The Portland daily press., 1882-04-13

lin contrast with these lines read Pope's lode
on Solitude for an example OF the masculine
style. Compare, also, this ode, which was
written when the author was only twelve years
of age, with pieces written by the Davidson
s,ris at the same age, and the diHerence De-
tween the masculine and feminine mind, as
vel as diction, will be made apparent by the
contrast 1t must be remembered, however,
that while the fair sex use more ornate dc
tion. they are not SO prone to the elaborate
adornm ent of their style with the flowers OF
rhetoric Their imagery comes to them more
spontaneously. They do not ceneer their meta
nhors into the body of their diction, as artists
make mosaic work. Their style is more like
the handwriting of ready penman; the
masculine style more like print. By that studi-
ions elaboration which Milton evidently be-
slowed upon his minor poems Iemaie author
would spoil her work.
: And here, by the way, l would call atien-
t7io.n to fact which may seem rather unac-
c,,u,,table, that there is more Stiffness written
by mon who make verses than by women. inns
NAV irSve have happened because puerlle
thonght. or series of puerile thoughts, msst
have spontaneous utterance or be offensive.
Perhaps it arises in some measure from the
Greater arnount of love poetry In mems eompo-
s;tions. 1t requires the genius of Burns or
Moore to write love verses which are NOT iual-
crons to all except the authors. We must also
consider that of the two sexes there IS larger
nyonortion of the best minds given to poetry
and Solite letters among females.
When critics speak OF forcible style, they
geueraily use the epithet with reference 70 tne
ian.yuage rather than the arguments OF the
ant6ov or speaker. According to this general
49, ~ the word, female writers surpass the
other say IN the force of their style when en-
gaged in co. .atroversy. Some may doubt TINS,
but let the re sder examine NUMBER OF authors
Of each sax ana compare them. A woman pours
down upon her adversary OF the male sex more
indionafion than she receives In return. There
is more Quiet in the style OF her antagonist L
do not say that she is more tefsonai; pu. uo-
ing always sure that she is right, and having
less logical power than the enemy' sne po's
more yehemence into her dlceion' :, ,.A
Female authors have a letter ideal, put
lower critical standard, than the other sex.
There are more women VINO Write ilAe ' IVY,
Hugo. They are governed less py rhetnIict,
rules than men, even II hel.her neS $1,000
rhetoric. A certain pleasing ana interesting
stvle of writing is attainable by larger pro
norton of the fair sex, and there are leWer
women who attempt more than thsy can ; uo;
They press forward into pleasant patns ana
over themselves with laureis, while multltudes
~ men hobbe round at the foot OF Parnassus
nic king up toadstools. without ciImolag nlgn
eno,, ssh to reach single laurel leaf. Ii were
to I'm gt for bathos and for blundering, stuPio
fa;lnraS to fill q column cf absurditles ior tho
orass I should look into books written oy men,
~. pesI, 10 q, on,en do not intend by this remark
20 spsIt tSe fair sex intellectually above their
Iords. INT there are probably fewer ounces
amoug those who write poetry. ~, ..,.
An my readers are probably iamiiiar WIN WIN
the stvle II John Ruskin. 1t is highly poeticai
cooions and descrin tive, but seldom logical. In
MANY noints ID ressIn bles the style OF Edmund
RnrIe hut IL ia more interesting. lt possesses
a quality which Mathe W Arnold terms "a ,aplul- l-
ty, word that is nearly .'ut aot pteosoy al
onymous with dash, which is nneiy TSi. nnaI;
ty is more remarkable In the feminine
than in the masculine styie nne.o =.
are many female authors who - .ueS ~ ~
chose the same subjects, woald VIC w ~ m ~
kin and Burke. Many critics The bigb.
style of these two authors models o. 'no n.s ~
est kinds of excellence. This is not pomS pon,e W
be discussed at the present time. will enupiy
remark that among distinguished male 3. ~ .
can think of none who SO fairly represent ~ ",
feminine style; and / will venture to say tA.aS
several female authors might be named VII
tully equaled them in their characteristics. oa
the other hand it seems to me that there is
one kind of literary excellence Which mas nov s =
or been attained by Woman. aiiude 10 una :
quality Of diction which distinguishes rope
Goldsmith and Campbell as poets, and Addl-
son Macaulay and Washington Irving as prose
writers. 4.
/ win add to what have said in regard 20
the dsshing style of female authors II l may
use certain favorite epithets which originated
at Delphi~-that their writings are more aoun
ant in .bold" and daring" expressions ana
figures of speech than the writings Oh tne nia.S
sex. Read Mrs. f. b. Browning's poems WIZ
reference to this point, and compare her moae
of expressing her sentiments with the simple 10
diction of Byron. If l may be pard0ne1 IN I,
these days for alluding timidly to the qnanI,y
of simplicity of style as a meri', GU, the o,thar
authors must rank below those OF the o@uoi
sex. .o..;.,rs
which are not quite clear, in ph rases which are
more suggestive than graphic, aifording CLEANS
of something very beautiful aud divine, Dq'
nresenting no distinct image of the divine OBJ
fect; an angels face peering through luminous
mist, without any definite outlines. But wnen