FOURTH PART. CHAPTER I. HINTS ON SELECTION AND ARRANGEMENT. 151. Difference between Scientific and Non-Scientific Composition.Composition may be (1) scientific, or (2) non-scientific (literary). Scientific composition aims exclusively at clearness, preciseness, and completeness. Scientific composition is perfectly uniform in arrangement. Scientific description enumerates the characteristics of a phenomenon according to a fixed classification; scientific reasoning proceeds according to the order of logic; scientific narration according to chronological order. In non-scientific composition the arrangement is much less uniform, and affords room for judgment and skill. This chapter will state some of the principles which should govern it. First, non-scientific composition is seldom exhaustively complete. It omits much that might be stated. We therefore require a principle to determine what to admit and what to suppress; that is, a principle of Selection. Secondly, non-scientific composition does not aim merely at conveying truth. It is therefore not satisfied with clearness and preciseness. It aims sometimes at attracting the attention, sometimes at exciting the imagination, sometimes at stimulating the feelings. These objects introduce new principles of Arrangement. 152. Non-Scientific Composition may be subdivided into several different species. The humblest form of it is (1) Conversation. This, having no object but passing amusement, is often omitted in classifications of styles of composition. Nevertheless, conversation may be considered as an art governed by definite principles, and there have been persons who have attained special excellence in it. (2) Oratory. — By this is here meant all forms of pleading intended to determine special persons or bodies of people to special resolutions; e.g., parliamentary or forensic speeches. Though for the most part it refers to speeches, and does not refer to books, yet there are some written treatises which are comprised under it, — e.g., pamphlets or books written to advocate particular measures; on the other hand, it excludes some speeches, e.g., sermons, which are intended to influence men's general conduct, not their particular acts; and panegyrical or commemorative speeches, which are merely intended to give expression to feelings. (3) Didactic (Non-Scientific) Composition. This name; for want of a better, may be given to the third class. It includes all compositions which have a practical object, but not like class (2) a limited and definite one, and, on the other hand, have not the precision of science. Some of these compositions may approach to the character of speeches, — e.g., "Burke's Reflections on the French Revolution;" they may have the form of speeches,-e.g., Milton's "Areopagitica;" they may be delivered as speeches,―e.g., the sermons of Taylor or Tillotson. Others may approach the character of scientific treatises; e.g., some of the works of Coleridge, or Mill's "Essay on Liberty." Others, again, may be narrative in form, provided the narration be true and seriously meant. Thus history and biography are to be regarded as forms of didactic composition. The same may be said even of fictitious narrative, when it is used solely for the purpose of illustrating truth. The common characteristic of all compositions of this class is that they have an object which is not purely speculative, and yet is not limited to a special and immediate occasion. (4) Imaginative Literature, including Poetry. — By poetry is commonly understood metrical composition. But metrical compositions evidently belong for the most part to the larger class of compositions, the object of which is to gratify the imagination and creative power. Poems, then, and novels must here be classed together. This style, being largely imitative, includes imitation of conversation and oratory (styles 1 and 2). In novels there is generally much conversation, and often speeches are introduced. Dramatic poetry assumes the form of conversation throughout. Some of the most brilliant specimens of oratory in English may be quoted from the poets; e.g., the speech of Antony in "Julius Cæsar," the speech of Belial in "Paradise Lost," B. 2. In old times, when some of these styles had not been clearly distinguished, historians were in the habit of introducing speeches of their own composition, which they put in the mouths of statesmen, whose policy they were describing. Livy and Thucydides are examples. Such speeches, being imitative, belong to imaginative literature, while history itself belongs to didactic composition. The mixture of the two styles is not now tolerated. SELECTION. What ought to be suppressed in each of these four styles. It is most important to know this. It was a maxim of Schiller that the master of style is shown rather by what he omits than by what he says. 153. Conversation. Of conversation as a means of transacting business or pursuing philosophical investigation, we do not treat here. It is only as a relaxation that conversation can be considered as a literary style. It excludes whatever is abstruse. Though it admits argument and dispute up to a certain point, as soon as the argument begins to turn upon nice distinctions, or become sustained and elaborate, in other words, to demand a painful intellectual effort, - conversation, properly speaking, is at an end. In like manner, when the dispute turns upon a matter of fact which can only be determined by evidence, it is generally unfit for conversation, since the evidence can rarely be produced on the spot It excludes deep passion, because it is unnatural to discover the deepest emotions before many people. As a general rule, it excludes all topics that cannot be handled briefly and in short speeches. This is because long speeches are seldom felt as a relaxation either to speaker or hearers, and in exceptional cases where it is otherwise, as in the case of Coleridge, since two such men seldom meet, conversation passes into lecture; ie., into didactic composition. Good talkers are those who perceive readily whether a topic broached has or has not these characteristics, and easily think of such topics. Bad conversers broach the first topic that occurs to them, and find too late that it has involved them in abstruse dialectics, or differences that cannot be settled, or speech-making, or embarrassing personal revelations, Admirable examples of the art of conversation may be found in Mr. Helps' books, " Friends in Council," "Realmah," etc. On the other hand, Landor's "Imaginary Conversations," always admirable for composition, often trespass into the didactic style. etc. 154. Oratory. This has been confined by our definition to speeches intended to influence particular decisions. Such speeches exclude, in a word, whatever is not likely to influence the decision. Of this sort are (a) Considerations that are subtile or far-fetched.-Though an audience may applaud these if they are skilfully presented, they will be practically guided by plainer and coarser arguments. (b) Language and imagery that are subtile or pedantic.— In Taylor's" Edwin the Fair," the Pedant, in addressing an audience of monks, begins figuratively, On Mount Olympus with the Muses nine I ever dwelt. Upon which the cry is, He doth confess it, lo! He doth confess it! Fagots and a stake! |