Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-30
Editor Dana on style.

Let US consider the request OF an ap-
plicant for literary Information:
SIN: Please state who among modern
authors is considered a master of terse
and lucid English; also six works OF con-
temporary interest that would serve for
models for student of style.
J. w. M.
By commen consent Cardinal Newman
is the great living master OF pure, lido
matte, luminous, elegant English style.
MIR. Matthew Arnold is also worthy to be
classed in the same category. MIR. Thack-
cry wrote q style of inimitable beauty,
terse, lucid, witty. Nathaniel Hawthorne
had command of q wonderful vocabulary
and q most suggestive and surprising
style. He was also of excellent taste and
felicity in the construction of his sem
tences. The late DR.. Ripley, so long the
literary critic of the Tribune, wrote in a
tull round and informing style. Mr..
George Bancroft, the historian OF the
United States employs an animated, pic.
turesque, original, yet never redundant
style. A beautiful style, simple, classic,
unaffected, is that of the great DIR. Chan
ming, who played so important part in
this country fifty years ago. His writing
was replete with high and unaffected
moral sentiment, the very reverse OF
the phariseeism so often displayed
by some modern writer's. The noble
style of John Fiske will repay study. and
is seen at its best in the Excursions of
an Evolutionist." Andrew Lang is mas.
ter of an enviable style, as every one
will declare who knows his "Letters to
the Dead" The style of Henry James
is subtle, natural and engaging. Robert
Lewis Stevenson employs style that
il sometimes uneven, but is often great.
Arong the newspaper writers of oul
own country and of the present day, per-
haps the best style is that of Mr.. Joseph
O'Connor, editor of the Post Express, ol
Rochester. 1t is terse, lucid, calm,
argumentative, and without trace oi
effort or afEectation. The late DR.. Greedy
was master of purely American, racy
and individual style. In controversy
especially he used to let himself out
with great effect. He had wit as we'll as
humor.
One of the most delightful newspaper
writer's we have ever known was the late
Mr.. James F. Skunk, of Pennsylvania.
He had not only wit, but imagination
huQ Ao0lluk 6lSO. Livery ocutcuCc
bubbled over with jollity, and between
his wit and Imagination the balance was
held even by high intelligence. His
death was great loss to the profession
which he adorned without being known,
and enriched without leaving a monu-
ment. The elder Mr.. Bennett had an
extraordinary style, audacious, witty,
cunning, reckless, full of grim humor
that amused even while it destroyed.
As for the six works of contemporane-
GUS interest which our correspondent in
quires for, and which must also be
models for student of style, we will
name the Bible in King James version,
. book Of eternal and therefore of con-
temporaneous interest; Cardinal New
mans Apologize; Matthew Arnold's
Literature and Dogma" William Ellery
Channing's essay on Napoleon Bona.
parte; Daniel Webster's speech in reply
to Hayne, and Abraham Lincoln's
speech on the Gettysburg battlefield. We
do not mention these six productions as
all comparable in importance, but as
similar in elevation, grandeur, original
ity and beauty of expression, and as
alike indispensable to every English
writing student who would seek to cult
vate that last and most delightful perfec-
ton Of literary art-a chastened, elegant,
fresh, imaginative and fasci.
mating style.-fNew York Sun.