Carefully
examined, a good –– an interesting –– style will be found to consist in
a constant succession of tiny, unobservable surprises. If you write ––
'His range of subject was very wide and his conversation very varied
and unusual; he could rouse you with his perorations and lull you with
his periods; therefore his conversation met with great appreciation and
he made several fast friends' –– you will not find the world very
apt to be engrossed by what you have set down. The results will be
different if you put it, 'He had the power to charm or frighten
rudimentary souls into an aggravated witch-dance; he could also fill the
small souls of the pilgrims with bitter misgivings; he had one devoted
friend at least, and he had conquered one soul in the world that was
neither rudimentary nor tainted with self-seeking.'
Or, let us put the matter another way. The catalogue of an
ironmonger’s store is uninteresting as literature because things in it
are all classified and thus obvious; the catalogue of a farm sale is
more interesting because things in it are contrasted. No one would for
long read: 'Nails, drawn wire, half inch, per pound…; nails, do., three-quarter inch, per pound…; nails, do., inch, per pound…' But it is often not disagreeable to read desultorily: 'Lot
267. Pair rabbit gins. Lot 268. Antique powder flask. Lot 269.
Malay Kris. Lot 270. Set of six sporting prints by Herring. Lot 271.
Silver caudle cup…' for that, as far as it goes, has a quality of surprise.
Joseph Conrad: A Personal Remembrance (1924)
Use the link below to visit THE FORD MADOX FORD SOCIETY, an international organization founded in 1997 'to promote knowledge of and interest in the life and works of Ford Madox Ford':
http://www.fordmadoxfordsociety.org/
You might also enjoy:
A Call: The Tale of Two Passions (1910) by FORD MADOX FORD
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