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locutions；＇12＇ many brusque； familiar and frank turns of thought；
every haphazard； telling metaphor； almost every description of
impulsive and dexterous utterance throwing a flash of light into the
imagination and bringing into view the precise； colored and complete
form； but of which a too vivid impression would run counter to the
proprieties of polite conversation。
〃One improper word；〃 said Vaugelas； 〃is all that is necessary to
bring a person in society into contempt；〃
and； on the eve of the Revolution； an objectionable term denounced
by Madame de Luxembourg still consigns a man to the rank of 〃espèces；〃
because correct expression is ever an element of good manners。 …
Language； through this constant scratching； is attenuated and becomes
colorless： Vaugelas estimates that one…half of the phrases and terms
employed by Amyot are set aside。＇13＇ With the exception of La
Fontaine； an isolated and spontaneous genius； who reopens the old
sources； and La Bruyère； a bold seeker； who opens a fresh source； and
Voltaire an incarnate demon who； in his anonymous and pseudonymous
writings； gives the rein to the violent； crude expressions of his
inspiration；＇14＇ the terms which are most appropriate fall into
desuetude。 One day； Gresset； in a discourse at the Academy； dares
utter four or five of these；＇15＇ relating； I believe； to carriages and
head…dresses； whereupon murmurs at once burst forth。 During his long
retreat he had become provincial and lost the touch。 … By degrees；
discourses are composed of 〃general expressions〃 only。 These are even
employed； in accordance with Buffon's precept； to designate concrete
objects。 They are more in conformity with the polished courtesy which
smoothes over； appeases； and avoids rough or familiar expressions； to
which some views appear gross or rude unless partly hidden by a veil。
This makes it easier for the superficial listener； prevailing terms
alone will immediately arouse current and common ideas； they are
intelligible to every man from the single fact that he belongs to the
drawing…room； special terms； on the contrary； demand an effort of the
memory or of the imagination。 Suppose that； in relation to Franks or
to savages； I should mention 〃a battle…ax；〃 which would be at once
understood； should I mention a 〃tomahawk；〃 or a 〃francisque；〃＇16＇ many
would imagine that I was speaking Teuton or Iroquois。＇17＇ In this
respect the more fashionable and refined the style； the more
punctilious the effort。 Every appropriate term is banished from
poetry； if one happens to enter the mind it must be evaded or replaced
by a paraphrase。 An eighteenth century poet can hardly permit himself
to employ more than one…third of the dictionary； poetic language at
last becomes so restricted as to compel a man with anything to say not
to express himself in verse。＇18＇
On the other hand the more you prune the more you thin out。 Reduced
to a select vocabulary the Frenchman deals with fewer subjects； but he
describes them more agreeably and more clearly。 〃Courtesy； accuracy〃；
（Urbanité； exactitude！）； these two words； born at the same time with
the French Academy； describes in a nutshell the reform of which it is
the tool； and which the drawing…room； by it； and alongside of it；
imposes on the public。 Grand seigniors in retirement； and unoccupied
fine ladies； enjoy the examination of the subtleties of words for the
purpose of composing maxims； definitions and characters。 With
admirable scrupulousness and infinitely delicate tact； writers and
people society apply themselves to weighing each word and each phrase
in order to fix its sense； to measure its force and bearing； to
determine its affinities； use and connections This work of precision
is carried on from the earliest academicians； Vaugelas； Chapelain and
Conrart； to the end of the classic epoch； in the Synonymes by Bauzée
and by Girard； in the Remarque by Duclos； in the Commentaire by
Voltaire on Corneille； in the Lycée by la Harpe；＇19＇ in the efforts；
the example； the practice and the authority of the great and the
inferior writers of which all are correct。 Never did architects；
obliged to use ordinary broken highway stones in building； better
understand each piece； its dimensions； its shape； its resistance； its
possible connections and suitable position。 … Once this was learned；
the task was to construct with the least trouble and with the utmost
solidity； the grammar was consequently changed at the same time and in
the same way as the dictionary。 Hence no longer permitting the words
to reflect the way impressions and emotions were felt； they now
had to be regularly and rigorously assigned according to the
invariable hierarchy of concepts。 The writer may no longer begin his
text with the leading figure or the main purpose of his story； the
setting is given and the places assigned beforehand。 Each part of the
discourse has its own place； no omission or transposition is
permitted； as was done in the sixteenth century＇20＇。 All parts must be
included； each in its definite place： at first the subject of the
sentence with its appendices； then the verb； then the object direct；
and； finally； the indirect connections。 In this way the sentence forms
a graduated scaffolding； the substance coming foremost； then the
quality； then the modes and varieties of the quality； just as a good
architect in the first place poses his foundation； then the building；
then the accessories； economically and prudently； with a view to adapt
each section of the edifice to the support of the section following
after it。 No sentence demands any less attention than another； nor is
there any in which one may not at every step verify the connection or
incoherence of the parts。＇21＇ … The procedure used in arranging a
simple sentence also governs that of the period； the paragraph and the
series of paragraphs； it forms the style as it forms the syntax。 Each
small edifice occupies a distinct position； and but one； in the great
total edifice。 As the discourse advances； each section must in turn
file in； never before； never after； no parasitic member being allowed
to intrude； and no regular member being allowed to encroach on its
neighbor； while all these members bound together by their very
positions must move onward； combining all their forces on one single
point。 Finally； we have for the first time in a writing； natural and
distinct groups； complete and compact harmonies； none of which
infringe on the others or allow others to infringe on them。 It is no
longer allowable to write haphazard； according to the caprice of one's
inspiration； to discharge one's ideas in bulk； to let oneself be
interrupted by parentheses； to string along interminable rows of
citations and enumerations。 An end is proposed； some truth is to be
demonstrated； some definition to be ascertained； some conviction to be
brought about； to do this we must march； and ever directly onward。
Order； sequence； progress； proper transitions； constant development
constitute the characteristics of this style。 To such an extent is
this pushed； that from the very first； personal correspondence；
romances； humorous pieces； and all ironical and gallant effusions；
consist of morsels of systematic eloquence。＇22＇ At the H？tel
Rambouillet； the explanatory period is displayed with as much fullness
and as rigorously as with Descartes himself。 One of the words most
frequently occurring with Mme。 de Scudéry is the conjunction for （in
French car）。 Passion is worked out through close…knit arguments。
Drawing room compliments stretch along in sentences as finished as
those of an academical dissertation。 Scarcely completed； the
instrument already discloses its aptitudes。 We are aware of its being
made to explain； to demonstrate； to persuade and to popularize。
Condillac； a century later； is justified in saying that it is in
itself a systematic means of decomposition and of recomposition； a
scientific method analogous to arithmetic and algebra。 At the very
least it possesses the incontestable advantage of starting with a few
ordinary terms； and of leading the reader along with facility and
promptness； by a series of simple combinations； up to the
loftiest。＇23＇ By virtue of this； in 1789； the French tongue ranks
above every other。 The Berlin Academy promises a prize to for anyone
who best can explain its pre…eminence。 It is spoken throughout Europe。
No other language is used in diplomacy。 As formerly with Latin； it is
international； and appears that； from now on； it is to be the
preferred tool whenever men are to reason。
It is the organ only of a certain kind of reasoning； la raison
raisonnante； that requiring the least preparation for thought； giving
itself as little trouble as possible； content with its acquisitions；
taking no pains to increase or renew them； incapable of； or unwilling
to embrace the plenitude and complexity of the facts of