21O Clear Skies and Cloudy. 



his loquacity, but it is muscular rather than in- 

 tellectual vigor that stands him so well in need. 

 Why ? If we go back to the starting-point of 

 our intellectual careers, we find that the natural 

 disposition to observe literally a scriptural in- 

 junction and let "yea" and "nay" suffice is 

 corrected, and we are forced to tack on a deal 

 that means nothing usually and sometimes is a 

 positive falsehood. In short, the child that 

 would be terse and truthful is required to be 

 verbose and incorrect. The Psalmist said in 

 his haste, "All men are liars:" if living now, 

 he could and would say it with justified delib- 

 eration. 



As words are merely signs of our ideas and 

 we come quickly to understanding them, how- 

 ever improperly used, there is no serious harm 

 done, it is claimed ; but this we deny. Least 

 of the ills is that most commented upon, the 

 development of a curious condition, the demand 

 for strong statement, for the use of even many 

 adjectives when none are called for. In short, 

 we become charmed, as in the myth of the ser- 

 pent exerting its power over birds, by the mere 

 tools of speech. For this reason our language 



