The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-10-23
LITERARY BEAUTY.
Guy de Maupsssans Tells How Artistic
Literature Is Produced.

Guy de Maupassant Tells How Artistta
Literature Is Produced.
Guy de Maupassant, who is recognized
IN France as a literary godchild and
heir of Gustave Flaubert, prefaces one
Of his novels with an essay on The
Novel," and in the course Of his essay
makes some reflections on style which
are well worth considering.
lie says: whatever the thing we
wish to say there is but one word to OK
press it. but one verb to give 1t move
ment, but one adjective to qualify 1t.
We must seek till we find this noun,
this verb, and this adjective, and
never be content with getting vory
near it never allow ourselves
to play tricks, even happy ones
or have resourse to sights OF
language to avoid a difficulty. The
subtlest things may be rendered and
suggested by applying the hint con-
veyed in Boileau's line, He taught the
power of word put in the right place
There Is no need for an eccentric
vocabulary to formulate every shade of
thought, the complicated, multifarious
and outlandish words which are put
upon us nowadays in the name OF
artistic writing; but every modification
Of the value of word by the place it
fills must be distinguished with ex-
treme clearness. Give us fewer nouns,
verbs and adjectives, with almost in
scrutable shades of meaning, and let US
have greater variety Of phrases, moro
variously constructed, ingeniously di-
vided, full of sorority and skillful
rhythm. Let US strive to be admirable
in style, rather than curious in collect
ing rare words"
! There could be no better or sounder
advice to those who have chosen litera-
ture as profession, whether their work
be writing novels or preparing treat
ise on the high mathematics A writer
who adopts obsolescent words and ar
chaic forms is like the juggler who
diverts the attention of his audience
from his real purpose by making humor-
Gus remarks or complimentary speeches
Or by doing some simple trick which
bears no relation to the real features OF
his performance. 1t is not difficult
matter to impose upon most people by
show of learning. A dictionary and a
little industry will enable writer of
average intelligence to collect a store
of what Maupassant we'll denominates
complicated, multifarious, and out
landish words" and whether he uses
them with skill or not the general pub
lie is equally impressed with the ele-
gance of his style and the prodigious-
ness of his erudition.
Maupassant himself practices what no
breaches. Whatever may be thought of
the morality of his stories or of his
choice of themes, there can be but one
opinion as to his use of the French Ian
guage. He has not reconstructed it. as
Theophile Gautier did in a great meas
ure, but he has selected his words and
made them into phrases with an un-
srring eye for effect and a pure artistic
taste. He himself says of the French
language: "It is a pure stream, which
affected writers never have and never
can trouble. Each age has flung into the
limpid waters it pretentious archaisms
and euphuisms, but nothing has re-
mained on the surface to perpetate these
futile attempts and impotent efforts. 1t
is the nature of the language to be clear,
logical and vigorous"
All this and more may be said with
EQUAL truth of that composite tongue
which we call the English language,
and Maupassant's remarks about sim
plicity and directness of style apply
with added force to that language.
With countless stores of gold to draw
from it would be a silly man who would
attempt to force lead or brass counters
into general circulation as money; and
yet this is just what some of our writers
seek to do. They neglect the language
which the great masters Of poetry and
prose have found ample for their needs
and invented q jargon of their own,
hoping possibly to conceal their paucity
of ideas and inability to give a clear ex-
preston even to those few ideas, by an
uncouth and wholly artificial diction
which shall make the reader lose sight
of the want of power in the machine by
being stunned by the rumble OF the
wheels and blinded by the glitter of its
external and useless trappings.-Critic.
Where Women are Ostracixed.
In Samoa the women were much re-
spected and every village had its pa.
troness, usually the chiefs daughter.
who represented the community at the
civil and religious feasts, introduced
strangers to the tribe and diffused gen
eral happiness by her cheerful demean-
or and radiant beauty, says writer.
But elsewhere the women, though as
rule we'll treated, were regarded as
greatly inferior to the men. At the
religious ceremonies the former were
noa, or profane; the latter rG, or sa-
cred; and most of the interdictions OF
things tabooed fell on the weaker sex.
The women never shared the family
meal, and they were regarded as COM
mon property in the households Of the
chiefs, where polygamy was the rule.
Before the arrival Of the Europeans In
fanticide was systematically practised;
in Tahiti and some other groups there
existed special caste, among whom
this custom was even regarded as 3
duty. Hence, doubtless, arose the habit
of adopting strange children almost uni
, versal in Tahiti. where it gave rise TO
: ali manner of complications connected
, with the tenure and inheritance OF
property.-N. Y. Telegram.
The Pos tage to Mexico. %
.swhy do you Americans put ave
|, cents on q letter to Mexico when two
are enough?" asks a business man
g.. tha Tf&v ~ Maxfen sVs