The Philosophy of Style

MP3 Audio CD. The Philosophy of Style

PART I. CAUSES OF FORCE IN LANGUAGE WHICH DEPEND UPON ECONOMY OF THE
MENTAL ENERGIES.




i. The Principle of Economy.

§ 1. Commenting on the seeming incongruity between his father's
argumentative powers and his ignorance of formal logic, Tristram Shandy
says:--"It was a matter of just wonder with my worthy tutor, and two or
three fellows of that learned society, that a man who knew not so much
as the names of his tools, should be able to work after that fashion
with them." Sterne's intended implication that a knowledge of the
principles of reasoning neither makes, nor is essential to, a good
reasoner, is doubtless true. Thus, too, is it with grammar. As Dr.
Latham, condemning the usual school-drill in Lindley Murray, rightly
remarks: "Gross vulgarity is a fault to be prevented; but the proper
prevention is to be got from habit--not rules." Similarly, there can
be little question that good composition is far less dependent upon
acquaintance with its laws, than upon practice and natural aptitude.
A clear head, a quick imagination, and a sensitive ear, will go far
towards making all rhetorical precepts needless. He who daily hears and
reads well-framed sentences, will naturally more or less tend to use
similar ones. And where there exists any mental idiosyncrasy--where
there is a deficient verbal memory, or an inadequate sense of logical
dependence, or but little perception of order, or a lack of
constructive ingenuity; no amount of instruction will remedy the defect.
Nevertheless, some practical result may be expected from a familiarity
with the principles of style. The endeavour to conform to laws may tell,
though slowly. And if in no other way, yet, as facilitating revision, a
knowledge of the thing to be achie