There is a strength
Which dies if stretched too far or spun too fine,
Which has more height than depth, more breadth than length.
Let but this force of thought and speech be mine,
And he that will may take the sleek fat phrase,
Which glows and burns not, though it gleam and shine--
Light but not heat--a flash, but not a blaze!"
Long words are not always the most "forcible," Stella,--nor, on the
other hand, are they always to be avoided. Sometimes the best word for
expressing our meaning may be long to spell, but easy to understand;
and, again, a word may be short and yet fail to tell exactly what we
wish to say. The verse you copy is not a convincing example of the
power of short words, although it shows that much may be done with
them. Frequently a word is chosen for its rhythmic quality--the
pleasantness and ease with which its sound fits in with the
context--rather than because it is long or short. Mr. Longfellow's
poem, "The Three Kings" published in the last Christmas number of ST.
NICHOLAS, is an example of a fine poem in simple and rhythmical
language, the study of which will improve your style of writing more
than any number of rules that we might give you.
THE RIDDLE-BOX.
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