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no temporal ends to serve； no livelihood to earn； and is under no temptation to cog and lie： wherefore prose pays respect to that loftier calling； and that more unblemished sincerity。
Insincerity； on the other hand； is the commonest vice of style。 It is not to be avoided； except in the rarest cases； by those to whom the written use of language is unfamiliar； so that a shepherd who talks pithy； terse sense will be unable to express himself in a letter without having recourse to the READY LETTER…WRITER … 〃This comes hoping to find you well； as it also leaves me at present〃 … and a soldier； without the excuse of ignorance； will describe a successful advance as having been made against 〃a thick hail of bullets。〃 It permeates ordinary journalism； and all writing produced under commercial pressure。 It taints the work of the young artist； caught by the romantic fever； who glories in the wealth of vocabulary discovered to him by the poets； and seeks often in vain for a thought stalwart enough to wear that glistering armour。 Hence it is that the masters of style have always had to preach restraint； self…denial； austerity。 His style is a man's own； yet how hard it is to come by！ It is a man's bride； to be won by labours and agonies that bespeak a heroic lover。 If he prove unable to endure the trial； there are cheaper beauties； nearer home； easy to be conquered； and faithless to their conqueror。 Taking up with them； he may attain a brief satisfaction； but he will never redeem his quest。
As a body of practical rules； the negative precepts of asceticism bring with them a certain chill。 The page is dull； it is so easy to lighten it with some flash of witty irrelevance： the argument is long and tedious； why not relieve it by wandering into some of those green enclosures that open alluring doors upon the wayside？ To roam at will； spring…heeled； high…hearted； and catching at all good fortunes； is the ambition of the youth； ere yet he has subdued himself to a destination。 The principle of self…denial seems at first sight a treason done to genius； which was always privileged to be wilful。 In this view literature is a fortuitous series of happy thoughts and heaven…sent findings。 But the end of that plan is beggary。 Sprightly talk about the first object that meets the eye and the indulgence of vagabond habits soon degenerate to a professional garrulity； a forced face of dismal cheer； and a settled dislike of strenuous exercise。 The economies and abstinences of discipline promise a kinder fate than this。 They test and strengthen purpose； without which no great work comes into being。 They save the expenditure of energy on those pastimes and diversions which lead no nearer to the goal。 To reject the images and arguments that proffer a casual assistance yet are not to be brought under the perfect control of the main theme is difficult； how should it be otherwise； for if they were not already dear to the writer they would not have volunteered their aid。
It is the more difficult； in that to refuse the unfit is no warrant of better help to come。 But to accept them is to fall back for good upon a makeshift； and to hazard the enterprise in a hubbub of disorderly claims。 No train of thought is strengthened by the addition of those arguments that； like camp…followers； swell the number and the noise； without bearing a part in the organisation。 The danger that comes in with the employment of figures of speech； similes； and comparisons is greater still。 The clearest of them may be attended by some element of grotesque or paltry association； so that while they illumine the subject they cannot truly be said to illustrate it。 The noblest； including those time…honoured metaphors that draw their patent of nobility from war； love； religion； or the chase； in proportion as they are strong and of a vivid presence； are also domineering … apt to assume command of the theme long after their proper work is done。 So great is the headstrong power of the finest metaphors； that an author may be incommoded by one that does his business for him handsomely； as a king may suffer the oppression of a powerful ally。 When a lyric begins with the splendid lines；
Love still has something of the sea From whence his mother rose；
the further development of that song is already fixed and its knell rung … to the last line there is no escaping from the dazzling influences that presided over the first。 Yet to carry out such a figure in detail； as Sir Charles Sedley set himself to do； tarnishes the sudden glory of the opening。 The lady whom Burns called Clarinda put herself in a like quandary by beginning a song with this stanza …
Talk not of Love； it gives me pain； For Love has been my foe； He bound me in an iron chain； And plunged me deep in woe。
The last two lines deserve praise … even the praise they obtained from a great lyric poet。 But how is the song to be continued？ Genius might answer the question； to Clarinda there came only the notion of a valuable contrast to be established between love and friendship； and a tribute to be paid to the kindly offices of the latter。 The verses wherein she gave effect to this idea make a poor sequel； friendship； when it is personified and set beside the tyrant god； wears very much the air of a benevolent county magistrate； whose chief duty is to keep the peace。
Figures of this sort are in no sense removable decorations； they are at one with the substance of the thought to be expressed； and are entitled to the large control they claim。 Imagination； working at white heat； can fairly subdue the matter of the poem to them； or fuse them with others of the like temper； striking unity out of the composite mass。 One thing only is forbidden； to treat these substantial and living metaphors as if they were elegant curiosities； ornamental excrescences； to be passed over abruptly on the way to more exacting topics。 The mystics； and the mystical poets； knew better than to countenance this frivolity。 Recognising that there is a profound and intimate correspondence between all physical manifestations and the life of the soul； they flung the reins on the neck of metaphor in the hope that it might carry them over that mysterious frontier。 Their failures and misadventures； familiarly despised as 〃conceits；〃 left them floundering in absurdity。 Yet not since the time of Donne and Crashaw has the full power and significance of figurative language been realised in English poetry。 These poets； like some of their late descendants； were tortured by a sense of hidden meaning； and were often content with analogies that admit of no rigorous explanation。 They were convinced that all intellectual truth is a parable； though its inner meaning be dark or dubious。 The philosophy of friendship deals with those mathematical and physical conceptions of distance； likeness； and attraction … what if the law of bodies govern souls also； and the geometer's compasses measure more than it has entered into his heart to conceive？ Is the moon a name only for a certain tonnage of dead matter； and is the law of passion parochial while the law of gravitation is universal？ Mysticism will observe no such partial boundaries。
O more than Moon！ Draw not up seas to drown me in thy sphere； Weep me not dead in thine arms； but forbear To teach the sea what it may do too soon。
The secret of these sublime intuitions； undivined by many of the greatest poets； has been left to the keeping of transcendental religion and the Catholic Church。
Figure and ornament； therefore； are not interchangeable terms； the loftiest figurative style most conforms to the precepts of gravity and chastity。 None the less there is a decorative use of figure； whereby a theme is enriched with imaginations and memories that are foreign to the main purpose。 Under this head may be classed most of those allusions to the world's literature； especially to classical and Scriptural lore； which have played so considerable； yet on the whole so idle； a part in modern poetry。 It is here that an inordinate love of decoration finds its opportunity and its snare。 To keep the most elaborate comparison in harmony with its occasion； so that when it is completed it shall fall back easily into the emotional key of the narrative； has been the study of the great epic poets。 Milton's description of the rebel legions adrift on the flaming sea is a fine instance of the difficulty felt and conquered：
Angel forms； who lay entranced Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks In Vallombrosa； where the Etrurian shades High over…arched embower； or scattered sedge Afloat； when with fierce winds Orion armed Hath vexed the Red…Sea coast； whose waves o'erthrew Busiris and his Memphian chivalry； While with perfidious hatred they pursued The sojourners of Goshen； who beheld From the safe shore their floating carcases And broken chariot…wheels。 So thick bestrown； Abject and lost； lay these； covering the flood； Under amazement of their hideous change。
The comparison seems to wander away at random； obedient to the slightest touch of association。 Yet in the end it is brought back； its majesty heightened； and a closer element of likeness introduced by the skilful turn that substitutes the imag