Treść książki
Przejdź do opcji czytnikaPrzejdź do nawigacjiPrzejdź do informacjiPrzejdź do stopki
Part2:EmblemsofHope
IV
Beforeananchorcaneverberaised,itmustbelet
go;andthisperfectlyobvioustruismbringsmeatonce
tothesubjectofthedegradationofthesealanguage
inthedailypressofthiscountry.
Yourjournalist,whetherhetakeschargeofaship
orafleet,almostinvariablycasts”hisanchor.Now,
ananchorisnevercast,andtotakealibertywith
technicallanguageisacrimeagainsttheclearness,
precision,andbeautyofperfectedspeech.
Ananchorisaforgedpieceofiron,admirably
adaptedtoitsend,andtechnicallanguage
isaninstrumentwroughtintoperfectionbyages
ofexperience,aflawlessthingforitspurpose.
Ananchorofyesterday(becausenowadaysthereare
contrivanceslikemushroomsandthingslikeclaws,
ofnoparticularexpressionorshape–justhooks)–an
anchorofyesterdayisinitswayamostefficient
instrument.Toitsperfectionitssizebearswitness,for
thereisnootherappliancesosmallforthegreatwork
ithastodo.Lookattheanchorshangingfromthecat-
headsofabigship!Howtinytheyareinproportion
tothegreatsizeofthehull!Weretheymadeofgold
theywouldlookliketrinkets,likeornamentaltoys,
nobiggerinproportionthanajewelleddrop
inawoman’sear.Andyetuponthemwilldepend,
morethanonce,theverylifeoftheship.
Ananchorisforgedandfashionedforfaithfulness;
giveitgroundthatitcanbite,anditwillholdtillthe
cableparts,andthen,whatevermayafterwardsbefall
itsship,thatanchorislost.”Thehonest,roughpiece
ofiron,sosimpleinappearance,hasmorepartsthan
thehumanbodyhaslimbs:thering,thestock,the
crown,theflukes,thepalms,theshank.Allthis,
accordingtothejournalist,iscast”whenaship
arrivingatananchorageisbroughtup.
Thisinsistenceinusingtheodiouswordarisesfrom
