Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-06
from the Charleston Weekly Record.
BILL VS.. ARP THE KINGS ENGLISH.

from the Charleston Weekly Record.
BILL VS.. ARP THE KINGS ENGLISH.
Messrs. Editors If common place
man (your humble servant for example)
should meet in the streets Of Rome, Ga,
the well knowo writer named above, and
should begin gravely to lecture him about
his peculiar style, rich scene would proba
bly, onsue. Imagine even a "sereno" Qua
ker reproving him-"Fricad William Harp
theo must be dignied in thy compositions,
or we will summon thee before tho meet
ing"--even his gravity would scarcely be
proof against the answer he would receive.
Now, Mr.. Editor, have no ambition to
figure m any such comedy. have not tho
slightest wish or purpose to STRAW fire" of
this guerill" writer. Ear from it. Ii tue
"Roman Senator" ever approaches mo
armed with his pen, w'k instantly char
monizc," at any price, on any terms, or
even without terms. And yet wish, cam
didly, without any prudery or afrectation,
to express fear, that his example and wri.
tings may injure, are injuring now, our Ian.
guage and literature. Ills first letters were
good, almost faultlcss IN their kind. Tie
humor was in the idea,, in the very thoughts
themselves, and therefore it was real. The
Letters Showed unusual command Of Ian
guage, and uncommon sprightlness of con-
cep:ion. If they did not rise to a high
style of writing, ,hey wcro at least such "a
few men could have written. Thcit in1u-
ence was to certain extent, good. But
their success has callel out scores of'imita..
tors q who mQst exactly copy all their
blots and weaknesses and-.nothing else,
And the writer Of these letters himself (ii
some recent specimens arc not forgeries)
has como down to their level, and is said
ing and abetting" them In their efforts to
reconstruct" the English language. They
seem to think, that If they can write some
thing which is not good sense j: must nec-
essarily be good nonsense--that to outrage
grammss is to display wit-that to spell
barbarously is to write funnily. Now the
Jaws which restrain US in writing are as
necessary as wise, and a. conservative as
those which restrain our tongues, or direct
our personal bearing in refined or good so.
oiety. None Of them can be violated hab-
itualfy or even frequently, with innocence
or safety. The densoraltzution OF a peos
Piles tastes and feelings piX keep pace suith
that Of their daily language Some of
your readers can remember page of his
tory illustrating this. Thirty years ago
Jack Downing began to write good plain
strong English, for the most part. But he,
and a host OF admirers and imitators, grav-
itated downward. They flooded the coun
Try with volumes fappropriassly illustrated
VITA hideons distortions and, carl features tot
pictures,} in which coarssness, strained.ex-
pressions, Aippancy and irrevefence took the
place Of humor and wit,
"And the land stank. so numerous soas the try.''
Sidney Smith, Washington Irving and
others have found our mother tongue in
its simplicity and purity, sufficient for all
their needs--able to express their .purest
thoughts, their dearest. and most humorous
conceptions. Ifany one has message for
our people, which cannot be delivered with
out mangling, and abusing our noble Ian
guage, perhaps it would be better for him
not to utter it at all. Just now when all
things seem.to urge US to begin as from q
new point Of departure, in literature as in
other fields Of effort, .hcrcAs nothing to be
gained, and much every way to be lost, by
yielding to this style Of Writing which ''has
increased, is increasing, and ought to b d.
minished." We would not deprive Oh,
exhausted country Of a single resource OF
gift, which any Of her cbildan. .can bring to
strengthen or ahorn hss iG 1py respect
The statesman, the moralist, the ready wri.
ter, the private citizen, may each and his
work. and reward. And they will gladly
walooue as allies all who can eone with
the rare eRdowth Of hamor and wit.
The capacity to laugh, and to cause laugh
ter, like every OTHER part Of our mysterious
nasurs; mas it's uses. Oar people arshsppis
fIy endowed with the.abIity to nningle tears
and laughter. Bat sore will be the disapS
pojntsnent, and hur,ful will be the resotion
oftssline, IL when 4bey are eagerly looking
for the entrance Of the Laughing Phileso.
;;ppisr, there stsps forth only a--c4own.
:::r'29:,s =. .ENNOREE,
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aWood 5s the thing atep ais the
man ws.t d pine leg said when q mad dog
Bit iLa:e.o -,','' ,.. tao' .;7.,