The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-06-13
slang in our Literature.

The Middlebury Register copies from
the Pennsylvania and Real Estate
Journal an article upon the Sensational
and Slang Element in American Litera-
ture," by Virgil w. Blanchard, Of Bird
port. In this article the writer defeats
his own purpose, essentially good one,
by the too free use of the very "sensa-
tioal language" which he condemns, and
by the reckless way in which he "sloshes
around" generally. We confess we new
er felt moro kindly toward those "faint
gross, nocturnal emanatons Of Sylvanus
Cobb, Artemus Ward Bret Harte & Co."
than after reading this fierce TRADE. The
writer predicts as the result of this too
free use of slang in American literature.
social disorganization, general chaos and
horrors untold. 1t seems little ludic-
rous that person setting himselfup as
reformer in literature, an advocate of
purer and simpler style, should Ego on"
as fellows. Speaking of the modern nov
el he says:
"Passion-inluriated intensified pas
ion attempting and achieving impossible
ities-strategem wildly wrought, incohe-
rent, scnseless; an expression sickly,
aashy, often displaying frightful evolu-
tions in rhodomontade, are some Of the
chief ingredients in the nauseating po-
ton. The helish draught is invariably
favored with suggestiveuess of amor
Gus desire, often descending to unreleved
brutal lust. A goodly number of pages
in each volume invariably glow with this
reflection Of the fires of hell.
Ideal monstrositics' whose hideousness
and unrivaled unscemliness constitute
!, their only claim, even to contempt, are
blazoned on every page. Think of the
educator in taste and morals. Bah
what "black vomit' Of literary filth
the gods are raining upon us. The re-
suit Of such assaults upon good taste and
morality is appalling"
,, All critics do not agree with this one
Thus in Erery Saturday we find a pas
sage probably from the pen of f. 7.
Whipple who perhaps may be reckoned
fair authority, which takes very diff
ferent view.
"Thc exceptional character Of wicked
ness as force in human affairs is dem
onstrated by the light literature Of the
time The most popular novels however
contemptible they may be from an artist
ic point Of view, are rigid in the point Of
morals From Dickens and Thackeray
all the way down to the mcanest produc-
tions of the sensational press, virtue in
vital or mechanical sense is loudly cele-
brated The representation Of human
life may be intellectually imperfect, but
the moral is good Rogues really en-
Joy this romantic literature. They may
D. be Individually sensual and knavish, but
a novel which inculcatcd sensuality and
rascality as motives Of action. would be
kicked out of their houses, Hence, most
of our popular" literature is not only
modest but prudish Virtue is always
rewarded" in the New York Ledger and
Saturday Night"
}" The writer in the Peu@yirdnian quotes
passages from Bret Harte and John Hay
interminglel with quotations from Shelly,
Tennyson, Bryant, 6c., which seems to
indicate that one trouble with him is that
he cannot seperate the language from the
sense, the idea from the dross, in which
it is presented. He cannot understand,
perhaps, that a man may be capable OF
heroic deeds, though his hat is battered
and his cowhide boots muddy. Does the
young Lieutenant of the Oneida, the son
of wealthy parents, standing, dressed III
his handsome uniform, at his post when
the ship went down, present nobler in-
stance of heroic adherence to duty and
high daring than "Doc" Simmons, lwho
perhaps, chcwed tobacco and swore oc
casionally,) as he stood, in greasy flannel
upon his engine when it leaped into that
fearful gulf of death at New Hamburg
Because there are rough spikes upon the
80 thistle shall we find no beauty in its bios
som &? Beneath the thorns that cover II
we discover the beauty and fragrance o.
the rose. So fine idea may be clothed
in the uncouth language Of the miner OF
deck hand, yet the true poet will dlscoy
er it, and perhaps appreciate it all the
more for its rough setting. The writeI
quotes the following lines from Johl
Hays Jim Bloodso,' and denounce'
them as blasphemy.
"Ani Christ AIM a-gong to be too hard
Ou a man that died for men
The theological question involved II
,- these lines-much debated at present oil
both sides of the water-we do not carr
to discuss. But if the idea contained II
nn m them were expressed thus, "Blessed is h
W. who dies that others may live" would |
~ still be blasphemous If not, then
.Oo ~, would appear that blasphemous expires
w w sion may become unexceptionable by be
10 =, ing couched in faultless English. Tn
IN most pathetic words we ever heard wer
No No from the lips of little ragged dirty girl
ns who, when told that her mother was dead
- flung her arms around the neck OF he
~ ~ little brother with the despairing or.
~ -. "Oh, Tommy, Tommy, we haint got N
~, lSO mother now" 1t was execrable English
'u ,u' but it brought the tears to the eyes O
- the hearers Would it have been NOR
I nr touching if the little girl had been dress
x 4 ed in rich garments and had said "Broth
- er Thomas we have no mother now
,a ,a' We do not purpose to defend the use o
~ ~ slang but it is well to keep in mind tn
u u difference between dialect and slang. Il
~ ~ the south and west many expressions ar
'he a, used which sound queerly in the north
"' but which are not slang People IN dil
ferent sections of the country and IN dli
Try ferent ranks Of society have diiieren
rk- ways of expressing their thoughts, an
'ft, the rough language and bad grammar
ass the heroes of Bret. Harte's and job
ing Hays poems and novels are apt to shoe
me the sensitive. But who can read with
the out thrill how, when every man, won
! l.. ...al L. LIZ cti \