| |
Ben Jonson
From Timber, or Discoveries
|
So good authors in their style: a strict and succinct style is that, where
you can take away nothing without loss, and that loss be manifest. The brief
style is that which expresseth much in little. The concise style, which expresseth
not enough, but leaves somewhat to be understood. The abrupt style, which
hath many breaches, and doth not seem to end, but fall. The congruent, and
harmonious fitting of parts in a sentence, hath almost the fastening, and
force of knitting, and connection: as in stones well-squared, which will rise
strong a great way without mortar.
Periods are beautiful when they are not too long; for so they have their
strength too, as in a pike or javelin. As we must take care that our words and
sense be clear; so, if the obscurity happen through the hearers', or readers'
want of understanding, I am not to answer for them; no more than for their not
listening or marking; I must neither find them ears, nor mind. But a man cannot
put a word so in sense, but something about it will illustrate it, if the writer
understands himself. For order helps much to perspicuity, as confusion hurts. .
. . We shold therefore speak what we can, the nearest way, so as we keep our
gait, not leap; for tooshort may as well be not let into the memory, as too long
not kept in.
|
