style-第6章
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ave been freely given； and the end is yet to seek。 The self…assertion of the recusants has found eulogists in plenty； but who has celebrated the self…denial that was thrown away on this other task； which is farther from fulfilment now than it was when the scholars of the Renaissance gave up their patriotism and the tongue of their childhood in the name of fellow…citizenship with the ancients and the oecumenical authority of letters？ Scholars； grammarians； wits； and poets were content to bury the lustre of their wisdom and the hard…won fruits of their toil in the winding…sheet of a dead language； that they might be numbered with the family of Cicero； and added to the pious train of Virgil。 It was a noble illusion； doomed to failure； the versatile genius of language cried out against the monotony of their Utopia； and the crowds who were to people the unbuilded city of their dreams went straying after the feathered chiefs of the rebels； who； when the fulness of time was come； themselves received apotheosis and the honours of a new motley pantheon。 The tomb of that great vision bears for epitaph the ironical inscription which defines a Classic poet as 〃a dead Romantic。〃
In truth the Romantics are right； and the serenity of the classic ideal is the serenity of paralysis and death。 A universal agreement in the use of words facilitates communication； but； so inextricably is expression entangled with feeling； it leaves nothing to communicate。 Inanity dogs the footsteps of the classic tradition； which is everywhere lackeyed； through a long decline； by the pallor of reflected glories。 Even the irresistible novelty of personal experience is dulled by being cast in the old matrix； and the man who professes to find the whole of himself in the Bible or in Shakespeare had as good not be。 He is a replica and a shadow； a foolish libel on his Creator； who； from the beginning of time； was never guilty of tautology。 This is the error of the classical creed； to imagine that in a fleeting world； where the quickest eye can never see the same thing twice； and a deed once done can never be repeated； language alone should be capable of fixity and finality。 Nature avenges herself on those who would thus make her prisoner； their truths degenerate to truisms； and feeling dies in the ice…palaces that they build to house it。 In their search for permanence they become unreal； abstract； didactic； lovers of generalisation； cherishers of the dry bones of life； their art is transformed into a science； their expression into an academic terminology。 Immutability is their ideal； and they find it in the arms of death。 Words must change to live； and a word once fixed becomes useless for the purposes of art。 Whosoever would make acquaintance with the goal towards which the classic practice tends； should seek it in the vocabulary of the Sciences。 There words are fixed and dead； a botanical collection of colourless； scentless； dried weeds； a HORTUS SICCUS of proper names； each individual symbol poorly tethered to some single object or idea。 No wind blows through that garden； and no sun shines on it； to discompose the melancholy workers at their task of tying Latin labels on to withered sticks。 Definition and division are the watchwords of science； where art is all for composition and creation。 Not that the exact definable sense of a word is of no value to the stylist； he profits by it as a painter profits by a study of anatomy； or an architect by a knowledge of the strains and stresses that may be put on his material。 The exact logical definition is often necessary for the structure of his thought and the ordering of his severer argument。 But often； too； it is the merest beginning； when a word is once defined he overlays it with fresh associations and buries it under new…found moral significances； which may belie the definition they conceal。 This is the burden of Jeremy Bentham's quarrel with 〃question…begging appellatives。〃 A clear…sighted and scrupulously veracious philosopher； abettor of the age of reason； apostle of utility； god… father of the panopticon； and donor to the English dictionary of such unimpassioned vocables as 〃codification〃 and 〃international；〃 Bentham would have been glad to purify the language by purging it of those 〃affections of the soul〃 wherein Burke had found its highest glory。 Yet in censuring the ordinary political usage of such a word as 〃innovation；〃 it was hardly prejudice in general that he attacked； but the particular and deep…seated prejudice against novelty。 The surprising vivacity of many of his own figures； … although he had the courage of his convictions； and laboured； throughout the course of a long life； to desiccate his style； … bears witness to a natural skill in the use of loaded weapons。 He will pack his text with grave argument on matters ecclesiastical； and indulge himself and literature； in the notes with a pleasant description of the flesh and the spirit playing leap…frog； now one up； now the other； around the holy precincts of the Church。 Lapses like these show him far enough from his own ideal of a geometric fixity in the use of words。 The claim of reason and logic to enslave language has a more modern advocate in the philosopher who denies all utility to a word while it retains traces of its primary sensuous employ。 The tickling of the senses； the raising of the passions； these things do indeed interfere with the arid business of definition。 None the less they are the life's breath of literature； and he is a poor stylist who cannot beg half… a…dozen questions in a single epithet； or state the conclusion he would fain avoid in terms that startle the senses into clamorous revolt。
The two main processes of change in words are Distinction and Assimilation。 Endless fresh distinction； to match the infinite complexity of things； is the concern of the writer； who spends all his skill on the endeavour to cloth the delicacies of perception and thought with a neatly fitting garment。 So words grow and bifurcate； diverge and dwindle； until one root has many branches。 Grammarians tell how 〃royal〃 and 〃regal〃 grew up by the side of 〃kingly；〃 how 〃hospital；〃 〃hospice；〃 〃hostel〃 and 〃hotel〃 have come by their several offices。 The inventor of the word 〃sensuous〃 gave to the English people an opportunity of reconsidering those headstrong moral preoccupations which had already ruined the meaning of 〃sensual〃 for the gentler uses of a poet。 Not only the Puritan spirit； but every special bias or interest of man seizes on words to appropriate them to itself。 Practical men of business transfer such words as 〃debenture〃 or 〃commodity〃 from debt or comfort in general to the palpable concrete symbols of debt or comfort； and in like manlier doctors； soldiers； lawyers； shipmen； … all whose interest and knowledge are centred on some particular craft or profession； drag words from the general store and adapt them to special uses。 Such words are sometimes reclaimed from their partial applications by the authority of men of letters； and pass back into their wider meanings enhanced by a new element of graphic association。 Language never suffers by answering to an intelligent demand； it is indebted not only to great authors； but to all whom any special skill or taste has qualified to handle it。 The good writer may be one who disclaims all literary pretension； but there he is； at work among words； … binding the vagabond or liberating the prisoner； exalting the humble or abashing the presumptuous； incessantly alert to amend their implications； break their lazy habits； and help them to refinement or scope or decision。 He educates words； for he knows that they are alive。
Compare now the case of the ruder multitude。 In the regard of literature； as a great critic long ago remarked； 〃all are the multitude； only they differ in clothes； not in judgment or understanding；〃 and the poorest talkers do not inhabit the slums。 Wherever thought and taste have fallen to be menials； there the vulgar dwell。 How should they gain mastery over language？ They are introduced to a vocabulary of some hundred thousand words； which quiver through a million of meanings； the wealth is theirs for the taking； and they are encouraged to be spendthri
