Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-05-13
The Vice of Exaggeration.

We have all lsuGh. d over the story
of the good deacon who WAS visited by
IA committee of his brethren, to re-
prove him for his fault of hsbi;ual ex
aR2eration. When told that he was
dong grievous wrong and bringing
scandal npon the church by his con
Irct lie responded between his sobs:
:" know it, brethren, know it; it's a
dreadful fault, and I've shed barrels of
Tears over it." But how many of us
who enjoy the lsngh take to heart the
moral Of the story?
Most of us cond name at least one
person who is habitualiy gnilty of ex
aggeratiOu-a man or woman whose
every body discounts from ten to fifty
per cent before believing them. they
are not liars, in the strict sense of that
term; that is, they are free from all in
sention to deceive. Aud yet large
part of what they say is false, and they
wonld deceive if people who know them
bad not learned how to guess at about
the proportion of truth which their re-
marks contain. And the fault is not al
together one to he laughed ut and ridi
culed merely. Half the qnarrels and
scandals TINT arise are caused by the re-
petition, with unconscious exaggera-
ton, by G to A Of what B has said
about him. 1t is 80 easy to add or
emphasize a word, to change an itf-c.
ton or gesture, 8 that harmless re.
mark becomes discourteous and irritat-
ing. The same tendency to exagger-
ton is at the bottom of half the defects ia
the ordinary newspaper style, of which
critics say so much. The writer who
has small idea to express is not con-
tent to express it in small way, but
seeks after big, mouth filling words,
and piles up adjsctives around his
nouns, until the IDEA is lost in cloud
of verbisRe.
E1aggerstion is not only a Vicious
but silly habit. The end aimed at is
to deepen the impression the speaker or
writer wishes to protuce, but instead
OF that, it weakens the impression. A
simple sentence goes to the mark like q
bullet; and If there is an idea in it, it
tells for ell it is worth. The simplest
statement of q matter of fact. IS brief
and crisp IS it can be made, is the most
impressive. Nothing is better than the
simple truth about thing. The man
who Overetates may gain temporary
advantage, but the cool second thought
will produce q revulsion of feeling
which will il, re his cause and himself.
In the long run, not only will nothing
be gained, but much will be lost. The
plain truth, on the other hand, makes .
forcible impression ct the first, and the
impression deepens afterwards. Hence
it is that plain, strong style leaves it's
marks on one who reads it, while .
horid and exaggerated style may amuse
and charm for the time, but soon pals
on the taste aud is rejected by the
judgement. Hence it is that an orator
who, like Lord Beaoonsaeld, is always
ready to sacrifice everything for the
mere impression Of the moment, is
never able to gain any hold on the
moral sense of . nation, and remains to
the last only . clever party leader.
Hence it is that . man whose ims9in-
alton always gets so far the better Of
his judgment, that he cannot tell q
plain fact precisely az it happened or
repeat conversation Just as it oc-
Cured so that he can never be fully
believed by those who know him until
they have some corioborative evidence
of the truth of his statements, can
never make tho mark on the world that
his abilities would lead one to expect.
OF all the faults usually classed
among the small vices" there are few,
If any. that are more reprehensible than
habitual exaggeration. 1t is az easy
as lying" sAid Hsmlet to the courtiers
who protested that they could not play
on the recorders. How hard it is to
tell the exact truth We all know, but it
is virtue worth striving for with I'M
wearied perseverance.--lNew York Ex-
aminer.