CHAPTER II

 Choice of Words

Our American writers evince much variety in their graces of diction, but in the accurate choice of words James Russell Lowell and William Cullen Bryant stand out conspicuous above the rest.  So careful and persistent was the latter, that during the time that he was editor of The Evening Post, of New York City, he required the various writers upon that paper to avoid the use of a long list of words and expressions which he had prepared for them, and which were commonly employed by other papers.  This list was not only used, but enlarged by his successors.

Strive to cultivate the habit of observing words; trace their delicate shades of meaning as employed by the most polished writers; note their suggestiveness; mark the accuracy with which they are chosen.  In this way your mind will be kept on the alert to discover the beauties as well as the blemishes of all the thought pictures that are presented, and your vocabulary will be greatly enlarged and enriched.
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Bryant’s list of objectionable expressions

Above, and over, use more than. 
Artiste, use artist. 
Aspirant. 
Authoress
Beat, use defeat. 
Bagging, use capturing. 
Balance, use remainder. 
Banquet, use dinner or supper. 
Bogus. 
Casket, use coffin. 
Claimed, use asserted. 
Collided. 
Commence, use begin. 
Compete. 
Cortege, use procession. 
Cotemporary, use contemporary. 
Couple, use two. 
Darkey, use negro. 
Day before yesterday, use the day before yesterday. 
Debut. 
Decease, as a verb. 
Democracy, applied to a political party. 
Develop, use expose. 
Devouring element, use fire. 
Donate. 
Employe. 
Enacted, use acted. 
Endorse, use approve. 
En route. 
Esq. 
Graduate, use is graduated. 
Gents, use gentlemen. 
Hon.
House, use House of Representatives. 
Humbug. 
Inaugurate, use begin. 
In our midst. 
Item, use particle, extract, or paragraph. 
Is being done, and all similar passive forms. 
Jeopardize. 
Jubilant, use rejoicing.
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Juvenile, use boy. 
Lady, use wife. 
Last, use latest. 
Lengthy, use long. 
Leniency, use lenity. 
Loafer. 
Loan, or loaned, use lend or lent. 
Located. 
Majority, use most. 
Mrs. President. 
Mrs. Governor. 
Mrs. General. 
Mutual, use common. 
Official, use officer. 
Ovation. 
On yesterday. 
Over his signature. 
Pants, use pantaloons. 
Parties, use persons. 
Partially, use partly. 
Past two weeks, use last two weeks. 
Poetess. 
Portion, use part. 
Posted, use informed. 
Progress, use advance.