The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-02-22
TRICKS IN LANGUAGE.
The Eztravagant Style The Absurdities
of English Composition.

IL Al idea Is good and original. IL is the
most effective when presented IN the SIM
plest language. There are many persons
engaged in literary pursuits, however. Wh0
are very Well veIsed ia the dictionary. hut
deficient ia depth OF intellect. whose habit
it IS 10 dress up cOmmon-p place ideas IN new
and pOmpOus language aud pass them OF
for original productions.
The practice has also now become very
general 10 string a large number of word.
together, either in rhyme or hgh-sOuuding
prose, without the slightest glimpse OF con
secutIve meaning in them. and ruthles.ly
thrustinS them upon the public as crude
compositions. Writings Of this character
are sometimes pleasant 10 read as cu.iosi-
ties Of literature. but for the PURPOSE If
conveying rational thoughts m an enter
tanning manner they are utterly mcompe-
tent. The permanent strength Of the En-
glish laOguage lies in the commsuest
words
Although there are l15, 900 WOrls ia the
English language. il does lot follow. by
any means, that a good writer ought % use
them all Children. before the age OF ten,
MANAGE to say some of the most beautiful
things we hear through our lives with
probably not more than TWO or three hum
dred words.
Max Muller says:
"A we,l educated person in England, who
has been 10 public school and al the uni
yersity, who reads the Bible, his Shaks-
peare the Tones and all the books Of Mu-
dies library, {. O.. nineteen-twentieths Of
all the books published in England. seldom
uses more than g 600 or f. 600 words in con
versation. Accurate thinkers and close
reasOners, who avoid vague and general
expressions. and wait for the word that ex-
actly fits their meaning. employ q larger
stock, and eloquent speakers may rise to
command OF TO- 900. Shakespeare, who dis
played greater variety Of expression than
probably any writer IL any language, pro-
duced all his plays with about Is 600 words
MiltOns works are built up with s. 600: and
the Old Testament says all that it has 10
say with . 642 words"
Somebody has shown in the following in
geniOus production, that q very ineligible
sentence can be made in which the word
THAT IS repeated seven times:
In provethe word tha; I've ma .e my theme
S TIT ia 1 may be doubled without blame
AM that itat that thus treb'el ! nay use
Aud that that that that critics NAV abuse.
MAY be correct Farther-the lo1s 20 bother
live that's may clos -iy follow one other.
For be 10 known thai We my safely write
Ur LlaL It az l-dl iLll TAX SIt fSAl-
Nay. e'e' that that that that that td4t followed
Through s., repeats the grammsr's rule has haiowe1
An a. that that lat thai that that begun
Rspeatel seven times IS ght I~ryi who can
\ great deal Of extravagant language is
getting into the daily conversation OF peO-
pie disposed 10 be literary, II not sensible.
They are The kiud Of people who don't be-
gin. but always commence. They don't
i've. bu, reside" They don't 90 to led.
but mysteriously retire. They don't
give, bUi donate They don't Cat or
drink, but partake Of refreshments. -
They are never sick. but are often ..ex-
tremely indispOSed," " and instead Of dying
At last. they 'decease." These words are.
Of course, occasionally appropriate. and A.
most indispensable 70 prevent repetition 4.
but when they are used IN preference 10
their less preiens.ve synonyms because
they are longer. they become intensely dis
/ agreeable 10 the refined ear. A little fuu
mas been INDUCED in at the expense OF this
weakness OF persons ambitious 10 appear
learned GO 70 thunder" il is said. is
now rendered. Take Your departure 70 the
abode OF the reverberatin- echoes Of hea-
ven'S : artillery" You cannot make purse
out OF s0w's ear, IS now construed. 1t
F IS now utterly impossible 10 fabr.cate Z Pc
= =
/ OF the softer sex Of the genus pOrcine."
/ A delicate young lady. when she IS bill
/ li0us, complains OF being Willam-ous; and
calls H&des The old genteman's ire
place. There s some ingenuity, ~ least
in this.
The lunacy shown 10 some OF the ballad
+ poetry written now-a-days. was caricaturei
by Pufch in Z few remarkable yers,s C.
which the following are specimens:
A. miia.stt the rivs-s uaet il tie wha,e.
Ana fought ~ tie iiga' o. the Erasshopper's TAI
TIE elephant stood u lis trunk = tax breath
AI- tie tls-- ca ccsl = LIEgel Z u 90 ----l
lAen With o4bb e sIslk boldly be wrote.
-Cor1e. love. a1t treas OF tie tai O. Iuy coat
- tly cwn crocolie wh.sil-g .1- thee.
He s-cAnec-gave a Eurglc-a coll cor7se Eas ts
Lively, lovely ls-.i-e
2 ghte-, 2. GATED Isaiinst
A1urnfllly croak tls cats serene
How the ( l. Ssh. new ths froEs
Weep tie s-rzFs, AID plrr TIE dogs
A. ny pets SKA rapture say
"u-r y vii be wei 10 tav -
BIT ca1sl th1l love & lsh g green
blEtte-. P..El-el Is2i-es
There S . great deal Of nonsense written
about plagiarism. Some persons. unable
10 generate q new idea themselves. auuse
themselves by finding on. ancient resem-
dances II phrases or ideas between al
thOrs; and against the one who happened
20 write the --latest. the terrible charge C
plagiarism IS preferred. Bulwer saws tha,
L Is justihable 10 steal thought or phrase
L You can improve upon il: and Derhap:
that : the most correct View. Il i gene
Ta-ly the case that Z collation. Is more read
able and valuable than an ORIGINAL article