Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-06-02
slanr in nnr Literature.

The Mlddlebury htgtSttF OOPiee
Ps,assIrlniaa and Real Estate Jour "df Al
article uron the Sensational and Slang Element
in American Literature" by Virgil W. Blanen-
ard. Of Briiport. In this article the writer de-
fe.ts his own purpose, essentially good one "
the TOO free use Of the very ''sensatiohai
language which he condemns, and by the recA-
less way in which be ''soshes around generally
We confess we never felt more kindly
toward those faint, gross. nocturnal emanA-
tons Of sylvanus Cobb, Artemss Ward, Bret
Harte & CO. than after reading this herce
TRADE The writer predicts as the result OF this
too free use Of slang in American literal re-
social disorganizstion, general chaos and horrors
untold. 1t seems little ludicrous that person
setting himself up as reformer in literature 81
advocate OF purer and simpler style shou.i
Is 20 on - as follows. Speaking Of the modern
move, he says:
Passion-infuristed, intensified passion al
tempting and achieving impossibiiIties-
gem wildly wrought, incoherent, senseiess az
expression sickly, iashy, often displaying
ful evolutons in rhodomoutsde, are some Vi m, M
chief ingredients in the nauseating pouon. nc
hellish draught is invariably favored Win a
suggestiveness of amorous desire, often descend
ing to uurelieyed brutal lust. goodiy num-
Der Of pages in each volume invariably glow
with this reflection Of the fires Of hell
Ideal monstrosities. whose hiaeousness anu
unrivsled unseemlness constitute their only
claim, even to contempt are blazoned on every
nsce Think Of the educator in taste and morals.
=, L. Of
the gods sre raining upon US. The result Of
such assaults upon good taste and morality is
appalling.
All critics do not agree with this one. Thus in
Ereru Saturday We find passage probably
from the pen Of E P. whiPple, who perhaps
msy be reckoued fair authority, which takes
very different view.
Theexceptionsl character Of wickedness as force
in human affairs is demonstrated by the light liter
AZURE ofthe time. The most popular novels however
contemplate they msy be from an artistic point
Of view, are rigid in the point Of morals From
Dickens and Thackersy ali the wSy down to the
mesnest productions Of the sensational press,
virtue in vital or mechanical sense is loudly
celebrated. The representation Of human life
msy be Intellectually imperfect, but the - NOR
al - il good Rogues really enjoy this romantic
literature. They may be individually sensual
snd knsvish, but a novel which inculcaied SEN
.uslity 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 Peaasylraniaa quotes pas
sages from Bret Harte and John Hay, inter
mingled with quotations from Shelly, Tennyson,
Bryant, &C, which seems to indicate that one
trouble with him is that he cannot separate the
language from the sense, the idea from tie
dress, IN which it is presented. He cannot IN
dert;snd, perhaps, that man may be capable Of
heroic deeds, though bis hat is battered and his
coShide boots muddy. Does the young Lieuten-
ant Of the Oneida, the son Of wealthy pa
rents. standing. dressed in his handsome uni
form, st bis post when the ship went down,
present nobler instance Of heroic adherence to
duty and high daring than Doc " Simmons,
(who, perhaps, chewei tobacco and swore &C.
casionally,) as he stood, in greasy flannel, upon
his engine when it lesped into that fearful gulf
rough spikes upon the thistle, shall we find no
besuty in its blossom, Beneath the thorns thst
cover it We discover the beauty and fragrance Of
the rose. So fine idea may be clothed in the
uncouth language Of the miner or deck hand,
yet the true poet will discover it, and perhaps
appreciate Il all the more for its rough setting.
The writer quotes the following lines from John
Hays y lem Bloolso, - and denounces them as
blasphemy.
and Christ amt a--oin.. TO he too hard
On a man that died ior men,
The theological question involved in these
lines much debated at present on both sides Of
the water-Se do not care TO discuss. But if
the ides contained in them were expressed thus.
blessed is he who dies that others may live"
would it still be blasphemous If not, then it
would appear that blssphemous expression
may become unexcepuonsble by being cOuchei
In faul;less English. The most pathetic words
we ever heard were from the lips of a little rag
ged dirty girl, who, when told that her
mother WAS dead, flung her arms around the
neck Of her little brother with the despairing
cry Oh, Tommy, Tommy, we hsint got no
mother now" 1t was execrable English, but it
brought the tears to the eyes Of the hearers.
Would it have been more touching if the little
girl had been dressed in rich garments and had
said " Brother Thomas, We have no mother
now? We do not purpose to defend the use of
slang but is well to keep in mind the difference
between dialect and sang. 10 The south and
west msny expressions are usei which sound
queerly in the north but which are not slang.
People in different sections Of the country and
in different ranks Of society have different ways
of expressing their thoughts, and the rough Ian
gusge sad bad grammar Of the heroes Of Bret.
Harte's and John Hays poems and novels are
apt to shock the sensitive. But who can read
without thrill how, when every man, woman
and child had been saved by his sublime act,
"Bludeo's ghost went up alone in the smoke
of the Prairie Bell? or Ct Tilman Joy
pledgng his own life for the poor
negro who had rescued him, though he
does il in the uncouth dialect of the 4" rough
Bret Harte and John Hay do a good work in
showing US that education and refinement are
not the necessary concomitants of high sense
Of duty, gratitude and heroic self-sacri6ce,
and in teaching US to look more kindly upon the
ignorant and uncultivated, remembering that
"The dear God who loveth US,