THE SPOKEN AND WEITTEN WORD 397 



reader, mind you, I do not say to the hearer, though I think 

 I could almost add that too. To write well and concisely 

 is a rare acquirement, and the pulpit being beyond criticism, 

 clergymen almost invariably become diffuse and verbose. 

 In too many cases words are throw^n in to fill up the time 

 allotted to the discourse, partly because the clergyman has 

 other more important duties and in many cases because 

 he has often nothing new to say on his subject. Be all 

 that as it may, I would avoid in the book the diffuse style 

 that is so well adapted to lecturing and demonstrating, and 

 be as sparing of words and concise as is consistent with an 

 easy style. The aphoristic will hardly do for a school book, 

 I fear. In lecturing on specimens you cannot so well cloud 

 your meaning by words, or weary by repetition, because 

 the fact demonstrated is visible and tangible ; repetition 

 impresses it on the mind, verbiage gives time to the audience 

 — but in a school book it is quite different ; here the fact 

 is not visible or prominent ; you have to impress an idea 

 or image and repetitions and verbiage take the mind away 

 from it. Contrast Faraday's ^ lectures and his writings, and 

 they are models for each, but no styles can be more dis- 

 similar. Your MS. was more a lecture in writing — and this 

 is a lecture on writing — but I really am interested in the 

 book and feel my own incompetence to such a task so keenly, 

 that I cannot forbear doing everything I can to put you on 

 your mettle. You were an admirably clear writer ; perhaps 

 15 years of a country living has not tended to develop the 

 faculty. You have all too much your own way in lectures 

 and the pulpit ; and write your weekly allowance for the 

 pulpit with nobody to pull it to pieces. Do not fear bothering 

 me with questions. I like them from you. 



I return your MS. with some suggestions. I hke its 

 plan very much, the only apparent defects (and which would 

 probably be much reduced if read in print) are the attempt 

 to explain too much as you go along. Facts are one thing, 

 the rationale of them is another ; and I doubt if you help 

 the bona fide beginner much by mixing causes with effects. 

 The beginner must learn hy heart a certain number of 



1 Michael Faraday (1791-1867), who, starting as Sir Humphry Davy's 

 assistant, became the greatest discoverer in pure experimental science, was 

 proverbial for the personal magic of his lectures, especially to the young. 



