Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-12-11

lite prevalence should have been subject OF
regret, as an evidence Of classical destitution,
and of the grossness Of those perceptions which
could be thus expressed.
These remarks, however arc not offered
in dcrogation of the enviable worth Of that
rustic population, whose literary defects have
been abundanlly redeemed, by an indelatigi-
bic exercise Of, almost, the entire catalogue Of
practical virtues.
Our subject is neither moral nor political,
but exclusively literary; and imports an in
quiry into the character and comparative APP
proprIateness Of style; few additional re-
marks upon which, will close the present ar
ticle,
Thc voice of cxpediency must be heard and
obeyed in every thing, ard therefore, in the
structure and adaptation OF sttlc which should
be appreciated, according 10 its efficiency, in
subserving the purpose for which ii is con-
structed; and should not be, exclusively, tes-
ted 1y the artificial rules Of rhetoric +; but by
the spirit of its inspiration, and the transpa-
rency with which it transmits the images OF
thought: And yet this admission should, Ia
no wise, repudiate the principle that human
capacity aud literary taste should accord with
the incest rhetorical speculation.
The faculty Of imitation, in man, so far cx-
cceds his nventiveness, that mimicry becomes
his principal characteristic; hence, the Hitter
ate individual, whose intercourse with his bet
ter educated neighbor has enabled him TO im-
tate purer STYLE will speak better than he
can write; while the scholar, subjected TO the
deterorating influence Of vulgar associations,
often adopts style Of conversation vastly in
fcrior to that OF his written compositions
We should, therefore, avail ourselves oil this
resource, as possessing no inconsderable ,lli-
cheney, 10 Improve mankind.
Orr style, whether cooquial, deliberaive
or forensic, whether written or spoken, hav-
ing been, hitherto, quite too humble for our
Characteristic enterprise, should undergo re-
vision, and its standard be elevated in accura-
cy and perspicuity, to the highest point, at
lainabe by the native ardor and ingenuity Of
the most thoroughly disciplined American intel
iect; giving both direction and impulse, to an
emulation cooled only, by success. The
character of style and of national literature,
must, necessarily, depend upon that of its
periodicals, which are, mostly, in all countries,
too SUP rfcial and unchaste, TO be worthy of
imitation; and, yet, there are many whose lit
erary excellence it would be an honor 10 emu
ulate. Whilst our domestic periodicals., Of
the higher order-our reviews and select liter
airy magazines, which are admitted, by for
eigners, 10 be- scarcely, inferior TO their own,
are establishing for us abroad character a.
bove our national merit tEeir neglect and
sparse distribution, at home, substituted by
provincialisms, anecdotes, tracts, and literary
abortions, leave us without an emotion, either,
of shame or competition. OF these periodicals,
the style is, scarcely less diversified than their
subjects and authorship, and, therefore, adap.
table TO almost, every variety OF cultivated
taste. They constitute our literary oracle,
whose responsive commentator Is 10 be C.
Iici,cd at the expense OF general vigilant
opportunity of their printed pages. They
should be welcome guests, at every reading
room; unpires, at every lycenm; frequent vsl-
tors at every domestic fresde; and horlooms,
of perpetual and anxious inherancc-perus
ed, adopted and assimilated, until successful
imitation shall have superseded the infection
Of discipline, and custom shall have rendered
their style so familiar that, even children shall
lisp their half-formed notions, with grammat-
cal accuracy.
The project accommodating style to taste
is too visionary, and adverse TO its improve
mont, 10 find serious advocate. On the con-
trnry, much should be hoped, from an attempt
to reform the vulgar appetite, and prepare 1t
10 relish a nicer condimcnt. And all, who
speak DR. write for the Improvement or diver
sion Of others, Of whatever age, sex or capac-
~ whether public or private, should never
neglect 10 associate this consideration with
their other motives.
OF all The attributes Of style, pcrspicuiiy is
most essential, and should be best cultivated
for what literary effort can be more futile than
a labored arrang cement OF words, unadapted TO
the communication of IDEAS; and what, more
fortunate, than that, both pcrspicuity and
grammatical accuracy are the spontaneous
produce Of cleurness Of perception Ambi-
entity, therefore, of which there is much occa-
sion OF complaint, ia, with the utmos! proprle-
y, chargeable upon indistinctness OF appre-
hension nor can any mental effort be as e.
aborately perplexing as an attempt 10 COM
municatc what one does not know.
Hence, the acquisition Of ideas should be
the paramount object Of all intellectual enter.
prise language being useful, only, rs mean
of their promuIgotion: And that ideas sug-
gcst language, us facts suggest ideas, is rem
dercd incontroveriible by the history Of SCI
ence, which declares on every page, that each
Improvement in our ideas of fact or principle,
is accompanied by corresponding develope-
ment, in the appropriateness of our phraseolo-
gy. He, therefore, who would assume the
responsibility Of rhetorical criticism, should
be, either, an intellectual prodigy, personaing
the genius Of literature, and, equally, superior
to the authority of precedent and the formali-
ty oil rules, or he should have become familiar
with universal science, as prescribed by au-
thoriiy ana enforced by discipline having
assmiia,cd the literary excellencies Of all
times and countries, as Indispensable 10 crii-
cal accumen. Much less than this would
constitute the literary babber, than whose
stultiloquence, nothing can be more tantalz-
ing to cultivated common sense.
While it is not to be denied that public es-
seyess, from carelessness or incompetency,
offer too frequent and too great occasion for
complaint upon the subject Of style, it is, not
outstanding, equally, incontloverllble, that
tho incapacity of the reader is the grand
source of embarrassment, and the object most
deserving Of llorarY censure: His education