Essays From Addison (1907) - Softcover

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Noble English prose, and even noble English essays, had been written long before A ddison. But we are justified in regarding Addison and his friendS teele as the founders of the modem English essay and modem English prose; and the larger share of the achievements was Addison s. It was he, more than any one else, who invented a middle style, something between the grave stately diction of formal writing and the free and easy speech of every day; a style suited, therefore, for addressing a wide circle of readers on a wide variety of subjects, impretentious, admirably clear, dignified, but never stilted. This fact makes him still, as in Dr. Johnson sday, the best model for most of us. It is the middle style that is needed in almost all human intercourse in the writing of essays, novels, histories, sermons, speeches, newspapers, letters; and even as a model for conversation, to prevent it sinking into the merely trivial and slipshod, a petty exchange of personal remarks expressed in indifferent English eked out by ledang. None can show us better than the dear parson in the tye-wig how social intercourse may be bright and sparkling, yet elevated and elevating, with a tendency to iacrease the happiness of those who take part in it, and to check unworthy thoughts and feelings. But such influence is often best when it is most unconsciously given and received.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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