The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-22
STUDIES OF STYLES.
Preposterous and Eccentric Literature
SUGGESTIONS TO AMATEURS.

14CpVntCIVub hLlu GCc0utIlC LlL6TatuIe,
SUGGESTIONS TO AMATEURS.
To young writer DESTROYS of entering
the field of literature with some peculiar
ity about his writings which shall pre-
serve his individuality, it must be ex-
ceedingly embarrassing to decide. what
style he shall adopt and make his own.
Hosea Biglow, Sam Slick, Artemus
Ward, The Disbanded Volunteer, Or
pheus c. Kerr, Doesticks, Josh Billings
and many others have chosen distinctive
methods, and have achieved notoriety Il
not fame. Whether they add to the per
manefit riches of literature may be 2
question, but there is no doubt that they
amuse and in some degree instruct the
living generation.
THE EXTRAvAGANT STYLE.
The extravagancies ofstyle-similie OF
hyperbole run mad--are old and famil
lar, but are still in use. Curran describes
politician as zone who, buoyant by pu-
trefaction, risesas he rots. Belthazar Ora
tian, in discussing the reconcile subject
of mental philosophy, says: "Though s
flow from the extensive coasts of Men,
Dry, embark on thesea of Imagination, ar
rive at the port of Genius, to be registered
Mt the custom-house of the Understand
ing" Mather says: "We often child.
ishly cry for knife to cut the fingers
our souls.o A German writer says tina
young girl is fishing--od: the eyes arc
the hook, the smile the bait, the loverthe
gudgeon, and marriage the batter i.
which he is fried A young gentleman
once began 70. e,co IN the ligurativt
style:
"Albert rode Win the speed of an al.
row to the garden, sprang like the win,
from his steed, like squirrel over Il
hedge, writhed like a snake through til
palings, flew like hawk to the arboi
crept up to her all unseen, threw himself
passionately at her feet, swore franticaliy
that he would shoot himself, was, how
ever, Immediately heard, seated himse!
in blessed delight at her side, sank OIL
her bosom, swan in sea of bliss-ut
this tDos the tDork ofa second"
THE MIxED-PoETIc STYLE.
The first exhibitions of poetic geniu:
are ge,- orally rather striking. An edito.
gives a few specimen verses of q poem
which he cruelty rejected:
II had drems;
thort was alone, alone;
Oh, it did ssme
So sad away from homa from home
/ Ny he'd upon my hand
lent, lent;
Mi lee upon the sand
bent, bent.
thcTt CT other days.
And things and things;
OF happy, Childish phase,
And strings, aud strings"
This is neither 20 bold in conception
nor SO affecting In Its conclusion as th
following: Sd - -.s.s 3
. .n.s S S;x sae sn0w ~
> All on tho raesn name,
With other males
AL for to ketch wales
mere come back agsu. y,
Ths wind bloc hf,
The billors toet
All hands we're losts
Aud he was one,
Aspritey lad,
Lines may be shortened or heightened
to express the idea, as In the odes t.
Commodore Mutt and the Giant at Bar.
NUNS. One commences:
"Hail, small msnl +
Short 'un, but Id. ,s
Great, though small
Hail, Nuttp
The other begins:
phenomenon egregiousl Eongate aud gigantic
Mammotn man an. o. muscle, y, immense IN osteo.egy
With genutections humble aud with terrified apology
Dminutive sxfootcrs with trembling knees behold the
And take observation of thy longitude ex:ansive
Being struck with admiration that thy panaloons viii
hold thee, ICE
And wondering who mado sm, and If they came expsn
sive" t1
The manner Of "Hiawatha" lie easy te
initiate, as, for instance, in description
Of cat and dog fight by the author OF
Tom Hyerwarther, beginning:
"Neath tree a. / was waHdoren,
Spide . maultee grmalkin tfH
Cat of venerable kuilcr
Meath the great umbrajus shader.
Then she walked upon the creme sod
Bsrrid dope In contemplation
Thiukn on the past and luter." D. ne i,s5alt
Here is specimen of involuntary
thyme: "iA 'a't
,.sxpidst ye ever SEQ a steamboat Fl
~ Goes to Albany and back, rGu
And whenst ys see it
The smokes black
Amethod by which persons withshort
memories may sing songs which have
been partly forgotten, and also supply
rhymes, is suggested by the following :
sob, If I had a lumty tum lumty tum too
In the land oil the olive and fig I'd -...
would sing Of the lumti tum tumti to you
And play on the thing umy-1ig.
"Apd il in the lupty tum battle fall
tumti tunn's all that crave; ~
Oh, bury deep in the what you-may-call,
And plant thingumbobs over my grave"
THE PpINTERs's STYLE. t.-
The following mild and perfectly pro-
per and Ineligible directions Of the
foreman of newspaper composition
room to one of his hands will give an
idea of this: elg rfa
"Jim, put General Beauregard on th'
galley, ana then finish the murder
Il y