–Richardson.
At the same time it was largely owing to his careful training that so many great Etonian cricketers owed their success.–Times.
11. Common Misquotations
These are excusable in talk, but not in print. A few pieces are given correctly, with the usual wrong words in brackets.
An ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own. (poor)
Fine by degrees and beautifully less. (small)
That last infirmity of noble mind. (the: minds)
Make assurance double sure. (doubly)
To-morrow to fresh woods and pastures new. (fields)
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. (quote)
Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy. (cud)
When Greeks joined Greeks, then was the tug of war. (Greek meets Greek: comes)
A goodly apple rotten at the heart. (core)
12. Uncommon Misquotations of Well-known Passages or Phrases
It is still worse to misquote what is usually given right, however informal the quotation. The true reading is here added in brackets.
Now for the trappings and the weeds of woe.–S. Ferrier. (suits)
She had an instinctive knowledge that she knew her, and she felt her genius repressed by her, as Julius Caesar's was by Cassius.–S. Ferrier. (My genius is rebuked as, it is said, Mark Antony's was by Caesar)
The new drama represented the very age and body of the time, his form and feature.–J. R. Green. (pressure)
He lifts the veil from the sanguinary affair at Kinchau, and we are allowed glimpses of blockade-running, train-wrecking and cavalry reconnaissance, and of many other moving incidents by flood and field.–Times. (accidents)
To him this rough world was but too literally a rack.–Lowell. (who would, upon the rack of this tough world, stretch him out longer)
Having once begun, they found returning more tedious than giving o'er.–Lowell. (returning were as tedious as go o'er)
Posthaec [sic] meminisse juvabit.–Hazlitt, (et haec olim)
Quid vult valde vult. What they do, they do with a will.–Emerson. (quod) Quid is not translatable.
Then that wonderful esprit du corps, by which we adopt into our self-love everything we touch.–Emerson. (de)
Let not him that putteth on his armour boast as him that taketh it off.–Westminster Gazette. (girdeth, harness, boast himself, he, putteth)
Elizabeth herself, says Spenser, 'to mine open pipe inclined her ear'.–J. R. Green. (oaten)
He could join the crew of Mirth, and look pleasantly on at a village fair, 'where the jolly rebecks sound to many a youth and many a maid, dancing in the chequered shade'.–J. R. Green. (jocund)
Heathen Kaffirs, et hoc genero, &c.:...Daily Mail. (genus omne)
If she takes her husband au pied de lettre.–Westm. Gaz. (de la lettre)
13. Misquotation of Less Familiar Passages
But the greatest wrong is done to readers when a passage that may not improbably be unknown to them is altered.
It was at Dublin or in his castle of Kilcolman, two miles from Doneraile, 'under the fall of Mole, that mountain hoar', that he spent the memorable years in which...–J. R. Green. (foot)
Petty spites of the village squire.–Spectator. (pigmy: spire)
14. Misapplied and Misunderstood Quotations and Phrases
Before leading question or the exception proves the rule is written, a lawyer should be consulted; before cui bono, Cicero; before more honoured in the breach than the observance, Hamlet. A leading question is one that unfairly helps a witness to the desired answer; cui bono has been explained on p. 35; the exception, &c., is not an absurdity when understood, but it is as generally used; more honoured, &c., means not that the rule is generally broken, but that it is better broken. A familiar line of Shakespeare, on the other hand, gains by being misunderstood: 'one touch of nature makes the whole world kin' merely means 'In one respect, all men are alike'.
But cui bono all this detail of our debt? Has the author given a single light towards any material reduction of it? Not a glimmering.–Burke.
A rule dated March 3, 1801, which has never been abrogated, lays it down that, to obtain formal leave of absence, a member must show some sufficient cause, such as...but this rule is more honoured in the breach than in the observance.–Times.
Every one knows that the Governor-General in Council is invested by statute with the supreme command of the Army and that it would be disastrous to subvert that power. But 'why drag in Velasquez'? If any one wishes us to infer that Lord Kitchener has, directly or indirectly,
proposed to subvert this unquestioned and unquestionable authority, they are very much mistaken.–Times. (Why indeed? no worse literary treason than to spoil other people's wit by dragging it in where it is entirely pointless. Velasquez here outrages those who know the story, and perplexes those who do not)
The Nationalist, M. Archdeacon, and M. Meslier put to the Prime Minister several leading questions, such as, 'Why were you so willing promptly to part with M. Delcassé, and why, by going to the conference, did you agree to revive the debate as to the unmistakable rights...?' To these pertinent inquiries M. Rouvier did not reply.–Times. (Leading questions are necessarily not hostile, as these clearly were)
The happy phrase that an Ambassador is an honest man sent abroad to lie for his country.–Westminster Gazette. (Happier when correctly quoted: sent to lie abroad for the good of)
15. Allusion
A writer who abounds in literary allusions necessarily appeals to a small audience, to those acquainted with about the same set of books as himself; they like his allusions, others dislike them. Writers should decide whether it is not wise to make their allusions explain themselves. In the first two instances quoted, though the reader who knows the original context has a slight additional pleasure, any one can see what the point is. In the last two, those who have not the honour of the wetnurse's and Rosamund's acquaintance feel that the author and the other readers with whom he is talking aside are guilty of bad manners.
The select academy, into whose sacred precincts the audacious Becky Sharp flung back her leaving present of the 'Dixonary', survives here and there, but with a different curriculum and a much higher standard of efficiency.–Times.
Why can't they stay quietly at home till they marry, instead of trying to earn their living by unfeminine occupations? So croaks Mrs. Partington, twirling her mop; but the tide comes on.–Times.
Sir,–Were it not for M. Kokovtsoff's tetchiness in the matter of metaphors, I should feel inclined to see in his protest against my estimates of the decline in the Russian gold reserve and of the increase of the note issue a variant of the classic excuse of Mrs. Easy's wetnurse for the unlawfulness of her baby.–Lucien Wolf.
Three superb glass jars—red, green, and blue—of the sort that led Rosamund to parting with her shoes—blazed in the broad plate-glass windows.–Kipling.
16. Incorrect Allusion
Every one who detects a writer pretending to more knowledge than he has jumps to the conclusion that the detected must know less than the detective, and cannot be worth his reading. Incorrect allusion of this kind is therefore fatal.
Homer would have seemed arrogantly superior to his audience if he had not called Hebe 'white-armed' or 'ox-eyed '.–Times. (He seldom mentions her, and calls her neither)
My access to fortune had not, so far, brought me either much joy or distinction,—but it was not too late for me yet to pluck the golden apples of Hesperides.—Corelli. (It is hardly possible for any one who knows what the Hesperides were to omit the)
My publisher, John Morgeson...was not like Shakespeare's Cassio strictly 'an honourable man'.–Corelli. (Cassio was an honourable man, but was never called so. Even Cassius has only his share in So are they all, all honourable men. Brutus, perhaps?)
A sturdy Benedict to propose a tax on bachelors.–Westminster Gazette. (Benedick. In spite of the Oxford Dictionary, the differentiation between the saint, Benedict, and the converted bachelor, Benedick, is surely not now to be given up)
But impound the car for a longer or shorter period according to the offence, and that, as the French say, 'will give them reason to think'.—Times. (The French do not say give reason to think; and if they did the phrase would hardly be worth treating as not English; they say give to think, which is often quoted because it is unlike English)
17. Dovetailed and Adapted Quotations and Phrases
The fitting into a sentence of refractory quotations, the making of facetious additions to them, and the constructing of Latin cases with English governing words, have often intolerably ponderous effects.
Though his denial of any steps in that direction may be true in his official capacity, there is probably some smoke in the fire of comment to which his personal relations with German statesmen have given rise.–Times. (The reversal of smoke and fire may be a slip of the pen or a joke; but the correction of it mends matters little)
It remains to be seen whether...the pied à terre which Germany hopes she has won by her preliminary action in the Morocco question will form the starting-point for further achievements or will merely
represent, like so many other German enterprises, the end of the beginning.–Times. (The reversal this time is clearly facetious)
But they had gone on adding misdeed to misdeed, they had blundered after blunder.–L. Courtney.
Germany has, it would appear, yet another card in her hand, a card of the kind which is useful to players when in doubt.–Times.
But the problem of inducing a refractory camel to squeeze himself through the eye of an inconvenient needle is and remains insoluble.–Times.
But these unsoldierlike recriminations among the Russian officers as well as their luxurious lives and their complete insouciance in the presence of their country's misfortunes, seems to have set back the hand on the dial of Japanese rapprochement.–Times.
Is there no spiritual purge to make the eye of the camel easier for a South-African millionaire?–Times.
And so it has come to pass that, not only where invalids do congregate, but in places hitherto reserved for the slimmer recreation of the tourist or the mountaineer there is a growing influx of winter pleasure-seekers.–Times.
Salmasius alone was not unworthy sublimi flagello.–Landor.
Even if a change were desirable with Kitchener duce et auspice.–Times.
Charged with carrying out the Military Member's orders, but having, pace Sir Edwin Collen, no authority of his own.–Times.
It is not in the interests of the Japanese to close the book of the war, until they have placed themselves in the position of beati possidentes.–Times. (Beati possidentes is a sentence, meaning Blessed are those who are in possession; to fit it into another sentence is most awkward)
Resignation became a virtue of necessity for Sweden in hopes that a better understanding might in time grow out of the new order of things.–Times. (In the original phrase, of necessity does not depend on virtue, but on make; and it is intolerable without the word that gives it its meaning)
Many of the celebrities who in that most frivolous of watering-places do congregate.–Baroness von Hutten.
If misbehaviour be not checked in an effectual manner before long, there is every prospect that the whips of the existing Motor Act will be transformed into the scorpions of the Motor Act of the future.–Times.
A special protest should be made against the practice of introducing a quotation in two or three instalments of a word or two, each with its separate suit of quotation marks. The only quotations that should be cut up are those that are familiar enough to need no quotation marks, so that the effect is not so jerky.
The 'pigmy body' seemed 'fretted to decay' by the 'fiery soul' within it.–J. R. Green. (The original is:—
A fiery soul which, working out its way,
Fretted the pygmy-body to decay.–Dryden.)
18. Trite Quotation
Quotation may be material or formal. With the first, the writer quotes to support himself by the authority (or to impugn the authority) of the person quoted; this does not concern us. With the second, he quotes to add some charm of striking expression or of association to his own writing. To the reader, those quotations are agreeable that neither strike him as hackneyed, nor rebuke his ignorance by their complete novelty, but rouse dormant memories. Quotation, then, should be adapted to the probable reader's cultivation. To deal in trite quotations and phrases therefore amounts to a confession that the writer either is uncultivated himself, or is addressing the uncultivated. All who would not make this confession are recommended to avoid (unless in some really new or perverted application—notum si callida verbum reddiderit junctura novum) such things as:
Chartered libertine; balm in Gilead; my prophetic soul; harmless necessary; e pur si muove; there's the rub; the curate's egg ; hinc illae lacrimae; fit audience though few; a consummation devoutly to be wished; more in sorrow than in anger; metal more attractive; heir of all the ages; curses not loud but deep; more sinned against than sinning; the irony of fate; the psychological moment; the man in the street; the sleep of the just; a work of supererogation; the pity of it; the scenes he loved so well; in her great sorrow; all that was mortal of—; few equals and no superior; leave severely alone; suffer a sea-change.
The plan partook of the nature of that of those ingenious islanders who lived entirely by taking in each other's washing.–E. F. Benson.
For he was but moderately given to 'the cups that cheer but not inebriate', and had already finished his tea.–Eliot.
Austria forbids children to smoke in public places; and in German schools and military colleges there are laws upon the subject; France, Spain, Greece, and Portugal leave the matter severely alone.–Westminster Gazette. (Severely is much worse than pointless here)
They carried compulsory subdivision and restriction of all kinds of
skilled labour down to a degree that would have been laughable enough, if it had only been less destructive.–Morley.
If Diderot had visited...Rome, even the mighty painter of the Last Judgment... would have found an interpreter worthy of him. But it was not to be.–Morely.
Mr. de Sélincourt has, of course, the defects of his qualities.–Times.
The beloved lustige Wien [Vienna, that is] of his youth had suffered a sea-change. The green glacis down which Sobieski drove the defeated besieging army of Kara Mustafa was blocked by ranges of grand new buildings.–Westminster Gazette.
19. Latin Abbreviations, &c.
No one should use these who is not sure that he will not expose his ignorance by making mistakes with them. Confusion is very common, for instance, between i.e. and e.g. Again, sic should never be used except when a reader might really suppose that there was a misprint or garbling; to insert it simply by way of drawing attention and conveying a sneer is a very heavy assumption of superiority. Vide is only in place when a book or dictionary article is being referred to.
Shaliapine, first bass at the same opera, has handed in his resignation in consequence of this affair, and also because of affairs in general, vide imprisonment of his great friend Gorki.–Times.
The industrialist organ is inclined to regret that the league did not fix some definite date such as the year 1910 (sic) or the year 1912, for the completion of this programnie.–Times. (This is the true use of sic; as the years mentioned are not consecutive, a reader might suppose that something was wrong; sic tells him that it is not so)
The Boersen Courier...maintains that 'nothing remains for M. Delcassé but to cry Pater peccavi to Germany and to retrieve as quickly as possible his diplomatic mistake (sic)'.–Times.
Let your principal stops be the full stop and comma, with a judicious use of the semicolon and of the other stops where they are absolutely necessary (i.e. you could not dispense with the note of interrogation in asking questions).–Bygott & Jones. (e. g. is wanted, not i.e.)
20. Unequal Yokefellows and Defective Double Harness
When a word admits of two constructions, to use both may not be positively incorrect, but is generally as ugly as to drive a horse and a mule in double harness.
They did not linger in the long scarlet colonnades of the temple itself, nor gazing at the dancing for which it is famous.–Sladen.
This undoubtedly caused prices to rise; but did it not also cause all Lancashire to work short time, many mills to close, and a great restriction in the purchases of all our customers for cotton goods?–Times.
...set herself quietly down to the care of her own household, and to assist Benjamin in the concerns of his trade.–Scott.
This correspondent says that not only did the French Government know that Germany recognized the privileges resulting for France from her position in Algeria, but also her general views on the work of reform which it would be the task of the conference to examine.–Times.
Teach them the 'character of God' through the 'Son's Life of Love', that conscience must not be outraged, not because they would be punished if they did, or because they would be handsomely rewarded if they didn't, but simply because they know a thing is right or wrong...–Daily Telegraph.
And any one who permits himself this incongruity is likely to be betrayed into actual blunders.
The popularity of the parlements was surely due to the detestation felt for the absolute Monarchy, and because they seemed to half-informed men to be the champions of...–Times. (Here because they seemed does not really fit the popularity...was, but parlements were popular)
A difference, this, which was not much considered where and when the end of the war was thought to be two or three years off, and that the last blow would be Russia's.–F. Greenwood. (The last clause does not fit the end of the war was thought, but it was thought)
Attila and his armies, he said, came and disappeared in a very mysterious manner, and that nothing could be said with positiveness about them.–Borrow.
Save him accordingly she did: but no sooner is he dismissed, and Faust has made a remark on the multitude of arrows which she is darting forth on all sides, than Lynceus returns.–Carlyle.
The short drives at the beginning of the course of instruction were intended gradually to accustom the novice to the speed, and of giving him in the pauses an opportunity to fix well in his mind the principles of the automobile.–Times.
The predecessors of Sir Antony MacDonnell...were, to use the words of the Prime Minister, 'the aiders, advisers, and suggesters of their official chiefs'.–Times. (Though a chief can have a suggester as well as an adviser, adviser is naturally followed by an objective genitive, but suggester can only be followed by a possessive genitive—except of the suggestion made)
My assiduities expose me rather to her scorn...than to the treatment due to a man.–Richardson.
One worthy gentleman, who is, perhaps, better known than popular in City restaurants, is never known to have lavished even the humblest copper coin on a waiter.–Titbits.
Its hands require strengthening and its resources increased.–Times.
Analogous, but always incorrect, though excusable in various degrees, is the equipping of pairs that should obviously be in double harness with conjunctions or prepositions that do not match—following neither by or, both by as well as, and the like.
Diderot presented a bouquet which was neither well or ill received.–Morley.
Like the Persian noble of old, I ask, 'that I may neither command or obey'.–Emerson.
She would hear nothing of a declaration of war, or give any judgment on...–J. R. Green.
It appears, then, that neither the mixed and incomplete empiricism considered in the third chapter, still less the pure empiricism considered in the second chapter, affords us...–Balfour.
Scarcely was the nice new drain finished than several of the children sickened with diphtheria.–Spectator.
Which differs from that and who in being used both as an adjective as well as a noun.–H. Sweet.
M. Shipoff in one and the same breath denounces innovations, yet bases the whole electoral system on the greatest innovation in Russian history.–Times.
It would be equally absurd to attend to all the other parts of an engine and to neglect the principal source of its energy—the firebox—as it is ridiculous to pay particular attention to the cleanliness of the body and to neglect the mouth and teeth.–Advertisement.
The conception of God in their minds was not that of a Father, but as a dealer out of rewards and punishments.–Daily Telegraph.
Dr. Dillon, than whom no Englishman has a profounder and more accurate acquaintance with the seamy side—as, indeed, of all aspects of Russian life—assumes...–Times.
Sir,—In view of the controversy which has arisen concerning the 12 in. Mark VIII guns in the Navy, and especially to the suggestion which might give rise to some doubt as to the efficiency of the wire system of construction...—Times.
We add three sentences, in the first of which double harness should not have been used because it is too cumbrous, in the ​second of which it is not correctly possible, and in the third of which the failure to use it is very slovenly.
The odd part of it is that this childish confusion does not only not take from our pleasure, but does not even take from our sense of the author's talent.–H. James. (far from diminishing our pleasure, does not...)
As to the duration of the Austro-Russian mandate, there seems little disposition here to treat the question in a hard-and-fast spirit, but rather to regard it as...–Times. (...spirit; it is rather regarded as...)
To the student of the history of religious opinions in England few contrasts are more striking when he compares the assurance and complacency with which men made profession of their beliefs at the beginning of the nineteenth century and the diffidence and hesitation with which the same are recited at the beginning of the twentieth.—Daily Telegraph. (more striking than that between the assurance...)
21. Common Parts
When two sentences coupled by a conjunction (whether coordinating or subordinating) have one or more parts in common, there are two ways of avoiding the full repetition of the common parts. (a) 'I see through your villany and I detest your villany' can become 'I see through and detest your villany'; 'I have at least tricd to bring about a reconciliation, though I may have failed to bring about a reconciliation' can become 'I have at least tried, though I may have failed, to bring about, &c.' (b) By substitution or ellipse, the sentences become 'I see through your villany, and detest it' and 'I have at least tried to bring about a reconciliation, though I may have failed to do so)'. Of these, the (a) form requires careful handling: a word that is not common to both sentences must not be treated as common; and one that is common, and whose position declares that it is meant to do double duty, must not be repeated. Violations of these rules are always more or less unsightly, and are excusable only when the precise (a) form is intolerably stiff and the (b) form not available. In our examples below, the words placed in brackets are the two variants, each of which, when the other is omitted, should, with the common or unbracketed parts, ​form a complete sentence; the conjunctions being of course ignored for this purpose.
What other power (could) or (ever has) produced such changes?–Daily Telegraph.
Things temporal (had) and (would) alter.–Daily Telegraph.
(It had), as (all houses should), been in tune with the pleasant, mediocre charm of the island.–E. F. Benson.
This type will almost always admit of the emphatic repetition of the verb: 'could produce or ever has produced'.
Those of us who still believe in Greek as (one of the finest), if not (the finest) instruments...–Times.
(One of the noblest), if not (the noblest), feelings an Englishman could possess.—Daily Telegraph.
Use (b): 'One of the finest instruments, if not the finest'.
The games were looked upon as being (quite as important) or (perhaps more important) than drill.–Times.
The railway has done (all) and (more) than was expected of it.–Spectator.
Use (b): 'as important as drill, if not more so'; 'all that was expected of it, and more'.
All words that precede the first of two correlatives, such as 'not...but', 'both...and', 'neither...nor', are declared by their position to be common; we bracket accordingly in the next examples:
The pamphlet forms (not only a valuable addition to our works on scientific subjects), but (is also of deep interest to German readers).–Times. (not only forms..., but is...)
Forty-five per cent of the old Rossallians...received (either decorations) (or were mentioned in despatches).–Daily Telegraph. (Either received...or were)
The Senate, however, has (either passed) (or will pass) amendments to every clause.—Spectator. (either has passed or will pass)
Cloth of gold (neither seems to elate) (nor cloth of frieze to depress) him.–Lamb.
A curious extension, not to be mended in the active; for neither cannot well precede the first of two subjects when they have different verbs.
​On the other hand, words placed between the two correlatives are declared by their position not to be common:
Which neither (suits one purpose) (nor the other).—Times. (suits neither...nor)
Not only (against my judgment), (but my inclination).–Richardson.
Not only in the matter of malaria), (but also beriberi).–Times. (In the matter not of malaria only, but of...)
22. The Wrong Turning
It is not very uncommon, on regaining the high road after a divergent clause or phrase, to get confused between the two, and continue quite wrongly the subordinate construction instead of that actually required.
I feel, however, that there never was a time when the people of this country were more ready to believe than they are today, and would openly believe if Christianity, with 'doctrine' subordinated, were presented to them in the most convincing of all forms, viz....—Daily Telegraph. (Would believe is made parallel to they are today; it is really parallel to there never was a time; and we should read and that they would openly believe)
In the face of this statement either proofs should be adduced to show that Coroner Troutbeck has stated facts 'soberly judged', and that they contain 'warrant for the accusation of wholesale' ignorance on the part of a trusted and eminently useful class of the community, or failing this, that the offensive and unjust charge should be withdrawn.–Times. (The charge should be withdrawn is made parallel to Coroner Troutbeck has stated and they contain; it is really parallel to proofs should be adduced; and we should omit that, and read or failing this, the offensive...)
We cannot part from Prof. Bury's work without expressing our unfeigned admiration for his complete control of the original authorities on which his narrative is based, and of the sound critical judgment he exhibits...–Spectator. (The judgment is admired, not controlled)
Sometimes the confusion is not merely of the pen, but is in the writer's thought; and it is then almost incurable.
...the privilege by which the mind, like the lamps of a mailcoach, moving rapidly through the midnight woods, illuminate, for one instant, the foliage or sleeping umbrage of the thickets, and, in the next instant, have quitted them, to carry their radiance forward upon endless successions of objects.–De Quincey.
23. Ellipse in Subordinate Clauses
The missing subject and (with one exception) the missing verb of a subordinate clause can be supplied only from the sentence to which it is subordinate. The exception is the verb 'to be'. We can say 'The balls, when wet, do not bounce', 'When in doubt, play trumps', because the verb to be supplied is are, and the subject is that of the principal sentence. Other violations of the rule occur, but are scarcely tolerable even in the spoken language. The following are undesirable instances:
For, though summer, I knew...Mr. Rochester would like to see a cheerful hearth.–C. Brontë.
We can supply was, but not it; the natural subject is I.
I have now seen him, and though not for long, he is a man who speaks with Bismarckian frankness.–Times.
'Though I did not see him for long', we are meant to understand. But the though clause is not subordinate to the sentence containing that subject and verb: and always joins coordinates and announces the transition from one coordinate to another. Consequently, the though clause must be a part (a subordinate part) of the second coordinate, and must draw from that its subject and verb: 'though he is not a man of Bismarckian frankness for long,...'. Even if we could supply I saw with the clause in its present place, we should still have the absurd implication that the man's habitual frankness (not the writer's perception of it) depended on the duration of the interview. We offer three conjectural emendations: 'I have now seen him, though not for long; and he is a man who...'; 'I have now seen him, and though I did not see him for long, I perceived that he was a man who...'; 'I have now seen him, and though I did not see him for long, I found out what he thought; for he is a man who...'.
24. Some Illegitimate Infinitives
Claim is not followed by an infinitive except when the subject of claim is also that of the infinitive. Thus, I claim to ​be honest, but not I claim this to be honest. The Oxford Dictionary (1893) does not mention the latter use even to condemn it, but it is now becoming very common, and calls for strong protest. The corresponding passive use is equally wrong. The same applies to pretend.
'This entirely new experiment' which you claim to have 'solved the problem of combining...'–Times.
Usage, therefore, is not, as it is often claimed to be, the absolute law of language.–R. G. White.
The gun which made its first public appearance on Saturday is claimed to be the most serviceable weapon of its kind in use in any army.–Times.
The constant failure to live up to what we claim to be our most serious convictions proves that we do not hold them at all.–Daily Telegraph.
The anonymous and masked delators whose creation the Opposition pretends to be an abuse of power on the part of M. Combes.—Times.
Possible and probable are not to be completed by an infinitive. For are possible to read can; and for probable read likely.
But no such questions are possible, as it seems to me, to arise between your nation and ours.–Choate.
Should Germany meditate anything of the kind it would look uncommonly like a deliberate provocation of France, and for that reason it seems scarcely probable to be borne out by events.–Times.
Prefer has two constructions: I prefer this (living) to that (dying), and I prefer to do this rather than that. The infinitive construction must not be used without rather (unless, of course, the second alternative is suppressed altogether).
Other things being equal, I should prefer to marry a rich man than a poor one.–E. F. Benson.
The following infinitives are perhaps by false analogy from those that might follow forbade, seen, ask. It may be noticed generally that slovenly and hurried writers find the infinitive a great resource.
Marshal Oyama strictly prohibited his troops to take quarter within the walls.–Times.
The Chinese held a chou-chou, during which the devil was exorcised and duly witnessed by several believers to take his fight in divers guises.–Times.
Third, they might demand from Germany, all flushed as she was with military pride, to tell us plainly whether...–Morley.
25. 'Split' Infinitives
The 'split' infinitive has taken such hold upon the consciences of journalists that, instead of warning the novice against splitting his infinitives, we must warn him against the curious superstition that the splitting or not splitting makes the difference between a good and a bad writer. The split infinitive is an ugly thing, as will be seen from our examples below; but it is one among several hundred ugly things, and the novice should not allow it to occupy his mind exclusively. Even that mysterious quality, 'distinction' of style, may in modest measure be attained by a splitter of infinitives: 'The book is written with a distinction (save in the matter of split infinitives) unusual in such works.'—Times.
The time has come to once again voice the general discontent.–Times.
It should be authorized to immediately put in hand such work.–Times.
Important negotiations are even now proceeding to further cement trade relations.—Times.
We were not as yet strong enough in numbers to seriously influence the poll.–Times.
Keep competition with you unless you wish to once more see a similar state of things to those prevalent prior to the inauguration...–Guernsey Evening Press.
And that she should force me, by the magic of her pen to mentally acknowledge, albeit with wrath and shame, my own inferiority.–Corelli.
The oil lamp my landlady was good enough to still allow me the use of.–Corelli.
The 'persistent agitation'...is to so arouse public opinion on the subject as to...–Times.
In order to slightly extend that duration in the case of a few.–Times.
To thus prevent a constant accretion to the Jewish population of Russia from this country would be nobler work...–Times.
26. Compound Passives
Corresponding to the active construction '...have attempted to justify this step', we get two passive constructions: (1) 'This step has been attempted to be justified', (2) 'It has been attempted to justify this step'. Of these (1), although licensed by usage, is an incorrect and slovenly makeshift: ​'this step' is not the object of 'have attempted', and cannot be the subject of the corresponding passive. The true object of 'have attempted' is the whole phrase 'to justify this step', which in (2) rightly appears as the subject, in apposition to an introductory 'it'.—In point of clumsiness, there is perhaps not much to choose between the two passive constructions, neither of which should be used when it can be avoided. When the subject of the active verb 'have attempted' is definite, and can conveniently be stated, the active form should always be retained; to write 'it had been attempted by the founders of the study to supply' instead of 'the founders had attempted to supply' is mere perversity. When, as in some of our examples below, the subject of the active verb 'have attempted' is indefinite, the passive turn is sometimes difficult to avoid; but unless the object of 'justify' is a relative, and therefore necessarily placed at the beginning, 'an attempt has been made' can often be substituted for 'it has been attempted', and is less stiff and ugly.
The cutting down of 'saying lessons', by which it had been attempted by the founders of the study to supply the place of speech in the learning of Greek.–Times.
But when it was attempted to give practical effect to the popular exasperation, serious obstacles arose.–Times. (When an attempt was made to...)
He and his friends would make the government of Ireland a sheer impossibility, and it would be the duty of the Irish party to make it so if it was attempted to be run on the lines of...–Times. (if an attempt was made to run it on the...)
It is not however attempted to be denied.–Hazlitt. (No one attempts to deny)
As to the audience, we imagine that a large part of it, certainly all that part of it whose sympathies it was desired to enlist,...–Times. (whose sympathies were to be enlisted)
He will see the alterations that were proposed to be made, but rejected.–Times. (proposed, but rejected)
The argument by which this difficulty is sought to be evaded.–Balfour.
This and the following instances are not easily mended, ​unless we may supply the subject of 'seek', &c. ('some writers').
The arguments by which the abolition was attempted to be supported were founded on the rights of man.–Times.
Some mystery in regard to her birth, which, she was well informed, was assiduously, though vainly, endeavoured to be discovered.–Fanny Burney.
The close darkness of the shut-up house (forgotten to be opened, though it was long since day) yielded to the unexpected glare.—Dickens.
Those whose hours of employment are proposed to be limited.–Times.
The insignificant duties proposed to be placed on food.–Times.
The anti-liberal principles which it was long ago attempted to embody in the Holy Alliance.–Times.
Considerable support was managed to be raised for Waldemar.–Carlyle.
We may notice here a curious blunder that is sometimes made with the reflexive verb 'I avail myself of'. The passive of this is never used, because there is no occasion for it: 'I was availed of this by myself' would mean exactly the same as the active, and would be intolerably clumsy. The impossible passives quoted below imply that it and staff would be the direct objects of the active verb.
Watt and Fulton bethought themselves that, where was power was not devil, but was God; that it must be availed of, and not by any means let off and wasted.–Emerson.
Used or employed, and so in the next :
No salvage appliances or staff could have been availed of in time to save the lives of the men.–Times.
27. Confusion with Negatives
This is extraordinarily common. The instances are arranged in order of obviousness.
Yezd is not only the refuge of the most ancient of Persian religions, but it is one of the headquarters of the modern Babi propaganda, the far-reaching effects of which it is probably difficult to underestimate.–Spectator.
Not a whit undeterred by the disaster which overtook them at Cavendish-square last week...the suffragettes again made themselves prominent.–Daily Mail.
So far as medicine is concerned, I am not sure that physiology, such as it was down to the time of Harvey, might as well not have existed.–Huxley.
The generality of his countrymen are far more careful not to transgress the customs of what they call gentility, than to violate the laws of honour or morality.–Borrow.
France and Russia are allies, as are England and Japan. Is it impossible to imagine that, in consequence of the growing friendship between the two great peoples on both sides of the Channel, an agreement might not one day be realized between the four Powers?–Times.
I do not of course deny that in this, as in all moral principles, there may not be found, here and there, exceptional cases which may amuse a casuist.–L. Stephen.
In view of the doubts among professed theologians regarding the genuineness and authenticity of the Gospels in whole or in part, he is unable to say how much of the portraiture of Christ may not be due to the idealization of His life and character.–Daily Telegraph.
Is it quite inconceivable that if the smitten had always turned the other cheek the smiters would not long since have become so ashamed that their practice would have ceased?–Daily Telegraph.
I do not think it is possible that the traditions and doctrines of these two institutions should not fail to create rival, and perhaps warring, schools.–Times.
Any man—runs this terrible statute—denying the doctrine of the Trinity or of the Divinity of Christ, or that the books of Scripture are not the 'Word of God', or..., 'shall suffer the pain of death'.–J. R. Green.
But it would not be at all surprising if, by attempting too much, and, it must be added, by indulging too much in a style the strained preciosity of which occasionally verges on rant and even hysteria, Mr. Sichel has not to some extent defeated his own object.–Spectator.
No one scarcely really believes.–Daily Telegraph.
Let them agree to differ; for who knows but what agreeing to differ may not be a form of agreement rather than a form of difference?–Stevenson.
Lastly, how can Mr. Balfour tell but that two years hence he may not be too tired of official life to begin any new conflict?–F. Greenwood.
What sort of impression would it be likely to make upon the Boers? They could hardly fail to regard it as anything but an expression of want of confidence in our whole South-African policy.–Times.
My friend Mr. Bounderby could never see any difference between leaving the Coketown 'hands' exactly as they were and requiring them to be fed with turtle soup and venison out of gold spoons.–Dickens.
But it is one thing to establish these conditions [the Chinese Ordinance], and another to remove them suddenly.–Westminster Gazette.
What economy of life and money would not have been spared the empire of the Tsars had it not rendered war certain.–Times. (It is the empire. The instance is not quoted for not, though that too is wrong, but for the confusion between loss and economy)
The question of 'raids' is one which necessarily comes home to every human being living within at least thirty miles of our enormously long coast line.—Lonsdale Hale. (An odd puzzle. Within thirty means less than thirty; at least thirty means not less than thirty. The meaning is clear enough, however, and perhaps the expression is defensible; but it would have been better to say: within a strip at least thirty miles broad along our enormous coast line)
The fact that a negative idea can often be either included in a word or kept separate from it leads to a special form of confusion, the construction proper to the resolved form being used with the compound and vice versa.
My feelings, Sir, are moderately unspeakable, and that is a fact.–American. (not moderately speakable: moderately belongs only to half of unspeakable)
...who did not aim, like the Presbyterians, at a change in Church government, but rejected the notion of a national Church at all.–J. R. Green. (Reject is equivalent to will not have. I reject altogether: I will not have at all)
And your correspondent does not seem to know, or not to realize, the conditions of the problem.–Times. (Seems, not does not seem, has to be supplied in the second clause)
I confess myself altogether unable to formulate such a principle, much less to prove it.–Balfour. (Less does not suit unable, but able; but the usage of much less and much more is hopelessly chaotic)
War between these two great nations would be an inexplicable impossibility.–Choate. (Inexplicable does not qualify the whole of impossibility; to make sense we must divide impossibility into impossible event, and take inexplicable only with event)
And the cry has this justification,—that no age can see itself in a proper perspective, and is therefore incapable of giving its virtues and vices their relative places.—Spectator. (No age is equivalent to not any age, and out of this we have to take any age as subject to the last sentence; this is common, but untidy and blameworthy device)
28. Omission of 'as'
This is very common, but quite contrary to good modern usage, after the verb regard, and others like it. In the first three instances the motive of the omission is obvious, but does not justify it; all that was necessary was to choose another verb, as consider, that does not require as. In the later instances the omission is gratuitous.
I regard it as important as anything.
Lord Bombie had run away with Lady Bombie 'in her sark'. This I could not help regarding both a most improper as well as a most uncomfortable proceeding.–Crockett.
So vital is this suggestion regarded.
Rare early editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems—editions which had long been regarded among the national heirloomş.–S. Lee.
The latter may now be expected to regard himself absolved from such obligation as he previously felt.–Times.
A memoir which was justly regarded of so much merit and importance that...–Huxley.
...what inight be classed a 'horizontal' European triplice.–Times.
You would look upon yourself amply revenged if you knew what they have cost me.–Richardson.
He also alluded to the bayonet, and observed that its main use was no longer a defence against cavalry, but it was for the final charge.–Times.
...I was rewarded with such a conception of the God-like majesty and infinite divinity which everywhere loomed up behind and shone through the humanity of the Son of Man that no false teaching or any power on earth or in hell itself will ever shake my firm faith in the combined divinity and humanity in the person of the Son of God, and as sure am I that I eat and drink and live to-day, so certain am I that this mysterious Divine Redeemer is in living...—Daily Telegraph.
The last example is of a different kind. Read as sure as I am for as sure am I as the least possible correction. Unpractised writers should beware of correlative clauses except in their very simplest forms.
29. Other Liberties taken with 'as'
As must not be expected to do by itself the work of such as.
There were not two dragon sentries keeping ward before the gate of this abode, as in magic legend are usually found on duty over the wronged innocence imprisoned.–Dickens.
The specialist is naturally best for his particular job; but if the particular specialist required is not on the spot, as must often be the case, the best substitute for him is not another specialist but the man trained to act for himself in all circumstances, as it has been the glory of our nation to produce both in the Army and elsewhere.–Times.
We question if throughout the French Revolution there was a single case of six or seven thousand insurgents blasted away by cannon shot, as is believed to have happened in Odessa.–Spectator. (This is much more defensible than the previous two; but when a definite noun—as here case—can be naturally supplied for the verb introduced by as, such as is better).
The decision of the French Government to send a special mission to represent France at the marriage of the German Crown Prince is not intended as anything more than a mere act of international courtesy, as is customary on such occasions.—Times.
Neither as nor such as should be made to do the work of the relative pronoun where there would be no awkwardness in using the pronoun itself.
With a speed of eight knots, as [which] has been found practicable in the case of the Suez Canal, the passage would occupy five days.–Times.
The West Indian atmosphere is not of the limpid brightness and transparent purity such as [that] are found in the sketch entitled 'A Street in Kingston'.–Times.
The ideal statues and groups in this room and the next are scarcely so interesting as we have sometimes seen.–Times. (As is clearly here a relative adverb, answering to so; nevertheless the construction can be theoretically justified, the full form being as we have sometimes seen groups interesting. But it is very ugly; why not say instead as some that we have seen?)
The idiom as who should say must not be used unless the sentence to which it is appended has for subject a person to whom the person implied in who is compared. This seems reasonable, and is borne out, for instance, by all the Shakespeare instances—a dozen—that we have looked at. The type is: The cloudy messenger turns me his back, and hums, as who should say:—&c.
​To think of the campaign without the scene is as who should read a play by candle-light among the ghosts of an empty theatre.–Morley.
30. Brachylogy
1. Omission of a dependent noun in the second of two parallel series: 'The brim of my hat is wider than yours'. For this there is some justification: an ugly string of words is avoided, and the missing word is easily supplied from the first series; it has usually the effect, however, of attaching a preposition to the wrong noun:
I should be proud to lay an obligation upon my charmer to the amount of half, may, to the whole of my estate.–Richardson.
There is as much of the pure gospel in their teachings as in any other community of Christians in our land.
There cannot be the same reason for a prohibition of correspondence with me, as there was of mine with Mr. Lovelace.–Richardson.
Here the right preposition is retained.
A man holding such a responsible position as Minister of the United States.–D. SLADEN.
2. A preposition is sometimes left out, quite unwarrantably, from a mistaken idea of euphony:
Without troubling myself as to what such self-absorption might lead in the future.–Corelli. (lead to)
He chose to fancy that she was not suspicious of what all his acquaintance were perfectly aware—namely, that...—Thackeray. (aware of)
3. Impossible compromises between two possible alternatives.
To be a Christian means to us one who has been regenerated.–Daily Telegraph. ('A Christian means one who has': 'to be a Christian means to have been')
To do what as far as human possibility has proved out of his power.–Daily Telegraph. ('As a matter of human possibility': 'as far as human possibility goes')
One compromise of this kind has come to be generally recognized:
So far from being annoyed, he agreed at once. ('So far was he from being annoyed that...': 'far from being annoyed, he agreed')
31. Between two Stools
The commonest form of indecision is that between statement and question. But the examples of this are followed by a few miscellaneous ones.
May I ask that if care should be taken of remains of buildings a thousand years old, ought not care to be taken of ancient British earth-works several thousand years old?–Times.
Can I not make you understand that you are ruining yourself and me, and that if you don't get reconciled to your father what is to become of you?–S. Ferrier.
We will only say that if it was undesirable for a private member to induce the Commons to pass a vote against Colonial Preference, why was it not undesirable for a private member...–Spectator.
Surely, then, if I am not claiming too much for our efforts at that time to maintain the Union, am I exaggerating our present ability to render him effectual aid in the contest that will be fought at the next election if I say that prudence alone should dictate to him the necessity for doing everything in his power to revive the spirit which the policy of Sir Antony MacDonnell, Lord Dudley, and Mr. Wyndham has done so much to weaken?—Times.
I then further observed that China having observed the laws of neutrality, how could he believe in the possibility of an alliance with Russia?–Times.
The next two use both the relative and the participle construction, instead of choosing between them.
Thus it befell that our high and low labour vote, which (if one might say so in the hearing of M. Jaurès and Herr Bebel) being vertical rather than horizontal, and quite unhindered in the United States, of course by an overwhelming majority elected President Roosevelt.—Times.
He replied to Mr. Chamberlain's Limehouse speech, the only part of which that he could endorse being, he said, the suggestion that the electorate should go to the root of the question at the next general election.–Times.
Who, in Europe, at least, would forego the delights of kissing,—(which the Japanese by-the-by consider a disgusting habit),—without embraces,—and all those other endearments which are supposed to dignify the progress of true love!–Corelli.
Poor, bamboozled, patient public!—no wonder it is beginning to think that a halfpenny spent on a newspaper which is purchased to be thrown away, enough and more than enough.–Corelli.
But hurriedly dismissing whatever shadow of earnestness, or faint
confession of a purpose, laudable or wicked, that her face, or voice, or manner, had, for the moment betrayed, she lounged...–Dickens.
At the Épée Team Competition for Dr. Savage's Challenge Cup, held on the 25th and 27th February last, was won by the Inns of Court team, consisting of...–14th Middlesex Battalion Orders.
32. The Impersonal 'one'
This should never be mixed up with other pronouns. Its possessive is one's, not his, and one should be repeated, if necessary, not be replaced by him, &c. Those who doubt their ability to handle it skilfully under these restrictions should only use it here no repetition or substitute is needed. The older experimental usage, which has now been practically decided against, is shown in the Lowell examples.
That inequality and incongruousness in his writing which makes one revise his judgment at every tenth page.–Lowell.
As one grows older, one loses many idols, perhaps comes at last to have none at all, although he may honestly enough uncover in deference to the worshippers at any shrine.–Lowell.
There are many passages which one is rather inclined to like than sure he would be right in liking.–Lowell.
He is a man who speaks with Bismarckian frankness, and who directly impresses one with the impression that you are speaking to a man and not to an incarnate bluebook.–Times.
The merit of the book, and it is not a small one, is that it discusses every problem with fairness, with no perilous hankering after originality, and with a disposition to avail oneself of what has been done by his predecessors.–Times.
If one has an opinion on any subject, it is of little use to read books or papers which tell you what you know already.–Times.
...are all creations which make one laugh inwardly as we read.–Hutton.
One's, on the other hand, is not the right possessive for the generic man; man's or his is required according to circumstances; his in the following example:
There is a natural desire in the mind of man to sit for one's picture.–Hazlitt.
33. Between...or
This is a confusion between two ways of giving alternatives—between...and, and either...or. It is always wrong.
The choice Russia has is between payment for damages in money or in kind.–Times.
Forced to choose between the sacrifice of important interests on the one hand or the expansion of the Estimates on the other.–Times.
We have in that substance the link between organic or inorganic matter which abolishes the distinction between living and dead matter.–Westminster Gazette. (Observe the 'elegant variation')
The question lies between a God and a creed, or a God in such an abstract sense that does not signify.–Daily Telegraph.
The author of the last has been perplexed by the and in one of his alternatives. He should have used on the one hand, &c.
34. 'A' placed between the Adjective and its Noun
This is ugly when not necessary. Types of phrase in which it is necessary are: Many a youth; What a lie! How dreadful a fate! So lame an excuse. But there is no difficulty in placing a before ordinary qualifications of the adjective like quite, more, much less. In the following, read quite a sufficient, a more valuable, a more glorious, a more serviceable, no different position, a greater or less degree.
...adding that there was no suggestion of another raid against the Japanese flank, which was quite sufficient an indication of coming events for those capable of reading between the lines.–Times.
Can any one choose more glorious an exit than to die fighting for one's own country?–Times.
Of sympathy, of...Mr. Baring has a full measure, which, in his case, is more valuable an asset than familiarity with military textbooks.–Times.
No great additional expenditure is required in order to make Oxford more serviceable a part of our educational system.–Westminster Gazette.
And young undergraduates are in this respect in no different a position from that of any other Civil Servant.–Westminster Gazette.
The thousand and one adjuncts to devotion finding place in more or less a degree in all churches, are all...–Daily Telegraph.
The odd arrangement in the following will not do; we should have a either before so or before degree.
But what I do venture to protest against is the sacrificing of the ​interests of the country districts in so ridiculously an unfair degree to those of a small borough.–Times.
35. DO as Substitute Verb
Do cannot represent (1) be, (2) an active verb supplied from a passive, (3) an active verb in a compound tense, gerund, or infinitive; You made the very mistake that I did, but have made, was afraid of making, expected to make, shall (make).
It...ought to have been satisfying to the young man. And so, in a manner of speaking, it did.–Crockett.
It may justly be said, as Mr. Paul does, that...–Westminster Gazette.
To inflict upon themselves a disability which one they will find the mistake and folly of doing.–Westminster Gazette.
We can of course say He lost his train, which I had warned him not to do; because lose is then represented not by do, but by which (thing).
36. Fresh Starts
The trick of taking breath in the middle of a sentence by means of a resumptive that or the like should be avoided; especially when it is a confession rather of the writer's short-windedness than of the unwieldy length of his sentence.
It does not follow (as I pointed out by implication above) that if, according to the account of their origin given by the system, those fundamental beliefs are true, that therefore they are true.–Balfour.
Sir—Might I suggest that while this interesting question is being discussed that the hymn 'Rock of Ages' be sung in every church and chapel...?–Daily Telegraph.
A very short-winded correspondent.
It seems to be a fair deduction that when the Japanese gained their flank position immediately West of Mukden, and when, further, they took no immediate advantage of the fact, but, on the contrary, began to hold the villages in the plain as defensive positions, that a much more ambitious plan was in operation.—Times.
If the writer means what he says, and the grounds of the deduction are not included in the sentence, reconstruction is not obvious, and that is perhaps wanted to pick up the thread; but if, as may be suspected, the when clauses contain the grounds of the deduction, we may reconstruct as ​follows: 'When the Japanese..., and when..., it was natural to infer that...'.
37. Vulgrisms and Colloquialisms
Like for as:
Sins that were degrading me, like they have many others.–Daily Telegraph.
They should not make a mad, reckless, frontal attack like General Buller made at the battle of Colenso.–Daily Telegraph.
Coming to God the loving Father for pardon, like the poor prodigal did.—Daily Telegraph.
There is no moral force in existence...which enlarges our outlook like suffering does.–Daily Telegraph.
What ever...? is a colloquialism; whatever...? a vulgarism:
Whatever reason have we to suppose, as the vast majority of professing Christians appear to do, that the public worship of Almighty God...?–Daily Telegraph.
Whatever is the good in wrangling about bones when one is hungry and has nutritious food at hand?–Daily Telegraph.
'Those sort':
I know many of those sort of girls whom you call conjurors.–Trollope.
Those sort of writers would merely take it as a first-class advertisement.–Corelli.
38. Tautology
Lord Rosebery has not budged from his position—splendid, no doubt—of (lonely) isolation.–Times.
Counsel admitted that that was a grave suggestion to make, but he submitted that it was borne out by the (surrounding) circumstances.—Times.
One can feel first the characteristics which men hare in common and only afterward those which distinguish thein (apart) from one another.–Times.
A final friendly agreement with Japan, which would be very welcome to Russia, is only possible if Japan (again) regains her liberty of action.–Times.
Miss Tox was (often) in the habit of assuring Mrs. Chick that...–Dickens.
He had come up one morning, as was now (frequently) his wont.–Trollope.
The counsellors of the Sultan (continue to) remain sceptical.–Times.
The Peresviet lost both her fighting-tops and (in appearance) looked the most damaged of all the ships.—Times.
They would, however, strengthen their position if they returned the (temporary) loan of Sir A. MacDonnell to his owners with thanks.–Times.
The score was taken to 136 when Mr. MacLaren, who had (evidently) seemed bent on hitting Mr. Armstrong off, was bowled.–Times.
...cannot prevent the diplomacy of the two countries from lending each other (mutual) support.–Times.
However, I judged that they would soon (mutually) find each other out.–Crockett.
Notwithstanding which, (however,) poor Polly embraced them all round.–Dickens.
If any real remedy is to be found, we must first diagnose the true nature of the disease; (but) that, however, is not hard.–Times.
M. Delcassé contemplated an identical answer for France, Great Britain, and Spain, refusing, of course, the proposed conference, but his colleagues of the Cabinet were (, however,) opposed to identical replies.–Times.
The strong currents frequently shifted the mines, to the equal danger (both) of friend and foe.–Times.
And persecution on the part of the Bishops and the Presbyterians, to (both of) whom their opinions were equally hateful, drove flocks of refugees over sea.–J. R. Green.
But to the ordinary English Protestant (both) Latitudinarian and High Churchmen were equally hateful.–J. R. Green.
Seriously, (and apart from jesting,) this is no light matter.–Bagehot.
To go back to your own country...with (the consciousness that you go back with) the sense of duty done.–Lord Halsbury.
No doubt my efforts were clumsy enough, but Togo had a capacity for taking pains, by which (said) quality genius is apt to triumph over early obstacles.–Times.
...as having created a (joint) partnership between the two Powers in the Morocco question.–Times.
Sir—As a working man it appears to me that to the question 'Do we believe?' the only sensible position (there seems to be) is to frankly acknowledge our ignorance of what lies beyond.—Daily Telegraph.
39. Redundancies
Dr. Redmond told his constituents that by reducing the National vote in the House of Commons they would not thereby get rid of obstruction.–Times.
It is not a thousand years ago since municipalities in Scotland were by no means free from the suspicion of corruption.–Lord Rosebery.
Some substance equally as yielding.–Daily Mail.
Had another expedition reached the Solomon Islands, who knows but that the Spaniards might not have gone on to colonize Australia and so turned the current of history?–Spectator.
As one being able to give full consent...I am yours faithfully...–Daily Telegraph.
But to where shall I look for some small ray of light that will illumine the darkness surrounding the mystery of my being?–Daily Telegraph.
It is quite possible that if they do that it may be possible to amend it in certain particulars.–Westminster Gazette.
Men and women who professed to call themselves Christians.–Daily Telegraph. (An echo, no doubt, of 'profess and call themselves Christians')
The correspondence that you have published abundantly throws out into bold relief the false position assumed...–Daily Telegraph.
In the course of the day, yesterday, M. Rouvier was able to assure M. Delcassé...–Times.
Moreover, too, do we not all feel...?–J. C. Collins.
The doing nothing for a length of days after the first shock he sustained was the reason of how it came that Nesta knitted closer her acquaintance...–Meredith.
When the public adopt new inventions wholesale,...some obligation is due to lessen, so far as is possible, the hardships in which...–Westminster Gazette.
40. 'As to whether'
This is a form that is seldom necessary, and should be reserved for sentences in which it is really difficult to find a substitute. Abstract nouns that cannot be followed immediately by whether should if possible be replaced by the corresponding verbs. Many writers seem to delight in this hideous combination, and employ it not only with abstracts that can be followed by whether, but even with verbs.
The Court declined to express any opinion as to whether the Russian Ambassador was justified in giving the assurances in question and as to whether the offences with which the accused were charged were punishable by German law.–Times. (Perhaps 'declined to say whether in their opinion'; but this is less easily mended than most)
The difficulties of this task were so great that I was in doubt as to whether it was possible.–Times.
His whole interest is concentrated on the question as to how his mission will affect his own fortunes.–Times.
A final decision has not yet been arrived at as to whether or not the
proceedings shall be public.–Times. (It has not yet been finally decided whether)
You raise the question as to whether Admiral Rozhdestvensky will not return.–Times.
I have much pleasure in informing Rear Admiral Mather Byles as to where he could inspect a rifle of the type referred to.
The interesting question which such experiments tend to suggest is as to how far science may...–Outlook.
When we come to consider the question as to whether, upon the dissolution of the body, the spirit flies to some far-distant celestial realm...–Daily Telegraph.
He never told us to judge by the lives of professing Christians as to whether Christianity is true.–Daily Telegraph.
M. Delcassé did not allude to the debated question as to whether any official communication...was made by the French Government to Germany. It is also pointed out that he did not let fall the slightest intimation as to whether the French Government expected...–Times.
41. Superfluous 'but' and 'Though'
Where there is a natural opposition between two sentences, adversative conjunctions may yet be made impossible by something in one of the sentences that does the work unaided. Thus if in vain, only, and reserves and sole, had not been used in the following sentences, but and though would have been right; as it is, they are wrong.
(The author dreams that he is a horse being ridden) In vain did I rear and kick, attempting to get rid of my foe; but the surgeon remained as saddle-fast as ever.–Borrow.
But the substance of the story is probably true, though Voltaire has only made a slip in a name.–Morley.
Germany, it appears, reserves for herself the sole privilege of creating triple alliances and 'purely defensive' combinations of that character, but when the interests of other Powers bring them together their action is reprobated as aggressive and menacing.–Times.
Such mistakes probably result from altering the plan of a sentence in writing; and the cure is simply to read over every sentence after it is written.
42. 'If and when'
This formula has enjoyed more popularity than it deserves; either 'when' or 'if' by itself would almost always give the ​meaning. Even where 'if' seems required to qualify 'when' (which by itself might be taken to exclude the possibility of the event's never happening at all), 'if' and 'when' are clearly not coordinate, though both are subordinate to the main sentence: 'if and when he comes, I will write' means 'if he comes, I will write when he comes', or 'when he comes (if he comes at all), I will write', and the 'if' clause, whether parenthetic or not, is subordinate to the whole sentence 'I will write when he comes'. Our Gladstone instance below differs from the rest: 'when' with a past tense, unqualified by 'if', would make an admission that the writer does not choose to make; on the other hand, the time reference given by 'when' is essential; 'on the occasion on which it was done (if it really was done) it was done judicially'. The faulty coordination may be overlooked where there is real occasion for its use; but many writers seem to have persuaded themselves that neither 'if' nor 'when' is any longer capable of facing its responsibilities without the other word to keep it in countenance.
No doubt it will accept the experimental proof here alleged, if and when it is repeated under conditions...–Times.
The latter will include twelve army corps, six rifle brigades, and nine divisions or brigades of mounted troops, units which, if and when complete, will more than provide...–Times.
Unless and until we pound hardest we shall never beat the Boers.–Spectator.
It is only if, and when, our respective possessions become conterminous with those of great military states on land that we each...–Times.
If and when it was done, it was done so to speak judicially.–Gladstone.
No prudent seaman would undertake an invasion unless or until he had first disposed of the force preparing...to impeach him.–Times.
Its leaders decline to take office unless and until the 90 or 100 German words of command used...are replaced...–Times.
If and when employment is abundant...–Westminster Gazette.
It means nothing less, if Mr. Chamberlain has his way, than the final committal of one of the two great parties to a return to Protection, if and when it has the opportunity.–Westminster Gazette.
It is clear, however, that the work will gain much if and when she plays faster.–Westminster Gazette.
43. Maltreated Idioms
1. Two existing idioms are fused into a non-existent one.
It did not take him much trouble.–Sladen. (I take : it costs me)
An opportunity should be afforded the enemy of retiring northwards, more or less of their own account.—Times. (of my own accord; on my own account)
Dr. Kuyper admitted that his opinion had been consulted.–Times. (I consult you: take your opinion)
But it was in vain with the majority to attempt it.–Bagehot. (I attempt in vain: it is vain to attempt)
The captain got out the shutter of the door, shut it up, made it all fast, and locked the door itself.—Dickens. (make it fast: make all fast)
The provisioning of the Russian Army would practically have to be drawn exclusively from the mother country.–Times. (draw provisions: do provisioning)
It gives me the greatest pleasure in adding my testimony.–Daily Telegraph. (I have pleasure in adding: it gives me pleasure to add)
And if we rejected a similar proposition made to us, was it not too much to expect that Canada might not turn in another direction?–Chamberlain (reported). (Might not Canada turn?...to expect that Canada would not turn)
I can speak from experience that...'conversion'...was a very real and powerful thing.–Daily Telegraph. (speak to conversion's being: say that conversion was)
He certainly possessed, though in no great degree, the means of affording them more relief than he practised.–Scott. (preached more than he practised: had means of affording more than he did afford)
My position is one of a clerk, thirty-eight years of age, and married.–Daily Telegraph. (one that no one would envy: that of a clerk)
Abbot, indeed, had put the finishing stroke on all attempts at a higher ceremonial. Neither he nor his household would bow at the name of Christ.–J. R. Green. (put the finishing touches on: given the finishing stroke to)
In this chapter some of these words will be considered, and also some others against which purism has raised objections which do not seem to be well taken.–R. G. White. (exceptions well taken: objections rightly made. To take an objection well can only mean to keep your temper when it is raised)
A woman would instinctively draw her cloak or dress closer to her, and a man leave by far an unnecessary amount of room for fear of coming into contact with those to whom...Daily Telegraph. (by far too great: quite an unnecessary)
The fines inflicted for excess of the legal speed.–Times. (excess of speed: exceeding the legal speed)
Notwithstanding the no inconsiderable distance by sea.–Guernsey Advertiser. (it is no inconsiderable distance: the—or a—not inconsiderable distance)
His whim had been gratified at a trifling cost of ten thousand pounds.–Crawford. (a trifling cost—unspecified: a trifle of ten thousand or so: the trifling cost of ten thousand. So in the next)
Dying at a ripe old age of eighty-three.–Westminster Gazette.
That question is the present solvency or insolvency of the Russian State. The answer to it depends not upon the fact whether Russia has or has not...–Times. (the fact that: the question whether. But depends not upon whether would be best here)
To all those who had thus so self-sacrificingly and energetically promoted the organization of this fund he desired to accord in the name of the diocese their deep obligation.–Guernsey Advertiser. (accord thanks: acknowledge obligation)
The allies frittered away in sieges the force which was ready for an advance into the heart of France until the revolt of the West and South was alike drowned in blood.–Times. (the revolts were alike drowned: the revolt was drowned)
2. Of two distinct idioms the wrong is chosen.
When, too, it was my pleasure to address a public meeting of more than 2,000 at the Royal Theatre the organized opposition numbered less than seven score.–Times.
It is our pleasure to present to you the enclosed notification of the proportion of profits which has been placed to the credit of your account.–Company circular. (I had, we have, the pleasure of—, The form chosen is proper to royal personages expressing their gracious will)
In the face of it the rule appears a most advisable one.–Guernsey Advertiser. (On the face of it means prima facie: the other means in spite of)
3. The form of an idiom is distorted, without confusion with another.
However, towards evening the wind and the waves subsided and the night became quiet and starlight.–Times. (Starlight is a noun, which can be used as an adjective immediately before another noun only; a starlight night)
Russia is now bitterly expiating her share in the infamy then visited upon Japan.–Times. (We visit upon a person his sins, or something for
which he, and not we, is responsible; or again, we may visit our indignation upon him)
He anticipated much towards Mary's recovery in her return to Japan.–Sladen. (anticipate...from)
But both Governments have now requested Washington to be chosen as the place of meeting.–Times. (requested that Washington should)
For as its author in later years told the writer of this article, he had studied war for nine years before he put the pen to the paper.–Times. (Put pen to paper. This looks like imitation French; it is certainly not English)
4. The meaning of an idiom is mistaken without confusion with another.
For days and days, in such moods, he would stay within his cottage, never darkening the door or seeing other face than his own inmates.–Trollope. (To darken the door is always to enter as a visitor, never to go out)
5. Some miscellaneous and unclassified violations are added, mostly without further comment than italics, to remind sanguine learners that there are small pitfalls in every direction.
If I did not have the most thorough dependence on your good sense and high principles, I should not speak to you in this way.—Trollope.
Japan, while desiring the inassacre of her own and Russia's subjects to be brought to an end, has nevertheless every interest that the war should go on.–Times.
The unpublished state, of which only an extremely few examples are in existence.–Times.
Once I jested her about it.–Crockett.
It is significant to add that when Mrs. Chesnut died in 1886 her servants were with her.–Times.
Herring boats, the drapery of whose black suspended nets contrasted with picturesque effect the white sails of the larger vessels.–S. Ferrier.
It is at least incumbent to be scrupulously accurate.–Times. (The metaphor in incumbent is so much alive that upon—is never dispensed with)
A measure according Roman Catholic clergymen who have passed through the local seminaries but have not yet passed the prescribed Russian language test to hold clerical appointments.–Times.
There will be established in this free England a commercial tyranny the like of which will not be inferior to the tyrannical Inquisition of the Dark Ages.–Spectator.
44. Truisms and Contradictions in Terms
A contradiction in terms is often little more than a truism turned inside out; we shall therefore group the two together, and with them certain other illogical expressions, due to a similar confusion of thought.
Praise which perhaps was scarcely meant to be taken too literally.–Bagehot.
Where no standard of literalness is mentioned, too literally is 'more literally than was meant'. We may safely affirm, without the cautious reservations perhaps and scarcely, that the praise was not meant to be taken more literally than it was meant to be taken. Omit too.
He found what was almost quite as interesting.–Times.
If it was almost as interesting, we do not want quite: if quite, we do not want almost.
Splendid and elegant, but somewhat bordering on the antique fashion.–Scott.
Bordering on means not 'like' but 'very like'; 'somewhat very like'.
A very unique child, thought I.–C. Brontë.
A somewhat unique gathering of our great profession.–Halsbury.
There are no degrees in uniqueness.
Steady, respectable labouring men—one and all, with rare exceptions, married.–Times. (all without exception, with rare exceptions)
To name only a few, take Lord Rosebery, Lord Rendel, Lord...,...,...,..., and many others.–Times.
Take in this context means 'consider as instances'; we cannot consider them as instances unless we have their names; take must therefore mean 'let me name for your consideration'. Thus we get: 'To name only a few, let me name...and many others (whom I do not name)'.
More led away by a jingling antithesis of words than an accurate perception of ideas.–H.D. Macleod.
'Guided by an accurate perception' is what is meant. To be ​'led away by accurate perception' is a misfortune that could happen only in a special sense, the sense in which it has happened, possibly, to the writer, whom sheer force of accurate perception may have hurried into inaccurate expression; but more probably he too is the victim of 'jingling antithesis'.
Long before the appointed hour for the commencement of the recital, standing room only fell to the lot of those who arrived just previous to Mr. K.'s appearance on the platform.–Guernsey Advertiser.
The necessary inference—that Mr. K., the reciter, appeared on the platform long before the appointed hour—is probably not in accordance with the facts.
The weather this week has for the most part been of that quality which the month of March so strikingly characterizes in the ordinary course of events.–Guernsey Advertiser.
What happens in the ordinary course of events can scarcely continue to be striking. Whether the month characterizes the weather, or the weather the month, we need not consider here.
He forgot that it was possible, that from a brief period of tumultuous disorder, there might issue a military despotism more compact, more disciplined, and more overpowering than any which had preceded it, or any which has followed it.–Bagehot.
He could not forget, because he could not know, anything about the despotisms which have in fact followed. He might know and forget something about all the despotisms that had preceded or should follow (in direct speech, 'that have preceded or shall follow'): 'this may result in the most compact despotism in all history, past and future'. But probably Bagehot does not even mean this: the last clause seems to contain a reflection of his own, falsely presented as a part of what he ought to have reflected.
Some people would say that my present manner of travelling is much the most preferable, riding as I do now, instead of leading my horse.–Borrow.
Only two modes of travelling are compared: the most ​preferable implies four, three of them preferable in different degrees to the fourth. A not uncommon vulgarism.
45. Double Emphasis
Attempts at packing double emphasis into a single sentence are apt to result in real weakening.
No government ever plunged more rapidly into a deeper quagmire.–Outlook. (From the writer's evident wish to state the matter strongly, we infer that several Governments have plunged more rapidly into as deep quagmires, and as rapidly into deeper ones)
Mr. Justice Neville...will now have the very rare experience of joining on the Bench a colleague whom he defeated on the polls just fourteen years ago.–Westminster Gazette. (The experience, with exact time-interval, is probably unique, like any individual thumb-print; that does not make the coincidence more remarkable; and it is the coincidence that we are to admire)
Nothing has brought out more strongly than motor-driving the over-bearing, selfish nature of too many motor-drivers and their utter want of consideration for their fellow men.–Lord Wemyss. (The attempt to kill drivers and driving with one stone leaves both very slightly wounded. For what should show up the drivers more than the driving? and whom should the driving show up more than the drivers?)
The commonest form of this is due to conscientious but mistaken zeal for correctness, which prefers, for instance, without oppressing or without plundering to without oppressing or plundering. The first form excludes only one of the offences, and is therefore, though probably meant to be twice as emphatic, actually much weaker than the second, which excludes both. With and instead of or, it is another matter.
Actual experience has shown that a gun constructed on the wire system can still be utilized effectively without the destruction of the weapon or without dangerous effects, even with its inner tube split.–Times.
The Union must be maintained without pandering to such prejudices on the one hand, or without giving way on the other to the...schemes of the Nationalists.–Spectator.
He inhibited him, on pain of excommunication, from seeking a divorce in his own English Courts, or from contracting a new marriage.–J. R. Green (Half excused by the negative sense of inhibit)
46. 'Split' Auxiliaries.
Some writers, holding that there is the same objection to split compound verbs as to split infinitives, prefer to place any adverb or qualifying phrase not between the auxiliary and the other component, but before both. Provided that the adverb is then separated from the auxiliary, no harm is done: 'Evidently he was mistaken' is often as good as 'He was evidently mistaken', and suits all requirements of accentuation. But the placing of the adverb immediately before or after the auxiliary depends, according to established usage, upon the relative importance of the two components. When the main accent is to fall upon the second component, the normal place of the adverb is between the two; it is only when the same verb is repeated with a change in the tense or mood of the auxiliary, that the adverb should come first. 'He evidently was deceived' implies, or should imply, that the verb deceived has been used before, and that the point of the sentence depends upon the emphatic auxiliary: accordingly we should write 'The possibility of his being deceived had never occurred to me; but he evidently was deceived', but 'I relied implicitly on his knowledge of the facts; but he was evidently deceived'. In our first two examples below the adverb is rightly placed first to secure the emphasis on the auxiliary: in all the others the above principle of accentuation is violated. The same order of words is required by the copula with whatever kind of complement.
I recognize this truth, and always have recognized it.
Refined policy ever has been the parent of confusion, and ever will be so, as long as the world endures.–Burke.
They never are suffered to succeed in their opposition.–Burke.
She had received the homage of...and occasionally had deigned to breathe forth...–Beaconsfield.
He ordered breakfast as calmly as if he never had left his home.–Beaconsfield.
Miss Becky, whose sympathetic powers never had been called into action before.–Ferrier.
They now were bent on taking the work into their own hands.–Morley.
There may have been a time when a king was a god, but he now is pretty much on a level with his subjects.–Jowett.
They both are contradicted by all positive evidence.–W. H. Mallock.
Religious art at once complete and sincere never yet has existed.–Ruskin.
Not mere empty ideas, but what were once realities, and that I long have thought decayed.–C. Brontë.
So that he might assist at a Bible class, from which he never had been absent.–Beaconsfield.
If we would write an essay, we necessarily must have something to say.–Bygott & Jones.
The protectionists lately have been affirming that the autumn session will be devoted to railway questions.–Times.
Visitors no longer can drive in open carriages along the littoral.–Times.
It still is the fact that his mind...was essentially the mind of a poet.–Times.
To whom in any case its style would have not appealed.–Times.
To go wrong with not is an achievement possible only with triple compounds, where the principal division is of course between the finite (would) and the infinitive with participle (have appealed). 'Would not have appealed' must be written. though at an enormous sacrifice of 'distinction'.
This enhanced value of old English silver may be due partly to the increase in the number of collectors; but it also has been largely influenced by the publication...–Times.
Mr. Fry showed to a very great extent his power of defence...To-day, if runs are to be of importance, he very likely will show his powers of hitting.–Times.
47. Overloading
A single sentence is sometimes made to carry a double burden:
So unique a man as Sir George Lewis has, in truth, rarely been lost to this country.–Bagehot.
The meaning is not 'Men like Sir G. Lewis have seldom been lost', but 'Men like the late Sir G. Lewis have seldom been found'. But instead of the late a word was required that ​should express proper concern; lost is a short cut to 'men so unique as he whose loss we now deplore'.
There are but few men whose lives abound in such wild and romantic adventure, and, for the most part, crowned with success.–Prescott.
The writer does not mean 'adventures so wild, so romantic, and so successful in the main'; that is shown by the qualifying parenthesis, which is obviously one of comment on the individual case. What he does mean ought to have been given in two sentences: 'There are but few... adventure;—'s, moreover, was for the most part crowned with success'.
The Sultan regrets that the distance and the short notice alone prevent him from coming in person.–Times.
This is as much as to say that the Sultan wishes there were more obstacles. Read: 'The Sultan regrets that he cannot come in person; nothing but the distance and the short notice could prevent him'.
48. Demonstrative, Noun, and Participle or Adjective
Of the forms, persons interested, the persons interested, those interested, those who are interested, one or another may better suit a particular phrase or context. Those interested is the least to be recommended, especially with an active participle or adjective. The form those persons interested is a hybrid, and is very seldom used by any good writer; but it is becoming so common in inferior work that it is thought necessary to give many examples. The first two, of the form those interested, will pass, though those who were concerned, all who drive, would be better. In the others that and those should be either replaced by the or (sometimes) simply omitted.
The idea of a shortage had hardly entered the heads even of those most immediately concerned.–Times.
They are the terror of all those driving or riding spirited horses.–Times.
At every time and in every place throughout that very limited portion of time and space open to human observation.–Balfour.
That part of the regular army quartered at home should be grouped by divisions.–Times.
Here they beheld acres of that stupendous growth seen only in the equinoctial regions.–Prescott.
It is not likely that General Kuropatkine has amassed those reserves of military stores and supplies plainly required by the circumstances of his situation.–Times.
The insurrection had been general throughout the country, at least that portion of it occupied by the Spaniards.–Prescott.
My amendment would be that that part of the report dealing with the dividend on the 'A' shares...be not adopted.–Company report.
We shall fail to secure that unanimity of thought and doctrine so indispensable both for...–Times.
...in order to minimize the effect produced by that portion of the Admirals' report favourable to England.–Times.
A struggle...which our nation must be prepared to face in the last resort, or else give way to those countries not afraid to accept the responsibilities and sacrifices inseparable from Empire.—Times.
Civil servants will not, nay, cannot, work with that freedom of action so essential to good work in the case of such persons, so long as...–Times.
To those Colonies unable to concur with these suggestions a warning should be addressed.–Times.
49. False Scent
It is most annoying to a reader to be misled about the construction, and therefore most foolish in a writer to mislead him. In the sentences that follow, facilities and excesses are naturally taken as in the same construction, and similarly influences and nature, until the ends of the sentences show us that we have gone wrong. These are very bad cases; but minor offences of the kind are very common, and should be carefully guarded against.
He gloats over the facilities the excesses and the blunders of the authorities have given his comrades for revolutionary action among the masses.–Times.
The influences of that age, his open, kind, susceptible nature, to say
That there is no comma between facilities and the excesses is no defence, seeing how often commas go wrong; indeed the comma after age in the second piece, which is strictly wrong, is a proof how little reliance is to be placed on such signs.
50. Misplacement of Words
Generous interpretation will generally get at a writer's meaning; but for him to rely on that is to appeal ad misericordiam. Appended to the sentences, when necessary, is the result of supposing them to mean what they say.
It is with grief and pain, that, as admirers of the British aristocracy, we find ourselves obliged to admit the existence of so many ill qualities in a person whose name is in Debrett.–Thackeray. (implies that admirers must admit this more than other people)
It is from this fate that the son of a commanding prime minister is at any rate preserved.–Bagehot. (implies that preserved is a weak word used instead of a stronger)
And even if we could suppose it to be our duty, it is not one which, as was shown in the last chapter, we are practically competent to perform.–Balfour.
The chairman said there was no sadder sight in the world than to see women drunk, because they seemed to lose complete control of themselves. (implies that losing complete control leaves you with less than if you lost incomplete control)
The soldiers are deeply chagrined at having had to give up positions, in obedience to orders, which the Japanese could not take.–Times.
Great and heroic men have existed, who had almost no other information than by the printed page. I only would say, that it needs a strong head to bear that diet.–Emerson. (implies that no one else would say it)
Yes, the laziest of human beings, through the providence of God, a being, too, of rather inferior capacity, acquires the written part of a language so difficult that...–Borrow.
Right or wrong as his hypothesis may be, no one that knows him will suspect that he himself had not seen it, and seen over it...Neither, as we often hear, is there any superhuman faculty required to follow him.–Carlyle. (implies that we often hear there is not)
This, we say to ourselves, may be all very true (for have we, too, not browsed in the Dictionary of National Biography?); but why does Tanner
say it all, just at that moment, to...–Times. (implies that others have refrained from browsing)
But in 1798 the Irish rising was crushed in a defeat of the insurgents at Vinegar Hill; and Tippoo's death in the storm of his own capital, Seringapatam, only saved him from witnessing the English conquest of Mysore.–J. R. Green. (implies that that was all it saved him from)
51. Ambiguous Position
In this matter judgement is required. A captious critic might find examples on almost every page of almost any writer; but most of them, though they may strictly be called ambiguous, would be quite justifiable. On the other hand a careless writer can nearly always plead, even for a bad offence, that an attentive reader would take the thing the right way. That is no defence; a rather inattentive and sleepy reader is the true test; if the run of the sentence is such that he at first sight refers whatever phrase is in question to the wrong government, then the ambiguity is to be condemned.
Louis XVIII, dying in 1824, was succeeded, as Charles X, by his brother the Count d'Artois.–Sanderson. (The sleepy reader, assisted by memories of James the First and Sixth, concludes, though not without surprise, which perhaps finally puts him on the right track, that Louis XVIII of France was also Charles X of some other country)
In 1830 Paris overthrew monarchy by divine right.–Morley. (By divine right looks so much more like an adverbial than an adjectival phrase that the sleepy reader takes it with overthrew)
(From review of a book on ambidexterity) Two kinds of emphatic type are used, and both are liberally sprinkled about the pages on some principle which is not at all obvious. The practice may have its merits, like ambidexterity, but it is generally eschewed by good writers who know their business, although they are not ambidextrous.—Times. (The balance of the sentence is extremely bad if the although clause is subordinated to who; and the sleepy reader accordingly does not take it so, but with is eschewed, and so makes nonsense)
It was a temper not only legal, but pedantic in its legality, intolerant from its very sense of a moral order and law of the lawlessness and disorder of a personal tyranny.–J. R. Green.
The library over the porch of the church, which is large and handsome, contains one thousand printed books.–R. Curzon (A large and handsome library, or porch, or church?)
​Both these last are very unkind to the poor sleepy reader; it is true that in one of them he is inexcusable if he goes wrong, but we should for our own sakes give him as few chances of going wrong as possible.
Luck and dexterity always give more pleasure than intellect and knowledge; because they fill up what they fall on to the brim at once, and people run to them with acclamation at the splash.–Landor. (On and to so regularly belong together now, though they did not in Landor's time, that it is disconcerting to be asked to pause between them)
52. Ambiguous Enumeration
In comma'd enumerations, care should be taken not to insert appositions that may be taken, even if only at first sight, for separate members.
Some high officials of the Headquarter Staff, including the officer who is primus inter pares, the Director of Military Operations, and the Director of Staff duties...–Times. (Two, or three, persons? Probably two; but those who can be sure of this do not need the descriptive clause, and those who need it cannot be sure)
Lord Curzon, Sir Edmond Elles, the present Military Member, and the Civilian Members of Council traverse the most material of Lord Kitchener's statements of fact.–Times. (Is Sir E. Elles the Military Member? No need to tell any one who knows; and any one who does not know is not told)
I here wish to remark that Lord Dufferin first formed the Mobilization Committee, of which the Commander-in-Chief is President, and the Military Member, Secretary, Military Department, and the heads of departments both at Army Headquarters and under the Government of India, are members with the express intention of...–Times. (Is the Military Member Secretary of the Mobilization Committee? Well, he may be, but a certain amount of patience shows us that the sentence we are reading does not tell us so)
53. Antics
A small selection must suffice. Straining after the dignified, the unusual, the poignant, the high-flown, the picturesque, the striking, often turns out badly. It is not worth while to attain any of these aims at the cost of being unnatural.
1. Use of stiff, full-dress, literary, or out-of-the-way words.
And in no direction was the slightest concern evinced.–Times.
The majority display scant anxiety for news.–Times.
...treating his characters on broader lines, occupying himself with more elemental emotions and types, and forsaking altogether his almost meticulous analysis of notive and temperament.–Westminster Gazette. (We recommend to this reviewer a more meticulous use of the dictionary)
And most probably he is yoted a fool for not doing as many men in similar positions are doing—viz., making up for a lack of principle by an abundance of bawbees easily extracted from a large class of contractors who are only too willing...–Times.
It is Victor Hugo's people, the motives on which they act, the means they take to carry out their objects, their relations to one another, that strike us as so monumentally droll.–Times.
Nothing definite has been decided upon as to the exact date of the visits, the venue of the visits, the...–Times.
2. Pretentious circumlocution.
That life was brought to a close in November 1567, at an age, probably, not far from the one fixed by the sacred writer as the term of human existence.–Prescott.
She skated extremely badly, but with an enjoyment that was almost pathetic, in consideration of the persistence of 'frequent fall'.–E. F. Benson.
The question of an extension of the Zemstvos to the southwest provinces is believed to be under consideration. It is understood that the visit of General Kleigels to St. Petersburg is not unconnected therewith.–Times.
3. Poetic phraseology, especially the Carlylese superlative.
Almost any page of Milton's prose will show whence Carlyle had this; but it is most offensive in ordinary modern writing.
A period when, as she puts it, men and women of fashion 'tried not to be themselves, yet never so successfully displayed the naked hearts of them'.–Times.
The last week in February was harnessing her seven bright steeds in shining tandem in the silent courtyard of the time to be.–The Lamp.
Our enveloping movements since some days prove successful, and fiercest battle is now proceeding.–Times.
The unhappy man persuades himself that he has in truth become a new creature, of the wonderfullest symmetry.–Carlyle.
4. Patronizing superiority expressed by describing simple things in long words.
5. The determined picturesque.
Across the street blank shutters flung back the gaslight in cold smears.–Kipling.
The outflung white water at the foot of a homeward-bound Chinaman not a hundred yards away, and her shadow-slashed rope-purfled sails bulging sideways like insolent cheeks.–Kipling.
An under-carry of grey woolly spindrift of a slaty colour Aung itself noiselessly in the opposite direction, a little above the tree tops.–Crockett.
Then for a space the ground was more clayey, and a carpet of green water-weeds were combed and waved by the woven ropes of water.–E. F. Benson.
At some distance off, in Winchester probably, which pricked the blue haze of heat with dim spires, a church bell came muffled and languid.–E. F. Benson.
A carriage drive lay in long curves like a flicked whip lash, surmounting terrace after terrace set with nugatory nudities.–E. F. Benson.
6. Recherché epithets.
Perhaps both Milton and Beethoven would live in our memories as writers of idylls, had not a brusque infirmity dreadfully shut them off from their fellow men.–Times.
The high canorous note of the north-easter. Stevenson.
By specious and clamant exceptions.–Stevenson.
7. Formal antithesis or parallel. This particular form of artificiality is perhaps too much out of fashion to be dangerous at present. The great storehouse of it is in Macaulay.
He had neither the qualities which make dulness respectable, nor the qualities which make libertinism attractive.–Macaulay.
The first two kings of the House of Hanover had neither those hereditary rights which have often supplied the place of merit, nor those personal qualities which have often supplied the defect of title.–Macaulay.
But he was indolent and dissolute, and had early impaired a fine estate with the dice-box, and a fine constitution with the bottle.–Macaulay.
The disclosure of the stores of Greek literature had wrought the revolution of the Renascence. The disclosure of the older mass of Hebrew literature wrought the revolution of the Reformation.–J. R. Green.
​8. Author's self-consciousness.
'You mean it is,' she said—'about Bertie'. Charlie made the noise usually written 'Pshaw'.–E. F. Benson.
9. Intrusive smartness—another form of self-consciousness.
Round her lay piles of press notices, which stripped the American variety of the English language bare of epithets.–E. F. Benson.
Income-tax payers are always treated to the fine words which butter no parsnips, and are always assured that it is really a danger to the State to go on skinning them in time of peace to such an extent as to leave little integument to remove in time of war.–Times.
Yet in the relentless city, where no one may pause for a moment unless he wishes to be left behind in the great universal race for gold which begins as soon as a child can walk, and ceases not until he is long past walking, the climbing of the thermometer into the nineties is an acrobatic feat which concerns the thermometer only, and at the junction of Sixth Avenue and Broadway there was no slackening in the tides of the affairs of men.–E. F. Benson.
54. Miscellaneous Types of Journalese
Mr. Lionel Phillips maintained that it was impossible to introduce white unskilled labour on a large scale as a payable proposition without lowering the position of the white man.–Times.
How labour can be a proposition, and how a proposition can be payable it is not easy to say. The sentence seems to mean: 'to introduce...labour on a large scale and make it pay'. This is what comes of a fondness for abstracts.
They have not hitherto discovered the formula for the intelligent use of our unrivalled resources for the satisfaction of our security.–Times.
This perhaps means: 'They have not yet discovered how our unrivalled resources may be made to ensure our safety'.
An attempt to efface the ill-effects of the Czar's refusal to see the workmen has been made by the grant of an interview by the Czar at Tsarkoe Selo to a body of workmen officially selected to represent the masses.–Spectator.
The powerful and convincing article on the question of War Office administration as it affects the Volunteers to be found in this month's National.—Spectator.
The Russian Government is at last face to face with the greatest crisis of the war, in the shape of the fact that the Siberian railway...–Spectator.
No year passes now without evidence of the truth of the statement that the work of government is becoming increasingly difficult.—Spectator.
It has taken a leading part in protesting against the Congo State's treatment of natives controlled by it, and in procuring the pressure which the House of Commons has put upon our Government with a view to international insistence on fulfilment of the obligations entered upon by the Congo Government as regards native rights.–Times.
The outcome of a desire to convince the Government of the expediency of granting the return recently ordered by the House with regard to the names,...–Times.
In default of information of the result of the deliberations which it has been stated the Imperial Defence Committee have been engaged in...–Times.
The volunteer does not volunteer to be compelled to suffer long, filthy, and neglected illnesses and too often death, yet such was South Africa on a vast scale, and is inevitable in war under the present official indifference.–Times.
55. Somewhat, &c.
Indulgence in qualifying adverbs, as perhaps, possibly, probably, rather, a little, somewhat, amounts with English journalists to a disease; the intemperate orgy of moderation is renewed every morning. As somewhat is rapidly swallowing up the rest, we shall almost confine our attention to it; and it is useless to deprecate the use without copious illustration. Examples will be classified under headings, though these are not quite mutually exclusive.
1. Somewhat clearly illogical.
A number of questions to the Prime Minister have been put upon the paper with the object of eliciting information as to the personnel of the proposed Royal Commission and the scope of their inquiry. These are now somewhat belated in view of the official announcement made this morning.–Times. (The announcement contained both the list of members and the full reference)
Thrills which gave him rather a unique pleasure.–Hutton.
Russian despatches are somewhat inconsistent, one of them stating that there is no change in the position of the armies, while another says that the Japanese advance continues.–Times.
Being faint with hunger I was somewhat in a listless condition bordering on stupor.–Corelli.
​In the light of these, it would be hard to say what full belatedness, inconsistency, and listlessness may be.
2. Somewhat with essentially emphatic words.
We may call a thing dirty, or filthy; if we choose the latter, we mean to be emphatic; it is absurd to use the emphatic word and take away its emphasis with somewhat, when we might use the gentler word by itself.
A member of the Legislative Council is allowed now to speak in Dutch if he cannot express himself clearly in English; under the proposed arrangement he will be able to decide for himself in which medium he can express himself the more clearly. Surely a somewhat infinitesimal point.—Times.
Thirdly, it is rather agonizing at times to the philologist.—Times.
The distances at which the movements are being conducted receive a somewhat startling illustration from the statement that...–Times.
Under these circumstances it is somewhat extraordinary to endeavour to save the Government from blame.–Times.
In various evidently 'well-informed' journals the somewhat amazing proposition is set up that...–Times.
But unfortunately the word 'duties' got accidentally substituted for 'bounties' in two places, and made the utterance somewhat unintelligible to the general reader.–Times.
The songs are sung by students to the accompaniment of a somewhat agonizing band.–Times.
There is a mysterious man-killing orchid, a great Eastern jewel of State, and many other properties, some of them a little well worn, suitable for the staging of a tale of mystery.–Spectator.
Some of the instances in these two classes would be defended as humorous under-statement. But if this hackneyed trick is an example of the national humour, we had better cease making reflections on German want of humour.
3. Somewhat shyly announcing an epigrammatic or well-chosen phrase.
There is a very pretty problem awaiting the decision of Prince Bülow, and one which is entirely worthy of his somewhat acrobatic diplomacy.–Times.
Gaston engaged in a controversy on the origin of evil, which terminated by his somewhat abruptly quitting his Alma Mater.–Beaconsfield.
Why even Tennyson became an amateur milkman to somewhat conceal and excuse the shame and degradation of writing verse.–Corelli.
The virtuous but somewhat unpleasing type of the Roman nation.–Times.
The sight of these soldiers and sailors sitting round camp-fires in the midst of the snow in fashionable thoroughfares, transforming the city into an armed camp, is somewhat weird.—Times.
While Mary was trying to decipher these somewhat mystic lines.–S. Ferrier.
4. Somewhat conveying a sneer.
It is somewhat strange that any one connected with this institution should be so unfamiliar with its regulations.–Times.
...that the conclusion arrived at by the shortest route is to be accepted—a somewhat extravagant doctrine, according to which...–Balfour.
But very few points of general interest have been elicited in any quarter by these somewhat academic reflections.–Times.
This somewhat glowing advertisement of the new loan.–Times.
5. The genuine somewhat, merely tame, timid, undecided, conciliatory, or polite.
It is somewhat pitiful to see the efforts of a foreign State directed, not to the pursuit of its own aims by legitimate means, but to the gratification of personal hostility to a great public servant of France.–Times.
I am certain that the clergy themselves only too gladly acquiesce in this somewhat illogical division of labour.–Times.
This, no doubt, is what Professor Ray Lankester is driving at in his somewhat intemperate onslaught.—Times.
The rather mysterious visit of S. Tittoni, the Italian Foreign Minister, to Germany.–Times.
These are of rather remarkable promise; the head shows an unusual power of realizing character under a purely ideal conception.–Times.
The rather finely conceived statuette called 'The Human Task' by Mr. Oliver Wheatley.–Times.
It is somewhat the fashion to say that in these days...–Times.
A letter from one whose learning and experience entitle him to be heard, conceived, as I think, in a spirit of somewhat exaggerated pessimism.–Times.
The statement made by the writer is somewhat open to doubt.–Times.
I have read with much interest the letters on the subject of hush-money, especially as they account to me somewhat for the difficulties I have experienced.–Times.
It would be valuable if he would somewhat expand his ideas regarding local defence by Volunteers.–Times.
Sir,—I have been somewhat interested in the recent correspondence in your columns.–Times.
So many persons of undoubted integrity believe in 'dowsing' that he is a somewhat rash man who summarily dismisses the matter.–Times.
Sir Francis Bertie, whose dislike of unnecessary publicity is somewhat pronounced.–Times.
It is not too much to say that any one who hopes to write well had better begin by abjuring somewhat altogether.
We cannot tell whether this long list will have a dissuasive effect, or will be referred to foolish individual prejudice against an unoffending word. But on the first assumption we should like to add that a not less dissuasive collection might easily be made of the intensifier distinctly than of the qualifier somewhat. The use meant is that seen in:
The effect as the procession careers through the streets of Berlin is described as distinctly interesting.
Distinctly gives the patronizing interest, as somewhat gives the contemptuous indifference, with which a superior person is to be conceived surveying life; and context too often reveals that the superiority is imaginary.
56. Clumsy Patching
When a writer detects a fault in what he has written or thought of writing, his best course is to recast the whole sentence. The next best is to leave it alone. The worst is to patch it in such a way that the reader has his attention drawn, works out the original version, and condemns his author for carelessness aggravated by too low an estimate of his own intelligence.
Numerous allegations, too, were made of prejudiced treatment measured out against motorists by rural magistrates.–Times. (avoidance of the jingle in meted out to motorists)
No crew proved to be of the very highest class; but this, perhaps, led the racing to be on the whole close and exciting.–Times. (avoidance of the jingle in led to the racing being)
The Lord Mayor last night entertained the Judges to a banquet at the Mansion House.–Times. (avoidance of double at)
The occupants talked, inspected the cars of one another, interchanged tales of...–Times. (avoidance, in grammatical pusillanimity, of one another's cars)
...who have only themselves in view by breaking through it.–Richardson. (avoidance of double in)
He nodded, as one who would say, 'I have already thought of that'.–Crockett. (avoidance of the archaism, which however is the only natural form, as who should say)
It is now practically certain that the crews of Nebogatoff's squadron were in a state of mutiny, and that this is the explanation for the surrender of these vessels.–Times. (avoidance of double of)
And for the first time after twenty years the Whigs saw themselves again in power.–J. R. Green. (Avoidance of double for; if after had been originally intended, we should have had at last instead of for the first time)
And oppressive laws forced even these few with scant exceptions to profess Protestantism.–J. R. Green. (To avoid the repetition of few the affected word scant has been admitted)
Given competition, any line would vie with the others in mirrors and gilded furniture; but if there is none, why spend a penny? Not a passenger the less will travel because the mode of transit is bestial.–E. F. Benson. (To avoid the overdone word beastly—which however happens to be the right one here; bestial describes character or conduct)
There is, indeed, a kind of timorous atheism in the man who dares not trust God to render all efforts to interpret his Word—and what is criticism but interpretation?—work together for good.–Spectator. (Render is substituted for make because make efforts might be taken as complete without the work together that is due. Unfortunately, to render efforts work together is not even English at all)
57. Omission of the Conjunction 'that'
This is quite legitimate, but often unpleasant. It is partly a matter of idiom, as, I presume you know, but I assume that you know; partly of avoiding false scent, as in the sixth example below, where scheme might be object to discover. In particular it is undesirable to omit that when a long clause or phrase intervenes between it and the subject and verb it introduces, as in the first four examples.
And it is to be hoped, as the tree-planting season has arrived, Stepney will now put its scheme in hand.–Times.
Sir,—We notice in a leading article in your issue to-day on the subject of the carriage of Australian mails you imply that the increased price demanded by the Orient Pacific Line was due to...–Times.
Lord Balfour...moved that it is necessary, before the constituencies are asked to determine upon the desirability of such conference, they should be informed first...–Times.
Lord Spencer held that it was impossible with regard to a question which had broken up the Government and disturbed the country they could go into a conference which...–Times.
If the Australian is to be convinced that is an unreasonable wish, it will not be by arguments about taxation.–Times.
I think he would discover the scheme unfolded and explained in them is a perfectly intelligible and comprehensive one.–Times.
It is not till He cometh the ideal will be seen.–Times.
And it is only by faith the evils you mention as productive of war can be cast out of our hearts.—Times.
I do not wish it to be understood that I consider all those who applied for work during the past two winters and who are now seeking employment are impostors.–Times.
I assume Turkey would require such a cash payment of at least £500,000.—Times.
Tawno leaped into the saddle, where he really looked like Gunnar of Hlitharend, save and except the complexion of Gunnar was florid, whereas that of Tawno was of nearly Mulatto darkness.–Borrow.
In some of these the motive is obvious, to avoid one that-clause depending on another; the end was good, but the means bad; a more thorough recasting was called for.
58. Meaningless 'while'
While, originally temporal, has a legitimate use also in contrasts. The further colourless use of it, whether with verb or with participle, as a mere elegant variation for and is very characteristic of journalese, and much to be deprecated.
Of its value there can be no question. The editor's article on 'Constitutions', for example, and that of Mr. W. Wyse on 'Law' both well repay most careful study; while when Sir R. Jebb writes on 'Literature', Dr. Henry Jackson on 'Philosophy', or Professor Waldstein on 'Sculpture', their contributions must be regarded as authoritative.–Spectator.
The fireman was killed on the spot, and the driver as well as the guard of the passenger train was slightly injured; while the up-line was blocked for some time with débris from broken trucks of the goods train.—Times.
The deer on the island took some interest in the proceeding, while the peacocks on the lawn screamed at the right time.–Birmingham Daily Post.
It cannot be contended that it is more profitable to convey a passenger the twenty-four miles to Yarmouth for payment than to accept the same payment without performing the service; while, if the company wish to discourage the use of cheap week-end tickets, why issue them at all?–Times.
59. Commercialism
Certain uses of such, the same, and other words, redolent of commerce and the law, should be reserved for commercial and legal contexts. Anent, which has been noticed in Part I, is a legalism of this kind. In the Brontë instances quoted, a twang of flippancy will be observed; the other writers are probably unconscious.
This gentleman's state of mind was very harrowing, and I was glad when he wound up his exposition of the same.–C. Brontë.
The present was no occasion for showy array; my dun mist crape would suffice, and I sought the same in the great oak wardrobe in the dormitory.–C. Brontë.
There are certain books that almost defy classification, and this volume...is one of such.–Daily Telegraph.
I am pleased to read the correspondence in your paper, and hope that good will be the result of the same.–Daily Telegraph.
The man who has approached nearest to the teaching of the Master, and carried the same to its logical and practical conclusion is General Booth.–Daily Telegraph.
Do I believe that by not having had the hands of a bishop laid upon my head I cannot engage in the outward and visible commemoration of the Lord's Supper as not being fit to receive the same?–Daily Telegraph.
But do the great majority of people let their belief in the hereafter affect their conduct with regard to the same. I think not.–Daily Telegraph.
Let us hope, Sir, that it may be possible in your own interests to continue the same till the subject has had a good innings.–Daily Telegraph.
I believe, and have believed since, a tiny child, made miserable by the loss of a shilling, I prayed my Heavenly Father to help me to recover the same.–Daily Telegraph.
It is of course possible, in this connexion, that the Prayer Book is responsible for 'the same'.
If I am refused the Sacrament I do not believe that I shall have less chance of entering the Kingdom of God than if I received such Sacrament. Daily Telegraph.
But when it comes to us following his life and example, in all its intricate details, all will, I think, agree that such is impossible.–Daily Telegraph.
An appeal to philanthropy is hardly necessary, the grounds for such being so self-evident.–Times.
...such a desire it should be the purpose of a Unionist Government to foster ; but such will not be attained under the present regime in Dublin.–Times.
...regaling themselves on half-pints at the said village hostelries.–Borrow.
Having read with much interest the letters re 'believe only' now appearing in the Daily Telegraph...–Daily Telegraph.
He ruined himself and family by his continued experiments for the benefit of the British nation.–Times.
60. Pet Phrases
Vivid writers must be careful not to repeat any conspicuous phrase so soon that a reader of ordinary memory has not had time to forget it before it invites his attention again. Whatever its merits, to use it twice (unless deliberately and with point) is much worse than never to have thought of it. The pages below are those of Green's Short History (1875).
The temper of the first [King George] was that of a gentleman usher. p. 704.
Bute was a mere court favourite, with the abilities of a gentleman usher. p. 742.
'For weeks', laughed Horace Walpole, 'it rained gold boxes'. p. 729.
'We are forced to ask every morning what victory there is', laughed Horace Walpole. p.737.
The two following passages occur on pp. 6 and 81 of The Bride of Lammermoor (Standard Edition).
In short, Dick Tinto's friends feared that he had acted like the animal called the sloth, which, having eaten up the last green leaf upon the tree where it has established itself, ends by tumbling down from the top, and dying of inanition.
'...but as for us, Caleb's excuses become longer as his diet turns more
61. 'Also' as Conjunction; and '&c.'
Also is an adverb; the use of it as a conjunction is slovenly, if not illiterate.
We are giving these explanations gently as friends, also patiently as becomes neighbours.–Times.
'Special' is a much overworked word, it being used to mean great in degree, also peculiar in kind.–R. G. White.
Mr. Sonnenschein's volume will show by parallel passages Shakespeare's obligations to the ancients, also the obligations of modern writers to Shakespeare.–Times.
The use of &c., except in business communications and such contexts, has often the same sort of illiterate effect. This is very common, but one example must suffice.
There are others with faults of temper, &c., evident enough, beside whom we live content, as if the air about them did us good.–C. Brontë.