Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-30
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This very small word is very o ften used in
the English language when a sent ence would
be very much stronger and the meaning very
much more forcible without it
II O man has not much hair on the top of
his head, it is not enough for people to SIM
ply saw that he is balu but he is very bald.
A man is not stingy, but he is very stingy.
when the one go1d strong word ''stingy
would put the whole point forcibly. doc
tor of divinity is not learned, but very learn
ed a doctor OF. me dieine is not crotchety, he
is very crotchety. while a lawyer Is not cum
ming, but very cunning In the same way. a
Young lady is not handsome, but very hand
some. The qualifer has become so common
that il is weakening to the word 1t is joined
to In nine cases out of ten where the word
rery is used to intensity human speech, SIN
gle, bold word without the reTy would hit the
meaning like hammer and drive it home
with a directness unknown to clogged and
hampered expression.
Very" seems to be a word designed by
providence for young ladies to express their
feelings with. This portion Of the commu-
nifty probably could not get on without their
adverb, but the English of the rest of the
race would be strengthened if the little quali-
fer were relegated almost wholly to the fair
class to whom it belongs. 1t creeps INTO our
literature as insiduously as the measels into
family of fifteen, and once there. IT stays
like an office-seeker. 1t breaks ont every
where, even in the most high-toned and
"cultivated writing newspaper, which
is authority on the art of liternry compost
ton. prints, for instance, thrilling descrip-
ton Of a brilliant party. Every lady present
was very much this or that Mrs. Blank,
who was e very intimate friend of Mrs. Dash,
wore a very handsome green satin dress, and
had . very handsome silver comb in her back
hair Mrs. General Dash wore m exceed
ingly becoming dress, which was very elabor-
ately made. Two young laGies, whose dress
es were exceedingly becoming and very
graceful, were accompanied by young man
vino had Il very light moustache. Everybody
was either very, OF exceedingly. or 'e1-
tremely," or most highly something The
air bristled with superlatives.
1t combines instruction with amusement to
count the ''veries' in column of news
paper advertisements A general house
work applicant is not content with being
respectable woman and good cook. She is
q very respectable woman and very good
cook. 1t is enough in all conscience, to be
said of a woman that she is a superior wait
ress. Superior itself means better than
good, but this uncommon waitress tacks on
the word very" too, and thus becomes very
better than good
The climax Of veriness is reached, how
ever, by girl. She is "a very competent
cook, understands waiting at table in n very
efficient manner, and is in all respects very
frst-class.' In all respects very iirst-class
qualifications is good 1t is only equaled by
the young man who was very perfect horse
man, and rode very black horse. A fine
example, too, of the redundant every" is the
reply of the old tar who was blown over
board at Trafalgar. and ,rescued with much
difficulty and who, long afterwards, being
asked by sympathetic lady how he felt on
that occasion, answered
"Wet, ma am, very wet.