The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-03-15
GOOD ENGLISH.
That is, the Beauty and Charm OF
EliZabethan English.

That is, the Beauty and Charm OF
Elizabethan English.
Miss Agnes Repplier, in her paper on
"Wo DIS" in the 4 ttdHtic, speaks feelingly
of the beauty and charm of Elizabethan
English:
The richness of Elizabethan English.
the freedom and delight with which men
sounded and explored the charming in
tricacies of a tongue that was expanding
daily into fresh majesty and beauty, must
have given to literature some OF the
allurements of navigation. Mariners
sailed away upon stormy seas, on strange,
half-hlnted errands, haunted by the
shadow of glory, dazzled by the luster of
wealth. Scholars ventured far upon the
unknown ocean of letters, haunted by
the seductionS of prose, dazzled by the
fairness of verse. They brought back
curious spoils, CANDY, subtle. sumptu-
Gus, according to the taste or potency of
the discoverer. Their words have often a
mingled weight and sweetness, whether
convey ing briefly a single. thought, like
Burton's touched with the loadstone of
love-" or adding strength and luster to
the ample delineationS of Ben Jonson.
Give me that wit whom praise excites,
glory puts on, or disgrace grieves; he is
TO be nourished with ambition, pricked
forward with honors, checked with re-
prehension, and never to be suspected
of sloth." Bacon's admirable concise
ness, in which nothing is disregarded,
but where every word carries its proper
value and expresses its exact signiti-
canoe, is equal ed only by Cardinal
Newman. Reading maketh full man,
conference ready man, and study All
exact man." says Bacon; and this
simple accuracy of definition re-
minds us inevitably of the
lucid terseness with which every sem
tence OF the Apologize reveals the thought
it holds. Tho truest experience is to
answer right out when you are asked; the
wisest economy is TO have no manage
ment; the best prudence is not to be a
coward" AS for the HaiCete and the
picturesqueness which lend such mex
pressible charm to the earlier writers and
atone for so many of their misdeeds, what
can be more agreeable than to hear Sir
Walter Raleigh remark with cheerful in
penuousness: "Some of our captaines
garoused of wine till they We're reaSona-
bic pleasant"-a most engaging way of
narrating not altogether uncommon oc-
currence. And what can be more win
ming to the ear than the simple grace with
which Roger Ascham writes of familiar
things: "ln the whole year, springtime,
summer, fall of the leaf and winter, and
in one day, morning, noontime, after
noon and eventide, altereth the course of
the weather, the pith of the bow, the
strength OF the man." 1t seems an easy
thing to say fall OF the leaf' for fall and
'evantide' for evening, but in such easy
things lies the subtle beauty of language;
in the rejection of such nice distinctions
lies the barrenness of common speech.
We can hardly spare the time in these
hurried days to speak of the fall of the
leaf, to use four words where one would
suffice, merely because the four words
have graceful significance and the one
word has none, ana so, even in compost
hint of russell, wind-swept woods, is lost
to us forever.