Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1877)
zmiEmm wr" ::" HUiar tfi--- s ' Itti , MM -?tf' No. 10. ElMTOMALS. 250 . upon u work which promises such mea gre returns. When so mnny mer of gen ins htive written books upon almost every subject, which hnve cost them most ardu ous toil, what chance is there that a new author may flml even an out oftho-way nook in general libraries? IP he succeed, he must have genius of pre-eminent quality; and not only genius, but also the vim to work as other authors before him have worked. Keep out of it, young man and woman, unless you are sure that you are one ol the elect. UHETORIOALS. Many of the students seem to think that the essays which they are required to write for rhetorical purposes are disagree able and prolitless nuisances, and they cither try to got clear of writing them, or being unsuccessful in this, get them up in the quickest manuei possible. No more mischievous idea with regard to literary culture could be entertained by a student than this. The two or three essays which are required eacli term of all students of the college classes, are designed, not for essays to please an audience, or for artic les of interest to till the columns of a news paper, but as aids in becoming profici'mt writers. These essays are designed to serve a purpose in composition somewhat analogous to that of parsing and analys ing in grammar to put a knowledge of the rule-, and principle? ol composition to practical application. In .short, this is one of 'he many ways to thorough culture and should no more he shunned by a stu dent than a study in mathematics, clas sics, or the sciences. Ky those who have some ability as writers, tiie argument is often used that they have their style of writing, and the Professor has his, and that therefore his criticisms are unjust, of tentimes, because he is endeavoring to make their style confoim to his own. They use the same old argument that Lea sing, used in attempting to rebut the crit icisms of Gocze: "Every man has his own style, just as his own nose, and it is neither christian-like nor polite to rally one on one's nose." Undoubtedly, critic isms arc often made upon these rhetorical essays which are unjust, because of the difference between the nature and taste of the student and that of thePiofessor. Hut yet, while admitting this, we must ac knowledge that there is snob a thing in literary composition as style with its rules, limitations and governing principles, and witli which every student should become familiar, and in a measure be governed by. Every artist, however much a genius, must study the principles of his trade and be taught by those more experienced than himself. No matter how brilliant an ora tor a man may naturally be, he must stu dy the .st'le of others, and profit thereby if he would become skilled in oratory. So it is with writers. They must learn and improve 1)3- studying the principles of composition, the style of other writers, am, by having 'heir own productions re viewed and criticised. Writers of repute may profit by the criticisms of a Johnson, Carlyle, Maciulay. Whipple, etc., etc., and by our many critical reviewers, but the less renowned writers of our colleges may profit most by the criticisms of the Prof. cksoi- who has this work in charge. Ami there is about as much probability that the peculiar style of the student, with whatever merit it may possess, will be vit iated by assimilation of the style of the Professor, as that one's peculiar style of language will bevitiated by the study of English grammar. .Michael Angelo was so enraged because a friendly critic oiler ed a criticism upon one of his lavoritc statues, that he threw a handful of marble dust in his face. Perhaps he might have profited by the criticism if he had rucoiv ed it in a friendly spirit, and thought up on it. So it is with some students in the rhetorical classes. The criticisms' which the Professor makes upon sonic of their pet themes or sayings are received with anything hut a friendly spirit and u can. did, thoughtful mind. uwwuMnnn """"""""""""""""""""""I wrpwitgn '- -- - E"P"TWfiiujg
