The North-Carolina standard., 1842-04-13
coMMU NICATIoNs.
For the North Carolina Standard. :
"MJJLTUM IN PARVO." : '1seH

they present themselves and afterwards trans
cribe them in betterorder and language. Thoughts
on most occasions, and particularly in fertile
mind, rise at random and with little or no avaia-
bic connection, and, therefore, require suitable
places according to their distinction and respect
i've forces and points. Their well=ordering for
the success efthe argument you support, is as ne
cessary as is the nice arrangement of house for
all the purposes ofa dwelling and durability, or
the dividing an army into front wings and rear,
&C. for the exigencies of war.
In every discourse an exordium is as requisite
as peroration: "order is heavens first law"
Bat are the thoughts, when Transcribed into
what is termed better language always improved2
is question worth reflection. would say no,
emphatically no. In nine cases out Of ten they
lose half their effect are crowded out altogeth-
er.
Words ought always to hold fast to their legiti-
mate and original office, which is to express to
the eye and ear the ideas they represent. They
are simply modes of conveyance
five were to see SIX or eight wagons entering
our market with but one load of provisions
amongst the whole, we would quickly pronounce
the owner a mailman, for surely no man in his
senses would contend that his provisions were any
better because they were paraded in procession
This is rather coarse comparison, but is plain
and Ineligible.
d
who mistakes the shadow for the substance.
Words are mere trihes compared with the ideas,
which are the heart and soul of every argument
l am as fond of well finished sentences as any
man, but wherever see them l find little or no.
thing worth remembering. "It is not all gold that
glitters" And writer of solid talents needs no
such meretricious aid, for he speaks<to the mind
alone. Such men do not write or utter word
superfuous, and, by this course, if they. do not
succeed in convincing they show at least, like
good commanders that their means of defence and
attack do not consist in the waving of banners and
sounding Of trumpets but in heavy lead and steel
If you smother upthe ideas in profusion of words,
where can you find the senseQ Your reader re-
ceives nothing for his pains but buzz such as
those bees create who make no honey.
Watch closely the workings of your own think.
ing powers, and you will discover that there ex-
lists certain attraction between ideasand the words
that are to express them, simultaneous with their
very birth The little fellows put on each his own
native Dress the very moment they are able tofeel
themselves, In such garb they appear best, and
are best felt Nature is an exquisite artist, and
in most cases. should be left to herself Whenthe
poet said that ''Natures dress was loveliness and
beauty unadorned was adorned the most, he meant,
with respect to the former. that she most suit
ably attired when sin puris naturaibus," and, with
respect to the latter, we had better let we'll
enough alone. We cannot apply this principle
in the communicating ofour thoughts and feelings
as closely as it demands and yet it would seem
that we can for the little spirits themselves often
times take wing and fly into our faces without
leave or warning, and speak unutterable things in
our eyes and when they do So they strike the OBJ
server with ten times the force that language can
wieH The face, in conjunction with gestures, is
a most powerful agent proving, beyond doubt,
hat fbaf fbo hoffo5 ha
sure l would not have you look at each other and
speak not word: no, let this plan be pursued by
lovers. But would have you Just contemplate
the feelings and wonder of the Roman senators,
when they received the famous letter from Cesar,
which enclosed the simple words Veni vidi,
vici," and when those same men heard from the
dying hero's lips, the memorable "et TIL Brute,
which pierced deeper into that noble assassins
heart than had any of the consprators daggers:
that of their victims And what think you ofthe ef
feet that the philosopher Archimedes produced
when he ran through the public streets, crying
out eureka eureka! eurekal Was there.a man
of any capacity who did not understand and sym
pathiZe with him?
1t grieves me much when | hear a preacher
undertake to explain and elucidate text which is
in itself at once comprehensive and selfcvident.-
Inleed there is no book that contains SO many
striking examples Of the style would recommend
as does the Bible, which might justly. claim, on
this very ground, portion of its right to divine
authority
Bacon, Locke and Doctor Franklin were re-
markable for total disregard to ornament in Ian.
guage from the fact that they studied to give the
world solid matter and where can you fnd a
spot on the earth, where intelligence exists, that
has not its admirers of their works-works whose
merits have no scqual2 The plaincst things are
almost always the soundest Even the diamond
condescends todwell in stone that bears as much
resemblance to its brilliant inmate as does the
coarse shell which contains the pearl. The veg
etable kingdom furnishes us with thousands Of in
stances of fthe hesamefact We needbut mention sin
gle evidence in corroboration that of our pine
tree, whose exterior is barrenness in contrast with
the rich treasures within.
language, IN fine, should be sparingly used apc
never allowed to usurp the place of thought
Writer'S for the public, particularly busy, prac-
tical public, who have little or no time to devote
to literature, should furnish such naturally writ
ten brief and substantial articles as their readers
would peruse with their minds, as it were and no
with their eyes. 4..-s.s
By such courseEwe should receive all grair
and no chaf and both parties would be mutual,
benefited, whilst a great amount of precious time