He was still trying for the editorial staff; but
in the last month only five of his articles had been printed to
twenty-three thrown away. A national campaign was coming on and the
_News-Record_ was taking a political stand that seemed to him sound
and right. For the first time he tried political editorials.
The cause aroused his passion for justice, for democratic equality and the
abolition of privilege. He had something to say and he succeeded in saying
it vigorously, effectively, with clearness and moderation of statement. How
to avoid hysteria; how to set others on fire instead of only making of
himself a fiery spectacle; how to be earnest, yet calm; how to be satirical
yet sincere; how to be interesting, yet direct--these were his objects,
pursued with incessant toiling, rewriting again and again, recasting of
sentences, careful balancing of words for exact shades of meaning.
"I shall never learn to write," had been his complaint of himself to
himself for years. And in these days it seemed to him that he was farther
from a good style than ever. His standards had risen, were rising; he
feared that his power of accomplishment was failing. Therefore his heart
sank and his face paled when an office boy told him that Mr. Malcolm wished
to see him.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93