The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-11-09
NEWBERRY, S. c.. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1882.

please
The person who says those,
or these molasses, says Politics
are.'
The man who hahitually says
Il am mad when be is angry,
would not feel complimented if one
should call him a mailman and
we should not be surprised at
hearing him say, i am aggrava-
ted when he means vexed,
annoyed or irritated.
Bury it so deep that it can
never be resurrected' is faeorite
expression among some Of our po-
litical speakers, who seem 10 for
got that a thing cannot be resur-
rected-that q soul never was,
and never can be resurrected.
Do not say-'all men are not
honest when you loean Not all
men are honest
| But it is not my aim to ex-
haust either you or the subject !;
and shall be satisfied if you re-
member the few Inaccuracies to
which [ have directed your atten-
ton. There is another branch Of
the subject on which l have some-
thing to say; [ accordingly pro.
ceed to that. Every one has, or
should havo style. Pe,haps I
should do we'll TO show what I
mean by style. An authors style
is that which distinguishes his
writings from the writings Of all
others. That explanation is not
satisfactory ; let me put it in this
shape: You have read Macau'ay
and Carlyle-if not, do so at your
earliest opportunity and in read
ing, if you read with any discrim. e.
ination, you noticed that while
each does credit to his language,
the two writer's widely differ.
That which most distinguishes
them is style-the manner Of ex-
pression-the choice and arrange
ment of words. Carlyle is dis
}jointed, nervous and energetic
Macaulay, easy, smooth, and pol
ished. Carlyle strikes with a
bludgeon Macaulay tbrusts with
a rapier of Damascus steel. AS I
have presumed to advise you, let
me 60 father. You wish to know
how to form a pure style; how to
|'decide what words to use, and
where to put them. Again 1 sug-
gest that you study the best au.
thors, and that you associate as
often as possible with persons
who have a proper regard for the
beauties of our language, and who
do not give way to it's abuses.
When 1 say study the best au-
thors, I am very far from meaning
that you should initiate any one.
A literary copyist is generally
held to be contemplate. Emer-
son is distinguished writer, but
even be would be more admired if
it were not for strong suspicion
that Carlyle is his model. Make
no mans style your ideal an
artist never realizes bis ideal. In
studying the great men Of the
literary world do not forget who
you are. If you falsely regard
yourselves as Macaulays, you will
initiate the easy flowing periods
of Macaulay if you look upon
yourselves as Carlyles, you will
try to adopt the rugged richness
Of Carlyle; if you think your
selves Gibbons, you will initiate
the stately diction of the great
historian,-and in so doing, you
will defeat the attain ment of the
very end at which l should have
you aim Individuality. Make
many men your guides; no man
your master. Study others, but
be yourselves-be natural. In
what L have just SAID, L did not
lose sight Of the fact that there is
difference between a literary and
a colloquial style.
Two things Ishould especially
enjoin upon yoo-simpZicity an d
perspicuity. Choose the simplest
words that will convey your
thought, and so arrange them that
the wayfaring man though fool,
cannot fail to see your meaning.
1t readily appears that the pur-
pose Of language, is threefold ;
to instruct, to please and to per,
suade. Some persons speak to
the fancy, others to the heart,
others, still, to the understanding.
In speaking for merely rhe torical
effect, you may loiter by the way