New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-06
Writers Of Books
-sesoR sAINTssURY-MR. co uaLANDER-MR A. E. w MASON
rn0 G.. WELLS
Copyright. 1912 by C. W. smaliey)
London, September l. I

and criticism SUN - 4.
o." or There still is; in a way II
"a ,ro,oa but Il does not always ex-
. ~ ,tsAIf when suitable occasion
rs Such an occasion is "A history
:, rnglish Prose Rhythm oy fro-
"a co,ntsbury. This eminent man
is''I 10, for more than thirty years
pc ~,.no,nous writer on English Litera-
-. AT the rate Of about one book
all or all that / have looked
u.ritten in a style devoid OF
-s,.,hn He has immense knowledge
a. &c Professor of Rhetoric and Eng
I,+arature in Edinburgh Univer-
a,ty. Scottish University IN which a
.ar,ops attempt is made to teach the
-,,.h language. They would rot have
cai,tsbury as Professor If they
-, NOT mean to be serious. He can
49,, thu Edinburgh students great
49,, and ne could not offer them d
Ssttsr example of what to avoid In the
-,,,rg If English than his own books;
better example Of acquired
,,,,,adge in any study OF English
s.v,s which should exclude distinction
ssaateness, elegance. grace OF move
,t and almost everything else we
%, when we use the word style.
~ 70 Professor Saintsbury's method
=. ,he use Of English there be one thing
uorting more than another II Is
-bvthm; TO the study Of which he de-
,ot.s this big volume. 1t is true there
os and is. room for such treatise.
~ sood book existed before Professor
cotrtsburv undertook to supply one;
o,a none exists now. Most OF us know
wbst we mean when we use the word
rAvtbm but what Professor Saintsbury
means by II is never quite clear, nor IS
tho meaning always the same. He de-
fines with precision his system OIL
scansion. and departs from 1t when
soms other system suits his purpose
bstter. He seems 10 think it merit IN
English that it should be metrical;
which other critics consider fault IL
.racuent. He relies so entirely upon
artificial tests as to make US think ne
has no other, or that he is himself IN
ssnsibje TO rhythm unless IL conform 10
nj. technical rules. True, when he
gets away from his system he shows
himself appreciative Of fine passages.
That does not much help a reader who
has TO reconcile. If he can, Professor
saintsbury's historical and theoretical
treatment Of his subject; nor VIII ne
succeed in reconciling them. If he is to
get much help from this essay, as he
well may. it will be by neglecting the
theories and applying his mind 70 the
study Of such passages as are quoted
in abundance; and measuring his own
Judgment with the Professors. But that
only brings us back to the one maxim
which avails for a useful knowledge OF
STYLE the reading and the continual
reading Of great writer's. If he will do
that. and If he.will refrain from imi-
iating or trying TO initiate what he
admires, he may go far. Then let him
learn by heart this saying Of Epictetus:
you must know that it is no easy
thing for principle to become a mans
own unless each day ne MAINTAIN IL and
hear it maintained, as we'll as work it
out in life
Then he may dismiss Professor
Salisbury from his mind and leave his
book unread. For the sense Of rhythm,
as Of style in general, is personal. A
man has IL or has It not The mechan-
Ical part Of IT he may acquire by study,
as man without ear may learn much
In music; music itself excepted. But
do not believe that any man by taking
thought can add 10 his mental equip
Of words with which nature has not
endowed him Did Mr.. Saintsbury ever
consider the meaning Of the word ur-
hanlty? Does he think II descriptive Of
his own work? Does he imagine 1t is
ever to be seen In a writer's style IL II
Is not part Of his character? II he will
put aside his foot rule and consider
rhythm as something quite different
from mere see-saw OF longs and
shorts he may get nearer the truth Of
the matter. But the secret OF rhythm
or Of style In general is never twice the
same; and it is incommunicabIe.
To any American who may happen
70 be Interested in Journalism I will
suggest book dealing with one side Of
English journalism, "Mightier Than
The Sword by Mr.. Alphonse Cour-
Hnder. II is a book written from the
inside. Mr.. Courlander knows Fleet
street, commonly reckoned the home OF
journalism in London, and knows the
Vie OF at least one great newspaper
ONCE as It can be known only by one
VINO has made part Of II. am sorry
70 say ] know nothing about Mr., Cour-
lander except as author Of this book.
nave asked men who would be likely TO
Know. but do not. He writes as a re-
porter, though in style much beyond
he average reporters style. He must
nave been reporter; rising, judge,
nom the first stages TO a much higher
pace The routine Of the office is
familiar to him. He may have learnt
Us Trade as a writer by what is called
descriptive reporting; far beyond which
ne racoan L.. 49, A..l.