The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-22
s. Very"

used in the English language when a
sentence would be very much stronger
and the meaning very much more forci-
BILE without it. If DR.. bio Lewis, now
that he has finished counting up the
cost of a years sneezing, would set
himself to computing how much time,
tongue and combustion of nerve-cell
are wasted out of mans lifetime by
needlessly speaking the word "very,n
the apostle of oatmeal would be again
the benefactor of his race.
If a man has not much hair on the
top of his head, it is not enough for
people to say simply that he is bald,
but he is very bald. A man is not
stingy, but he is very stingy, when the
one good, strong word stingy'' would
put the whole point forcibly. A doctor
of divinity is not learned, but very
learned; doctor of medicine is not
crotchety, he is very crotchety, while a
lawyer is not cunning, but very cum
ming. In the same way, young lady
is not handsome, but very handsome.
The qualifier has become so common
that it is weakening to the word it is
| joined to. In nine cases out of ten
where very is used to intensity human
speech, single bold word without the
every" would hit the meaning like q
hammer, and drive it home with a di-
RICHNESS unknown to clogged and ham,
pered expression. Brutus does not say:
Gas Caesar was very valiant honor
him; but as he was very ambitious, |
| slew him.
every seems to be word designed
by Providence for young ladies to eX-
press their feelings with. This portion
of community probably could not get
on without their adverb, but the En-
glish of the rest of the race would be
strengthened if the little qualifer were
relegated almost wholly to the fair class
to whom it belongs. 1t creeps into our
| literature as insidiously as the measles
into a family Of fifteen, and, once there,
it stays like an oflice-seeker. 1t breaks
out everywhere. even in the most high
toned and cultivated writing. A
newspaper which is authority on the
art of literary composition prints, for
instance, a thrilling description of a
brilliant party. Every lady present
was very much this or that. Mrs. Blank,
who was very intimate friend of Mrs.
Gen. Dash, wore very handsome
green satin dress, and had a very hand
some silver comb in her back hair.
Mrs. Gen. Dash wore an exceedingly
becoming dress, which was very elabo-
rately made. Twoyoung ladies, whose
dresses were exceedingly becoming and
very graceful, were accompanied by Il
young man who had very light mus
tache. Everybody was either very"
or exceedingly" or extremely" or
"most highly something. The air
bristled with superlatives.
1t combines instruction with amuse-
ment to count the "verys" in column
of newspaper advertisements. A gen
eral housework'' applicant is not con-
tent with being respectable woman
and a good cook. She is a very re-
spectacle woman and livery good cook.
1t is enough, in all conscience, to be
said of woman that she is a superior
waitress. Superior itself means better
than good, but this uncommon waitress
tacks on the word every" too, and
thus becomes very better than good.
Next, every honest and extraordi-
narily clean' chambermaid, "who is
very careful about her work." wants a
place. What a treasure to have in the
house in these degenerate times, g a
very honest and extraordinarily clean
person, who is very careful about her
work, "would be. Then a every capable
young Scotch woman, who has the
very best city references" wants a
place. Of course, she is far superior
to the girl who is only a capable young
woman, with the best city references.
The climax of veriness is reached,
however, by girl. She is "a very
competent cook, understands waiting
at table in very efficient manner, and
is in all respects very tirst-class." In
all respects, very first-class qualifica-
tions'' is good. 1t is only equaled by
the young man who was very perfect
horseman and rode a very black horse
A fine example, too, of the redundant
very is the reply of the old tar who
was blown overheard at Trafalgar and
rescued with much difficulty, and who,
long afterward, being asked by SYM
pathetic lady how he felt on that occa-
sion, answered: "Wet, ma am, very
wet. - Cincinnati Commercial.
A FASHION item says "putfs and false