The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-06
Superlatiyes.

Superlatives weaken the force and
true effect of speech; the positive is
the sinew and muscle of speech, the
superlative is the mere fat. Language
should aim to describe the fact, not
merely to suggest il. A good writer
draws well and eolors well at the same
time. Our feelings Discriminate in
simultaneously traits which our speech
cannot. We say that man has force,
talent, character, or none; and then
we are at an end. But these words
discriminate not well enough; the
man is still not described. An honest
observer once appeared much struck
with his neighbOr's aspect and char
acter, and he said, "Well there's
good deal of something about him."
1t Is wearisome to hear the users OF
this group of superlative phrases.
They have no indefinite article; all
their "a'sr are "the's;" "the very
best you never saw" ~ never in all
nv life" and so on. One wishes these
terms was once for all gazetted, and
sent to Coventry. With them all
pleasure is 81 most delightful, delicious,
exquisite, enchanting; all pain, "ago
nies, excruciatiOns, tOrmentS." we
find profanity flat and tedious, and so
is any writing or any speech, though
with good purpose, which has any un'
necessary use of sacred names. The
Divine Being should always be sup
posed. Lunatics swear because their
exaggerated sensations require ex-
aggerated speech. Profanity goes out
of vogue because society does not like
it. Such Oaths do not go out of vogue
as are the attestations, inspired mo-
ments, of something which absolutely
is-an appeal to the heart Of beings,
dedication, the right, exeeratiOn of the
bad; even in religious acts these are
beautiful and thrilling, both to speaker
and hearer. But sham damns disgust
All exaggerationS brings us back to
the plain fact; all this Overstatement
is needless surely all that is simple
is sufficient for all that is good. A lit
tie fact seems worth a whole limbo OF
dreams. / love that my eyes should
see the real world as it is, without blur,
halo or glory /; the more | am engaged
in it the more il suffices me, and can
well spare the exaggerations which
seem to me only the screens to conceal
Ignorance. Nor is there in nature itself
any swell or brag, any strain or shock;
DuL plalll cOuiulou ScuoC 70 ecCh
through elephants and lions, all its
hens and chickens; even true pro-
portion between its promise and per-
formance,. Nature is always serious
does not joke with US. When we have
begun in folly we are sobered quickly
to plain dealing. Life cannot be carried
on except by fidelity and good earnest
ness and she brings the most heartless
trifler to determined purpose presently.
The way to knowledge and power lies
rather in an escape from all disturbing
purposes; and the more these are taken
away, the more real and inevitable
the wealth of being is made known to
US. The positive degree Is the mercury
and indicator of our condition; in
structing US to find our well-being in
the avoidance of extremes; SO that
your definition of virtGe is. a mean be-
1--WE n vicious extremes. The greatest
men are those who do not depart from
the common; but, keeping the COM
mon, vet infcfm it from the uncom-
mon. A msn shows greatness not by
salIies apd extreme attempts, but in
ordinary action. Men of really great
eudovments are not remarkable for
this or that, but are equally strong
whatever the occasion and in what
ever knowledge. W. Emerson.