The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-09-06
Gbe Hrt Of writit10.

u BVuuV0~
have made many of their names abid-
ing
Let us cross the English channel, in
this discursive exposition, in the wake
of Caesar and the Normans, and pause
q few moments where men achieved
fame. The early writers in England
were monks and abbots, who wrote in
the Latin language. They were sent
from Italy as representatives of the
Roman church, during the era of anx-
iety, when all arts reposed awaiting
termination. From what I have
learned, their productions were based
on Greek and Italian writings-that is,
they selected their material from these
sources. In the fourteenth century the
taste for literature revived; Godfrey
Chaucer stepped into the arena and
achieved undying fame-going down
in history as the father of English
poetry. He was honored by dignitaries
of England. A perusal of his "Canter-
bury Tales" reveals the fact that he
refrained from placing any of the rank
with the file, which was perhaps the
reason of his having been honored.
According to Meiklejohn, Tennyson
wrote:
Dan Chaucer, the first warbler, whose sweet
breath
Preluded those melodious bursts that fill
The spacious times of great Elizabeth,
With sounds that echo STILL"
Following Chaucer, English writer's
began to form language of their own
that is, L presume they deviated
from the style of their predecessors ia
methods of writing, usage of words,
etc. -Whateyor changes this art may
have been subjected to, whatever diff
culties may have arisen, whatever
calamities may have beset the human
race since the Greeks wrote their
lofty sentiments, since Romans trailed,
since early Englishmen emulated,
translated and copied-whatever, re-
peat, may have happened before the
sixteenth century, it is immaterial in
comparison with the achievements of
Shakespeare. He gave activity to the
language, made phrases, portrayed the
follies of kings, Queens, princes, as
we'll ss the greedy and selfish. In fact
as has been said, he depicted the work
ings of the human heart and mind
He resuscitated the art of writing, res
cued it from the ton1bs of long silen'
ages, elevated it above all previous
conceptions. This, and more he did
; and by the power of words-word
that still animate lovers of literature
His words are the pride of England
: and of the English-speaking people.
From his time we note variation II
the art of writing. The people evidentl
began to realize the reasonableness o
free writing. Along came Milton wit
3 his sublime conception of Paradise, an
! the plea for unlicensed printing. Will
J, Milton was pondering on fancies n
: specting creation, the fall of angels an
: man, and the wiles of Satan, anothe
not unknown to readers, was pennin
), immortal thoughts regarding tt
9 "Pilgrim's Progress" Someone hs
: said: "Every one has read, or wi
L read, the Pilgrims Progress
Q to him who has not read the book,
l. large part of English life and histol
n is dumb and unintelligible." Bunyan
70 contributions to English literatu
l. contain an important phase worthy
ir notice under this subject, viz: b
70 usage of words.
ID Shakespeare, Milton, and Bunya
g. are most notable trio of writer's.
a language simplifed thru ages
IN human experience, the first, Shake
IN peare, with a myriad and q hs
Id vocabulary, wrought marvellous Gre
st, tions in composition. He display
so an imagination and learning viii
ey tends to firm conviction that HON
OK Dante, Virgil and other renown
ey writer's should be relegated to
ng silent shades Of the past. The secol
ey Milton, exhibited equal learning,
lin added an elegsncy to this art
ne apparent ip previous times. The thi
,g, Bunyan, with homely, simple wol
to created an entirely new phase Of vi
or, ing by making it possible for comm