The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-03-06
WORDS WITHOUT MEANING.
by PROFESSOR WILLIAM MATHEWS, OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.

Some years ago, "Vivian" of the Lon
don Leader, we'll known as Mr. G. III.
Lewes, in speaking of the late Albert
Smith, observed that one of his most
marked qualities was the priceless one of
frankness. ole accepts no sham. He
pretends to admire nothing that he is not.
Beetho zen bores him, and he says SO: how
many are so weary as he, but dare not
confess it! O. if men would but recog-
nize the virtue Of intrepidlty! If men
would but cease lying in traditionary
fol muas, to believe, and all
in sheer probability"
VINO does not admire the quality here
commended, and yet what quality, in this
age of self-asserhon- of sounding brass
and tinkling cymbal,--. is more rare?
What an amour. of insinceri:y there is in
human speech! In how few persons is
the tongue an index to the heart! Not TO
speak Of the How dye do?" and "Good
morning?' which are parroted without a
thought Of their meaning, or, at least,
without any real interest in the health or
prosperity of the person addressed, or if
the "Dear Sir" and "Yours truly that
bsgin and end letters, as matter Of
course, the hollowness Of which phrases
may be excused on the ground that they
sWeetcn human intercourse, and prevent
the toughest men from degenerating into
absolute boors,it is yet startling to reflect
how large q proportion of human speech
is the veriest can't That men should use
words the meaning Of which they have
never weighed, is bad enough; but that
they should habitaally use words as mere
counters or forms, is certainly worse.
There is hardly class in society, or a re-
latiou in which man cln he placed TO.
wards man, that does not call into play
more or less of language without mean
ing. The "damnable iterotisn' of the
lawyer In a declaration Of assault and
battery is not more thing OF form than
is the asseveration OF one petitioner tbs
he "will ever pray" &C., and that Of an
other that he will be thousand times
obliged" you will grant his request.
Who does not know to what an amount
of flummery the most trifing kindness
done by one person to another often gives
occasion 10 on both sides? The one racks
the vocabulary for words and phrases in
which to express his pretended gratitude,
while in fact, he is only keenIy Inundated
by having to accept favor, and the other
as eloquently disclaims any merit in the
grant, which he really grudged, and will
never think of without feeling that he
made great sacrifice.
The secret feeling of many great
benefactor' loudly praised in the news
papers, was finely let out by Lord Byron
when he sent four thousand pounds to the
Greeks, and privately informed a frieni
that he did not think he could we'll get
of for less. How many wedding aud
other presents, and subscriptions to pub
lie enterprises, are made by those who Sc
crety curse the occasion that exacts them?
With the stereotS ped thanks and
grateful acknowledgement of the chop
keeper all are familiar. SO with "the
las" " the positively the last" and "the
most posit- fely the very last" appearances
Of the dramatic stars, that shine for five
hundred or u thousand dollars night; as
nobody IS deceived by these phrases, it
seems hypocritical to complain of them,
and yet ono can hardly help sympathizing
with the country editor who denounces
Ole Bull because he is now making fare
we'll tours "once year." whereas former
ly he made them only "once in five years."
Considering the sameness of shopkeepers'
acknowledgements, one cannot help admir-
ing the daring originality of the Dutch
commercial house of which Tom Moore
tells, that concluded letter thus: Sugars
are falling more and more every day; not
so the respect and esteem with which we
are your obedient servants"
Literary men age SO wont to weigh
their words that cant ia them seems in
excusa Die; yet where shall we find more
of it than in books, magazines, and news
papers? How many reasons are assigned
BIZ hnthors for inflctino their works on