Well, whatever bit of a wise man’s work is honestly and benevolently done, that bit is his book, or his piece of art. But, again, I ask you, do you at all believe in honesty or at all in kindness, or do you think there is never any honesty or benevolence in wise people? If you read rightly, you will easily discover the true bits, and those are the book.
Oral Exercise.—Change either the grammatical construction or the order of words wherever you think such change will increase the coherence of the following paragraph.
“We were coasting down chapel hill. In western New York, this is one of many similar long hills. This state is indeed a coaster’s paradise in many parts. The particular paradise I speak of, saw, however, a disastrous fall of a brave young Adam and a gentle young Eve. Williams, I mean by this, who was coming like a meteor down the hill, with Miss —— in front of him on the “bob-sled,” as he reached the bridge, was thrown out of the track. Luckless bridge! it ought to have been guarded by stout rails. There were no rails, however, and across the narrow canyon, Williams, with his precious charge, took a flying leap. On the other side of it, five feet below, was a wooden abutment. The lives of the young people were saved by this; for the sled shot across the gulf and landed on the projection. We picked the adventurers up from this perilous perch. They were more surprised than hurt. But after he had time to think, Williams confessed that he was never more frightened in his life; for he thought of the thirty feet of space below that wooden ledge.”
CHAPTER VIII
ON CORRECTNESS IN CHOICE OF WORDS
Authority.—If the art of writing is the art of saying what we mean, we must use words that the reader will understand. Of course the word reader is rather general: there are readers and readers. An article written for adults would show different words from one written for children. For the purposes of this chapter, our typical reader is the American or the Englishman who has a good public school training. This “average man” may in theory happen to live in London, or in Maine, or, again, in Texas. Now, there are certain words used in Texas that are not used in London or in Maine. In parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania a small pail is called a “blickey.” Most natives of Chicago never heard the word. Such words as “blickey” are called provincialisms or localisms, and are ruled out. Our words must be national. This need not mean international; many words are used in England that need not be used in America, and vice versâ. The American speaks of switching a train; the Englishman speaks of shunting it. With the former the train goes up a steep grade; with the latter it goes up a gradient. The Englishman calls baggage, luggage, a word that Americans are more likely to use of those pieces only that can be carried in the hand. It is to be presumed that national differences of this sort are known to American and Englishman alike; therefore there is no reason why either should change from the usage of his country. Good English is essentially the same in all English-speaking countries.
One other matter is suggested by the words national usage. A nation is composed of all sorts and conditions of men. Each class, each trade and profession, has its own pet expressions and contractions. Good usage does not recognize these. The dialect of the college, or the ball-ground, or the counting-room, or the law-courts, is racy enough and proper enough in its place; but it has no place in standard English. A student may flunk, but only in school. A book of accounts can be posted, but not a man.
Again, our words must not be so old-fashioned or obsolete that they are unintelligible. They must be present. Let once meant “to hinder.” Naturally no one would use it in this sense to-day.