The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-02-22
MODELS FOR STUDENTS,


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Patterns for Writers.
Let us consider the request Of an
applicant for literary information.
eIR-Pease state who among modern authors
b considered master Of terse and lucid English;
also name six works Of contemporary interest
that would serve a. models to q student Of style.
BY common consent Cardinal New
man is the great living master of
pure, idiomatic, luminous. elegant
English style. Mr.. Matthew Arnold
is also worthy to be classed in the
same category. Mr.. Thackeray wrote
q style Of inimitable beauty, terse,
lucid, witty. Nathaniel Hawthorne
had command of wonderful vo-
cabulary and a most suggestive and
surprising style. He was also of ex-
cellent taste and felicity in the con-
struction Of his sentences. The late
DR.: Ripley, SO long the literary critic
OF The Tribune, wrote in full, round
and informing style. Mr.. George
Bancroft, the historian of the United
States, employs an animated, pictur-
esque, original, yet never redundant
style. A beautiful style, simple,
classic, unaffected, is that of the great
DR.. Charming, who played SO impor-
tant part in this country fifty years
ago. His writing was replete with q
high and unaffected moral sentiment,
the very reverse of the Phariseeism so
often displayed by some modern
writers. The noble style Of John
Fiske will repay study, and it is seen
in its best estate in the Excursions of
an Evolutionist. Andrew Lang is
master of an enviable style, as every
one will declare who know his Letters
to the Dead" The style of Henry James
is subtle, natural and engaging. Rob
ert Louis Stevenson employs a style
that is sometimes uneven, but is often
great.
Among the newspaper writers Of
our own country and of the present
day, perhaps the best style is that Of
Mr.. Joseph O'Connor, the editor of the
Post Express of Rochester. 1t is terse,
lucid, calm, argumentative and with
out trace Of effort or affectation.
The late Dr. Greeley was master of a
purely American, racy and individ-
ual 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 paper writ
ers we have ever known was the late
Mr.. James F. Skunk of Pennsylvania.
He had not only wit, but imagination
and feeling also. Every sentence bub-
bled over with jollity, and between his
wit and imagination the balance was
held even by high intelligence. His
death was a great loss to the profess
sion which he adorn ed without being
known, and enriched without leaving
a monument. The elder Mr.. Bennett
had an extraordinary style, audacious,
witty, cunning, reckless, full of grim
humor that amused even while it de-
stroyed.
AS for the six works of contempt
interest which our CORE
spondent inquiries 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 cOntemporaneous inter-
est; Cardinal Newman's "Apologia;"
Matthew Arnold's Literature and
Dogma" William Ellery Channing's
essay on Napoleon Bonaparte; Daniel
Webster's speech in reply to Hayne,
and Abraham Lincoln's speech On
the Gettysburg battle field. We de-
not mention these six productions as
all comparable in importance, out as
similar in elevation, grandeur, origi-
nality and beauty of expression,
and as alike indispensable to
every English writing student who
would seek to cultivate that last
and most delightful perfection of
literary art-a chastened, elegant,
fresh, imaginative and fas-
style.-New York Sun.