The Washington herald., 1914-09-28
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Burke as a Master of English Style
(wh.tsn Expressly for The Washington HzIld.I
~ DIR. y. ). EDWARDS,

(Wrtten Expressly for The Washington HGah-l
~ DIR. y. ). EDWARDS,
The late James c. Carter, who for at
least thirty years before Ms death had
gained recognition as one OF the i've or
six leaders Of the American bar and was
by many lawyers esteemed the leader-in-
chief Of that bar, found mental recrea-
ton in studying the resources OF the
English language. His study was sys-
tematic and he searched through the
pages Of the great masters or English
style, finding delight in comparing the
characteristics OF each of these masters
with those of the others. He became
profoundly convinced that the finest
English style Is the simplest, believing
that this was equally true Of poetry and
prose.
In a conversation which had with Mr..
Carter one afternoon, perhaps two years
before his death, ! found him disposed
to tell me what he thought Of some OF
the masters Of English style and TO ex-
plain in what respect he regarded this
or that characteristic OF English writer's
as superior to others. / said TO Mr.. Car
ter that / had been told that Rufus
Choate at the time his young relative,
a cousin, Joseph II. Choate, was begin
ming a study OF law, had either said or
written TO him that he should remem-
beT that the great masters Of English
were Shakespeare, Bacon, Milton. and
Burke.
Il have no doubt that Rufus Choate
said that" Mr.. Carter affirmed, and l
have no doubt that In his opinion Burke
was not the least in rank OF these four.
'T have found great pleasure In study
ing and analyZing Burke's literary
works. / should not place him in equal
rank with Milton or with Bacon. Shakes
peare, who was a poet, is not TO be COM
pared with any Of the others in respect
10 style.
II have come to the conclusion that
Burke was not so profound a thinker as
he is generally regarded. His was a great
mind, but not one of the greatest
But he was a master Of the art Of
clothing in unparalleled imagery, in
beautiful drapery. so to speak. Of Ian
guage, q thought which was of itself
not very profound. His form, so to
speak OF II, was wonderful In some re-
spects he has no superior. SO far as this
feature OF his style Is concerned.
Now, Il is exactly this which would
appeal to Rufus Choate. His was a won
derful gift OF clothing or setting forth
q commonplace in such unusual form and
with such strange, almost eccentric,
metaphor. accompanied by great purity
Of English, that he was likely to be at
tracted TO a similar quality in any other
English writer. The highest test Of
English style is not TO be associated with
the characteristic method of Rufus
Choate. II was essential that Choate
be seen and heard, and his personality
was the chief fascination OF his forensic
and other addresses. OF course, that can
not be said Of Burke, who was q very
poor speaker. But he did impart a GER
tain personality into his writing. Yes
can understand why Rufus Choate
ranked Burke with Shakespeare, Milton
and Bacon.
In my view, II there had been a little
more warmth, something OF glow, in the
writings OF Samuel J. TIlden, he would
have been accepted as supreme among
American masters OF the English
tongue"
tCopsnEht. IslI hy z ] Edwards. All rights ~