, 1874-01-18

out OF the HldQ!6 OF t0a CQu1IlS JQ4ut, o@s0A
commends m article to both editor and RAIDER.
Be brief and crisp. giving results only, not pro-
cesseB,-R1GGesting argument ratner thah e1at-
ing it. Don't serve up with the pearl the oyster
and the shell.
Put your points clearly and sharply; don't
cover them up with verbiage, but let them stick
out. Let your sentences be electrically charged.
Let every word leap with life, and blot out every
one which does not help to clench the meaning.
CoSDESsE-coSDESsE-C -CoSDENsE.
Ignore a]l inferences and regard explanatory
sentences as nuisance. Some writer's always
explain thing to death. Throw subordinate
thoughts to the dogs. Thin your fruit that the
tree may not be exhausted, and that some OF it
may come to perfection. Above all, stop when
you are done. DON'T let the ghost OF your
thought wander about after the death Of the
body. Aim to be suggestive, not exhaustive.
and leave the reader to draw many inferences
for himself. Take for granted. after all your
condensation, shat your article is
TWICE TOO LONG.
Cutting it down may require nerve, but 1t is the
compactness which makes it do execution.
Lastly; lay aaide your paper, If pos.
sible, for q week. and then retouch
it; strengthen its weak points. and polish
its rough ones. Too many artlcle-wrlters
grudgc the toll which is necessary to perfect
their contributions. They quote Talne, who
condemns transitions, elegances OF style. the
whole literary wardrobe" to the old-clothes
shop. ssThe age demands ideas, not arrange
ment Of ideas; the plgeon-holes are manufac-
tured: fiji them." True, in certain sense !;
but ideas, like soldiers, owe their force largely
to their arrangement. Thoughts become differ
ent thoughts when expressed in different Ian
guaee. Other newspaper writer's believe in fast
writing, which is GENERALLY apt to be hard read
ing. The thought. they say. should be struck
OF in tho passion OF the moment; the sword
blade mast 70 red-hot to the anvil, and
be forged in fow seconds, not by piece
meal, II YOU would have it of heavenly temper.
Granted but, after the forging, long and weary
polishing and grinding must follow before your
sword-blade will cut. What would you think OF
cutter who should say, IT turn out knives
with great facility, but I cannot stop to give
them an edgo7" Cassius Etrus-ius boasted
that he could write 200 pages before dinner, and
as many after. He was burned, as he deserved
to be, on
ApnE OF BIS OWN PRODUCTIONS.
We have said nothing Of the mechanic paris
OF an RfLcIo. uaL ~ s11o0aa4 o7 "AAtto 4"eoA@Ai
on one side Of small~sizod sheets. with careful
punctuation and spelling, and plenty OF para
graphs is generally known. We might ado
| other useful hints; but enough. Follow tht
| directions VIC have given, and, il you have sou
| that fires with great thoughts. aud Tears not tt
| utter them freely, you may wieId with tue peh
| power that no scep:.e can rival. But, II yot
| have no enthusiasm or inspiration. and can
put fire into your writings, you would better pu
| Your writings into the fire. II you don't do so
and your article goes to "Balaam's box" }" dont
fy into passion and call the editor fool. O
assert that he ia p1ejudiced. Mothers are al
ways partial to their deformed children, ant
authors think most highly Of their rickety lite.
| rarv bantlings. Don't waste moments time II
| vindicating your productions against editors Q
! critics, but e1pend your energies In writing
something which shall
| NEED no v1SD1cAT1oS BUT ITSELF.
Finally, do you feel, on reading these HINTS
AZ did Raaselas when he bad listened TO the de
tail OF the qualifications necessary to poet
and exclaimed: "Who, then, can be poet
We confess it is the picture Of an ideal article
writer that We have drawn; but, though tn
I conception that haunts our brain ia one whic
VIC have been utterly unable to reaize.-thous
our ideal, after many weary years pursuit. stl
flies before ns like the horizon, and mocks u
with its unattainable charm,-we still have tn
satisfaction Of showing that onr readers yaw
lcss frequently than if We had adopted lowe
and more e2ailv-reached standard.