9. Fill in the blank spaces in the following with fitting words.

life

were not

This was probably the first light-point the of Luther, his purer will now first decisively itself; but for the pres ent, it was still as one light-point in an element all of darkness. He says he was a pious monk; faithfully, painfully to work out the of this one high act of his; but it was to little purpose. His Le had not lessened; had rather, as it were, increased into infinity. The drudgeries he had to do as novice in his convent, all sorts of slave-work, his the deep earnest soul of the man manner of black scruples -; he believed himself. soon, and far worse than die. One hears with a new poor Luther that, at this ——, he lived in fear of the ery; fancied that he was doomed to eternal Was it not the sincere of the man? What was he that he should be to heaven? He that had known only misery and slavery: the news was too blessed to be believable. It could not become to him how, by fasts formalities and mass-work, a man's could be preserved. He fell into the blackest wretchedness; had to wander

of bottomless despair.

to die

for

mis

on the

THOMAS CARLYLE: The Hero as Priest.

10. On one of the following topics write not less than one hundred words without paying particular attention to the phrasing. Then look it over, and give it careful revision for tautology, the repetition of the same word or idea. Bring original and corrected copy to class.

A face to be remembered.

Seeing the fair.

Why violets are blue.

Politics as a profession.

Influence of machinery on the condition of the laborer.
The man shows in his work.

Cleanliness the chief agent of civilization.

PART II.

GOOD USE, DISCOURSE, AND STYLE.

CHAPTER VII.

USAGE.

46. The Necessity of Correct Expression. In indicating the proper method of developing the theme and its component parts no reference has been made to the necessity of expressing our thoughts in correct language. Important as have been the preceding suggestions, they are applicable to the development of thought rather than to the expression of it; and they will not alone suffice to make us good writers, if we are not able to speak and to write correct English. Correct expression is the first requisite of good discourse.

47. What Correct Expression Is. For the purposes of English composition we may define correct expression as the use of good English words and phrases, employed in their recognized English meanings, and combined according to the English idiom; in brief, correct expression is synonymous with good English. It

is not to be supposed for a moment that a writer of English composition would use Greek, Latin, or French for the expression of his thoughts; but many a young writer is tempted to display his knowledge, or piece out his meager vocabulary, by the introduction of foreign words and phrases which should have no place in English writing. Further, there is a prevailing tendency among writers of a certain class to introduce into their writing the slang and vulgarisms of the day. It requires less mental effort to say, "He got a call-down from the super," than to say, "He was reproved by the superintendent." "It is awfully hot to-day," and "I don't think much of those sort of people," are common expressions; yet they have no recognized standing in the language, and their use cannot be too strongly condemned. Other words and phrases are liable to creep in, which, although not containing the glaring faults of those quoted above, are open to criticism. To insure correct expression it is evident that we must have some test of what is good English, some standard by which we may gauge our words and phrases.

“I

48. Good Use, the Standard. If to be understood is a writer's first object, as it should be, his language must be such that his readers will understand it as he understands it. Accordingly he must use words that are familiar to the readers of to-day, rather than words of the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries; his words must be those that are common to the English-speaking world; and, finally, his language must be that of intelli

gent and cultivated people. The same reasons that prevent a writer of English from employing Greek and Latin phrases are of equal weight in prohibiting the use of any expression that is not in GOOD USE. USE is, then, the test of good English.

GOOD

49. What Good Use Is. As we have before learned, words are but arbitrary symbols representing ideas, and have only the meanings which usage gives them. These meanings are subject to continual variation. Our language itself is not fixed, but is perpetually changing and enlarging; new words are coming into use, and old words are becoming obsolete. The language of any period is regulated by the cultivated people of that time. Accordingly, a word is in good use at any time when it is accepted in a certain sense by the best writers and speakers of that time, and is so understood throughout the country, or in the language of rhetoricians, a word is in good use when it is in present, national, and reputable use.

50. Present Use. Considered with reference to our own time, a word is in present use when it is understood by the people of to-day. It matters not whether it be as old as "man" and "boy," or as new as "telephone" and "motor-man ;" it matters not from what source it is derived, whether it be "quadruped" from the Latin, "yacht" from the Dutch, "taboo" from the South Sea Islands, or "mob," an abbreviation. So far as present use is concerned, one word is as good as another if it is intelligible to the people of to-day.