Pacing issues then and now
Check out this paragraph, the opening paragraph of a novel. When do you suppose this book was published? Anybody recognize the style?
"In as much as the scene of this story is that historic pile, Belpher Castle, in the countyof Hampshire, it would be an agreeable task to open it with a leisurely description of the place, followed by some notes on the history of the Earls of Marshmoreton, who have owned it since the fifteenth century. Unfortunately, in these days of rush and hurry, a novelist works at a disadvantage. He must leap into the middle of his tale with as little delay as he would employ in boarding a moving tramcar. He must get off the mark with the smooth swiftness of a jack-rabbit surprised while lunching. Otherwise, people throw him aside and go out to picture palaces."
Anybody recognize PG Wodehouse? This one is A Damsel In Distress, which was originally published in 1919. Almost 100 years ago!
My mother got a bunch of reissued Wodehouse novels for Christmas. It's been a while since I read any Wodehouse, so since she's pressing them into my hands as she finishes them, I'm slowly reading them. I like 'em if the main characters aren't total jackasses. (I mean, Bertie Wooster IS kind of a total jackass.) And what a fabulous writer! Not that I'm going to devote myself from now on to romantic comedies of manners, but still. Listen to this:
"There was a tense silence. What [the young] Albert was thinking one cannot say. The thoughts of Youth are long, long thoughts. What George was thinking was that the late King Herod had been unjustly blamed for a policy which had been both statesmanlike and in the interests of the public. He was blaming the mawkish sentimentallity of the modern legal system which ranks the evisceration and secret buriel of small boys as a crime.
"It's all right, mister. I'm yer friend."
"You are, are you? Well, don't let it about. I've got a reputation to keep up."
"I'm yer friend, I tell you. I can help yer. I WANT to help yer!"
George's views on infanticide underwent a slight modification.
And so forth. It's wonderful writing. It's also PERFECTLY CORRECT English, which gives me yet another writer to recommend to people who want to raise their ACT (or whatever) scores. You can (and should, I guess) study grammar, but really there's nothing like just reading a lot of really correct beautifully written prose to develop a feel for the language.
Anyway, this one is maybe my favorite so far. My other favorite so far is Jill The Reckless. Anybody read that one?
