Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-08-12

purpose make the aa YEA pfettfeasA e. g.
| That mans character is good. We sometimes
wish to speak of the object as known to possess
the quality, and to affirm something of it, and
then we use the adjective as mere epithet.-
e. e. A, good reputation is worth having
These two examples present the CHIEF uses nnfde
ofthe adjective in all correct speaking and writ
ing. Itappearsfrom them that the Office of this
part of speech is very humble and unobtrusive
although very important. The adjective, when
properly employed, is hOmely, y-day sort
of character, not inclined to put eR AIRS. .o etalt
itself into any special prominenee.' - = ~ 4
But yet this very quiet body is made the me-
dunn of great deal of exaggeration among us
and herein is manifest the vitiated taste of our
people, In common conversation the poor
humble qualifer is often forced into a duty alto
gether above is true office. 1t IS true there
| are strong adjectives. They would be of no use
and could have no being if they were not some
times employed. But they are often used when
wholly out of place. And to one who has, be-
come .aceeustoned to. use Isbsn,, the &diaaty,
truthful adiecsves are wholly dry and iunifiter-
esting. For example; an enthusiastic young Ia
dy has presented to her flower or bouquet
which is truly pretty, because tastefully arrang-
| ed by some skillful hand. But she cannot con-
tent herself to describe it adcerdipg to- tsttue
qualities. She calls it 'Bea,ifffulF orr sSblen-
didlu or "Magnicentl' and the tones of her
voice are quite as emphatic the words she US
es. If she were TO see some object really de-
serving to be described splendid she
would be in possession of no epFhet; p apply TO
| IT stronger than those she bestows upon a Very
common object Aperson given to this extrav-
agant use of adiectives, could not describe the
| grand scenery at Niagara Falls by any stronger
| terms than he would use in speaking of pretty,
little flower And, if so, then Il must Be seen
that the use of the stronger epithets on ordinary
occasions, and with reference to ordinary objects
/ is, simply guntruthful. A flower may be very
pretty without being splendid and if it is
simply pretty, to call it splendid is-an un-
| truth 1t is not splendid. Why call it ysog
The people who put the unfortunate 'qualif-
ers of their native tongue to this illegitimate
use, also make large demands upon their cooler
and more sensible neigbbors. The man who
does not go into ecstacy with them over a
very common NATTER they regafd as scarcely
possessed of the sensibilities of hhinan nature
There are men who hold strong words in reserve
| for strong occasions, What others call ''splen-
did," they call pretty. What others call
grand they call very good, or something of
the kind, striving to use words in their true and
legitimate, sense. OF course they seem to their
high sstrusg friends to be very dull sort of peo-
pie Yet they are very truthful people.
The man who confersthe strong adiectives up
| on common objects is, of course, unable to des-
| csibe,any objeet really worthy, OF strong cpl
-tfetsss Hss can only make italp ihrasiingasor
| like the man who was accustomed to swear vi
olently, ON every light occasion, when the
strong occasion comes he can only confess his
inability ITO do Justice tp the subject
There is one poor word nowadays subjected
| to very cruel abuse viz: the word lawful -
| The Dictionaries tell us that this word means
| (I) ''That strikes with ave-" (2) 'Struck with
ave." (3) Dreadful" 'fearful." Webster
says, ''Our common people use this word in the
senseof hightfuls ugly, detestable. = Itis prop
er to speak of the ''a,ctd majesty of Jehovah, -
or to say with Milton
+ q Ess - & .sAbashsS the pesn stood,
| And felt how arfuL goodness is.'
| Or, storm may be worthy of the description
sa,otd" But the price of sugar, even at thir-
ty-five cents pound is not ''awful. But to
hear many people talk, one would suppose this
to be the a,Cful-est world in existence. This
word, surely, is not so pleasant or agreeable as
tosleserve so common a use as it is now put to.
let it alone to its legitimate Office. Il wHl do
very ven there, @Sk0gE kS +,
S ThsIabnseof adiectives isSqdite appafent in
inuchef the popular Htetattire,s and also ih- the
kind of oratory that has the popular applause.
The lighter and more exciting kind of reading
abounds in strong epithets. Hence the readers
| okthis cannsf epdars the writings Of the great
masters q tie knglish tongues Those masters
I-use language according to its true import, and
are not found calling things what they not
Hence there is nothing TO excite the imagina-
ton to an undue activity. All is plain and
truthful. No strong language is used unless
the occasion be strong. Hence it results that
many people who read a good deal, yet never
read the standard works of English literature,
or any other literature. There are not in those
works adjectives enough to suit their over-exci-
ted fancy. They want forid, highly wrought
style, the chief characteristic of which is the ex-
travagant use of adjectives. ~ Il
There are two kinds of public speakers who
address men. Those of one kind speak plainly,
truthfully. They aim to develop the subjects
of which they speak, in logical methods, and
with directness of language. These speakers
| gain ready hearing with the more cultivated
and intelligent. But they are not apt to be ia
vorites with the masses Yopr most popular
orator is often a man of strong adiectives He
raises his voice to an unearthly screech, to sub
stitute sound for sense. His matter has neither
beginning, middle end. The logic of his ad-
dress would be quite as good if it were read
backwards. But he has plenty of what an old
Latin writer called 4six-foot words. " He lash
| es himself into fury with great, burning ad-
| jectives, and makes uproar generally The
popular voice calls him great orator As a
son of Hibernia said ''Shure an he 5 great
spaker an he bate seven. bibles an three pull
pits in PAGES. Take away from the renowned
Bombastes Furioso his enormous adiectives and
their natural accompaniments and his colors
would be surrendered at once. His waxen
wings would speedily be melted
The corruption of the popular taste is co-ex-
tensive with the use and love of extravagant
and ill-spplied epithets. Noman's taste is cor
rect unless he is satisfied with truthfulness, and
pleased to have things called by their right
names, and described by adjectives which rep
resent them as they are. II is very true that
we have a right to complain of the prosaic ma
ture of the Jonathan who thought Niagara Falls
an excellent place to wash sheep" But where
there is one such Jonathan there are full ten
people who are ready to describe some ordinary
mill-pond as "a splendid, expanse, " or some
thing of the kind. There are objects and oc-
casiOns worthy 10 call out the strongest feelings