Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-05-01
4f1oreonopn, A)a. satlroap Alap /, 1852

the metaphysics you could gather TO-
gether in lifetime. Letter.writing,
too, conducted with care, will tend
greatly to improve your style, give
tone to your thoughts, and elegance
to your composition generally.
Nerer write poetry. By this mean
do not be caught jingliug the final
syllables of words in lines that reach
three -fourths of the way across a sheet
of foolscap. This is very common
but vory Improbable practice. Il
makes one believe he has inspiration
from some Grecian goddess, while he
has nothing, in fact, but the inspira
ton of his own folly. Much bettel
would it be for you to sit in the chin
ney-corner, listening to the crickets
than to waste your time in spinning
out verses. The dolusion once fas-
tened to you that you arc a poet, and
must write poetry, will spoil you, l
was about to say forever, but will re-
call that by saying, that it will spoil
you for all sensible writing for at least
six full years. Do not, then, as you
value your own reputation and the
feelings of your friends, spend ink and
paper in scribbling verses that have
nothing but thcirrhyme to recommend
them to favor.
In writing for q newspaper, avoid,
by all means, such fourishes as "your
excellent and invaluable paper" your
high and commendable course OF &C.
tion," &c. You cannot accomplish
much in this way; for editors usually
have fair conception ofthe nature of
their own papers, and will give you
no thanks for your pretended adula.
ton. When you have finished your
manuscript, go over it carefully, and
see if there are mott words or sen.
tences which might be left out. If
there are, out with them. Expunge,
modify, and cut down, till everything
is straight. A half column Of good,
practical common sense has ten chan
ces for insertion where two or three
columns of learned nonsense would
have no chance at all. Be exceeding
ly caIeful about saying that you have
written in great haste, and hopo the
editor will be so kind as to correct,
etc. He will bc SO kind, rest assured,
as to correct, and the way he will do
it will be by putting your manuscript
quietly into the FIRE. If you have
some facts or incidents to communi.
cate, an editor will be grateful for
them though you write with pudding
stick; but if you design an'essay or
an effort at logic, for the sake of true
honor, do it up right, instead oflean-
ing on him for help.
Study brepity. This is the last eau.
ton have to give just now. Observe
it. Strike out at onccinto your subject.
Let introductions and explanations go
to to the four winds. People, in gen.
eral care nothing about them. Long,
tedious, drawling, hum.drum discus
sions on some equally dull subject will
be pretty sure to leave your article
unread. Verbosity is bad enough any
where, but in public writer it is in
suHerable. When in the spirit, write
spiri,edly; and when through with
your piece, stop. Do not go over the
world again to see whether you have
caught up everything in your way,
and held it up for the inspection and
contemplation Of your reader; for,
while you are doing this, he will more
than probably become impatient with
your prolixity, or laugh at your child.
ishness and folly.