Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13
Writing, and the "spIit Infinitiye"
ATLANTA Constitutlou)


A correspondent in an Alabama town,
a young man who says ne desires to be-
come a writer, asks us how he shall go
about II. He says he has only an ele-
mentary knowledge OF grammar ana lew
advantages. And he winds up his letter
by asking US what 1.-THE split innnitlye'
is, having seen lurid condemnation OF
it in some New York literary periodical.
We may say TO our young friend that
the whole matter lies with himself. FIRST,
he must have an Unborn gift OF ex-
pression-that is 10 say, a natural talent
for expressing his thoughts on paper
This Will show itself I'm the crudest com
positions; he cannot mistake II, Tor IL Is
With this talent and with half a dozen
good books he needs no other equip
ment save the enthusiasm that VIII com
pei him 10 strive and strive, even though
he believes he will be a failure.
II he should unfortunately have an
English grammar in the house we adj
wise him to throw IL out OF the window,
unless happily. ii should be I'm the shape
OF William Cobbetts letters 10 his SON
This he may read, casually or closely
as his humor decides-not because it is
about English grammar, but because its
dction is simple, honest. and homely.
The more familiar he becomes with the
great fountain-head OF English litera-
ture, the Bible, the better he will be able
TO understand and appreciate, and en-
ploy the English language, the most
beautiful, the most flexible, the most
fluent. the most perfect OF tongues.
There are two reasons why our young
friend should make the Bible the basis
of his equipment. One is, of course,
because Of the simplicity and eloquence
OF its diction; but the other, and the
chief reason is because a study OF the
Bible will impart to his style eve do not
mean his diction) that subtle, mysteri-
Gus spirituality which differentiates Eng
lish literature at its best from all other
literatIres, and gives gives, It its superiority
found to perfection in our greatest
poetry; ii runs riot In Shakespeare; 1t
marches solemnly through Millions lines;
prose that has taken rank as English
literature.
Beyond this. the taste and incEinations
OF our correspondent must guide When
he once comes TO appreciate the Bible
as literature, he will be able TO choose
his own books. AS TO the so-called
split infinitive," we are sorry he has
asked about il. Ignorance of II would
do him no possible harm, and knowl-
edge OF II may tend TO make him shy Of
We advise our young friend ITO freely
employ" his own spirit Of independence
In this matter, and In giving him the
advice we use the split inhnitye." Were
this spirit OF independence we should
have the purists and the verbal critics
with us, but at the expense OF wretched
English.
on this subject. we have ar hand some
very just observations by Mr.. Bernard
Shaw, a well-known English writer.
which we advise our correspondent to
take 10 heart:
For the split innnitive' pest there is
no excuse at all. There IL nothing what
ever TO mislead him, except his own ma
ture. III any man were 10 object To a split
indicative, such as 4 greatly regret or
split subjunctiye, such as should
az come slowly up what newspaper
would waste an inch OF space on his fool
ish ignorance? And yet this split infinitiye
nonsense Ia taken quite seriously by ed-
tors who are sufficiently good writers TO
repeatedly use II themselves.
The infnitive is a mood In which the
position OF the adyerb cannot possibly
produce ambiguity, consequently the
order OF the words Is not matter or
grammar, but OF style. of which the ear
Is the only arbiter. The ear often de-
mands the split infinitive. and will have
II In spite OF all the silly people who 40
not know what style means"
1t VIII be noted that in tina isss h"A