The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-03
LITERARY BEAUTY.
Gay DO Maupas sanr Tells How Artistic
Literature Is Produced.


in France as q literary godchild and
hoir OF Gustayo Flaubort. prefaces one
OF his novels with an essay on 1.-The
makes somo reflections on style which
arc well worth considering.
Ho says: "NNhatevor tho thing wo
wish TO say there is but one word TO OK
press it, but ono verb to give it move
ment. but ono adjective to qualify it.
Wo must sock till we find this noun,
this verb, and this adjective. and
never be content with getting very
near it, never allow ourselves
to play tricks, oven happy ones,
or havo rosourse to Sights of
language to avoid n difficulty Tho
subtlest things may DO rendered and
suggested by applying tho hint con-
voyed in Boiloau's lino lie taught tho
power OF n word put i'll the right place.
"Thoro is no need for an eccentric
vocabulary to formulate every shade of
thought tho complicated, multifarious
and outlandish words which arc put
upon us nowadays in the name OF
artistic writing; but every modification
OF tho value OF word by the place 1t
fills must DO distinguished with ex-
treme clearnoss. Give US Tower 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 raro words"
There could DO no better or sounder
advice to those who havo chosen litera-
ture as profession, whe Their their work
he writing novels or preparing n treat
Use on tho high mathematics A writer
who adopts obsolcsccnt words and ar
chaic forms is like the iuggler who
divcrts the attention OF his audience
from his real purpose hy making humor-
Gus remarks or complimentary speeches
Or by doing some simple trick which
bears no relation to tho real features of
his performance. It is not difficult
matter 10 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 denomirates
'complicatci, multifarious and out
laniish words" and whether no uses
them with skill or not the general pub
lie is equally impressed with tho clo-
gancc OF his style and the prodigious-
ness OF his crudition.
Maupassant himself practices wha ho
breaches. Whatever may bc thought of
tho morality OF his stories or of his
choice OF themes, there can be but ono
opinion as to his uso Of the French lam
guage. He has not reconstructed it, az
Theophilc Gauticr did in great meas
urc, but he has selected his words and
made them into phrases with an I'M
erring eye for effect and puro artistic
tasto. llo himself says OF the French
language: 1T is pure stream. which
affected writer's mover have and never
can trouble. Each age has Gung into the
limpid waters 1t protentious nrchaisms
and euphusms, but nothing has re-
manned on the surface to pcrpctate these
futile attempts and impotcnt efforts. It
is the nature Of the language to he clear,
logical and vigorous"
All this and more may be said will,
equal truth Of that composite tongue
which we call tho English language,
and Maupassant,s remarks about sim
plicity and drcctnoss of style apply
with added force to THAI language.
With countless stores of gold TO draw
from it would be Il silly man who would
attempt to force lead or brass counters
into general circulation as money; and
set this is just what some of our writer's
seek to do They neglect tho language
which tho great masters of poetry and
prose havo found ample for their moods
and invented jargon of thcir own,
hoping possibly to conceal their paucity
OF ideas and inability to give u clear ex-
preston even to those few ideas, by an
uncouth and wholly artificial dction
which shall make tho reader lose sight
OF tho want of powor in the machine by
bein;; stunned by tho rumble of tho
wheels and blinded by the glittor of its
external and useless trappings Critic.
Where Women arc OstracizcG.
In Samoa the women were much re-
fpectcd and every village had its pa.
troncss, usually tho chiefs daughter,
who represented tho community at the
civil and religious fcasts, introduced
strangers to tho tribo and diflused gcn-
eral happiness by her cheerful domean-
or and radiant beauty, says q writer.
But elsewhere the women, though "a n
rnlo well treated. wore regarded as
greatly inferior to tho men. At tho
religious ceremonies tho former Wero
nod, o: profane; tho latter m. or ga
cred; and most of tho interdictions OF p
things laboood fell on the weaker sex.
Inc women never shared tho family
meal. and they were regarded as COM
mon property in tho households Of tho
chiefs, where polygamy was tho rule.
Before the arrival OF the Europeans in