107:. It sets out to answer the questions, "Why is so much writing wordy, confused, graceless, dull?" and "What are the qualities that endow language, spoken or written, with persuasiveness or power?" It offers "a few principles" and "a number of examples of the effective use of language, especially in prose", and adds "a few warnings". The book is written as a series of eleven essays (with much quotation and anecdote, and without bullet-points or note-form), which themselves illustrate the virtues commended. The work is unified by what Lucas calls "one vital thread, on which the random principles of good writing may be strung, and grasped as a whole". That "vital thread" is "courtesy to readers". It is upon this emphasis on good manners, urbanity, good humour, grace, control, that the book's aspiration to usefulness rests. Discussion tends to circle back to 18th-century masters like Voltaire, Montesquieu, Gibbon, the later Johnson, or their successors like
132:
best side of their characters, and at their best moments." He goes on to outline the elements of a lucid, varied, pointed prose style; to warn of perils (the book is an anthology of weeds as well as flowers); and to explore different methods of planning, composition and revision. Passages quoted for analysis are in a range of styles, taken from letters, essays, criticism, biography, history, novels and plays. There is a chapter on the rhythms of prose and on aural effects. Of figures of speech, Lucas deals with simile and metaphor; of rhetorical tropes, he discusses irony, and syntactical devices such as inversion and antithesis. For points of correct
English usage he refers readers to Fowler's
329:, "exemplifying brilliantly all that it seeks to instill – enjoyment of reading and mastery of writing." It was Lucas's most successful book. He had long had a reputation as a stylist, "one whose pen possesses the sparkle and fascination which made the essay, in the hands of writers such as Bacon and Montaigne, a thing of beauty and interest". Some reviewers expressed the view that "The book's most obvious merit lies in its quotations" (
379:(2011) considered the book "filled with fine things ... F. L. Lucas wrote the best book on prose composition, for the not-so-simple reason that, in the modern era, he was the smartest, most cultivated man to turn his energies to the task". The 2011 article "brought attention to this neglected classic and helped set in train its reissue".
368:
disliked the work and dismissed its author as "middlebrow": "There have been wonderful styles which illustrate the virtues of clarity, brevity, simplicity and vitality. Other styles, no less wonderful, have exhibited obscurity, amplitude, complexity and decadence. Good writers have been urbane, gay
349:
praised Lucas's close analysis of faulty style: "The passage in which he dissects a great hunk of
Swinburne's prose, reduces it by more than half, recognizes that it could be made shorter still, and ends by suggesting that it need not have been written at all, is in itself worth the whole price of
308:, who added their own sub-title, 'The Art of Writing Well'. "Though one cannot teach people to write well," Lucas had observed, "one can sometimes teach them to write rather better." Harriman House brought out a fourth edition in 2020, correcting minor errors in the third and adding a Foreword by
131:
Lucas begins with a definition of style in prose, and a discussion of its importance. He questions the extent to which style can be taught, given that it is a reflection of personality ("The problems of style are really problems of personality" ), but concludes that "Writers should write from the
24:
304:; this reissue Cassell mistakenly called the "second edition". After being out-of-print for four decades, the real second edition, with Lucas's translations, checked against the first edition, was reprinted in 2012 by Harriman House Publishing, of
148:"One cannot ask oneself too often, both in writing and in re-reading what one has written, 'Do I really mean that? Have I said it for effect, though I know it is exaggerated? Or from cowardice, because otherwise I should be ill thought of?' "
299:
of London in 1964, Lucas made minor changes and added – in response to some readers' protests – footnote translations (his own) of the book's foreign-language quotations. Cassell reprinted the first edition in 1974, adding a
Foreword by
279:, and partly by his belief that "on the quality of a nation's language depends to some extent the quality of its life and thought; and on the quality of its life and thought the quality of its language". First published in 1955 by
416:, explored two aspects of style – brevity and metaphor – in a celebration of world proverbs as a source of wit, wisdom, and insight into human nature and national character. The piece was reprinted in Mieder and Sobieski,
339:). "There are almost as many in French as in English, and their range and aptness are remarkable." Others, however, felt that there should have been fewer examples from poetry and more from contemporary prose.
369:
and healthy: other good writers have been boorish, melancholic and diseased... Mr Lucas pays lip-service to the recalcitrant disorder of the scene" but "writes far too briefly of variety". More recently,
271:. The decision to lecture on 'Good prose, and the writing of it' (the course was later renamed 'Style') reflected a wish to improve the quality of student essays, adversely affected, Lucas felt, by the
138:. Giving, however, a few examples of regrettable change and ignorance, he stresses the importance of "preserving the purity of the English tongue". Languages evolve, but can also degenerate.
151:"A writer should view his mental offspring as relentlessly as a Spartan father. If he does not 'expose' his unsound offspring himself, others will, in a different sense."
398:
more succinctly, in a different order and with some changes in emphasis, and adds new examples and a few autobiographical anecdotes. It was reprinted in Birk and Birk,
103:(1955) is a book about the writing and appreciation of "good prose", expanded for the general reader from lectures originally given to English literature students at
275:. The decision to expand the lectures into book form for the general reader was prompted partly by his recent experience as an Intelligence report-writer in
1021:
406:(New York, 2009). The essay was reissued in 2012 as 'How to Write Powerful Prose', by Harriman House Publishing, Petersfield.
1082:
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1254:
387:
Lucas returned to the subject in a 4000-word essay, 'On the
Fascination of Style', published in the March 1960 number of
1264:
1010:
1051:
Gold
Nuggets or Fool’s Gold? Magazine and Newspaper Articles on the (Ir)relevance of Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
1259:
1122:
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108:
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was based on one of Lucas's first courses of lectures at
Cambridge (1946 to 1953) after his return from
418:
Gold
Nuggets or Fool's Gold? Magazine and Newspaper Articles on the (Ir)relevance of Proverbial Phrases
1075:
1036:
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291:
went through seven impressions in the UK between 1955 and 1964. In the second edition, published by
324:
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330:
51:
696:
Lucas, F. L., 'On the
Fascination of Style', in Birk, N. P., & Birk, G. B., eds.,
409:
His companion essay, 'The Art of
Proverbs', published in the September 1965 number of
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375:
284:
120:
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73:
1113:
1157:
523:
514:
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346:
301:
145:"I can think of no constantly perfect stylist who has not laboured like an emmet."
1176:
116:
750:
Lucas, F. L., 'On the
Fascination of Style', in Birk, N. P., & Birk, G. B.,
358:, however, found the author "sometimes laboured in his anxiety to be debonair".
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47:
37:
440:
1022:'How to Write Powerful Prose', Harriman House Publishing, Petersfield
957:(Harriman House Publishing 2012), Publisher's Acknowledgements, p.257
439:(London 1931). His mature style can be seen in his review-cum-essay,
383:'On the Fascination of Style' (1960) and 'The Art of Proverbs' (1965)
296:
23:
735:
1053:; The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont (2006), pp.41–49
435:
Lucas's own early style had been analysed in A. J. J. Ratcliff's
1060:
767:, Harriman House Publishing 2012, pp.i–iii (press quotations)
276:
851:
Rayner Heppenstall, 'Prose for General Purposes', review of
907:
Foreword by Sir Bruce Fraser to 1974 Cassell reprint of
323:
was generally well received. "A delightful book," wrote
967:
Walther, Matthew, 'The Art of Writing Well', review of
1035:
magazine, Vol. 38, No. 3, September 1965, pp.8-13;
259:
726:, 2nd edition (New York 1962, London 1964), Preface
345:approved "the entertaining relevance of anecdote".
1001:McCuen, Jo Ray, & Winkler, Anthony C., eds.,
1241:
692:
690:
540:(London 1955), author's paragraph on dust-jacket
510:
508:
1049:Mieder, Wolfgang & Sobieski, Janet (eds.),
988:magazine, Vol. 27 No. 3, March 1960, pp.11-21;
847:
845:
402:(New York, 1968) and in McCuen & Winkler,
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822:Sir Richard Livingstone, Foreword to Lucas's
687:
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842:
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22:
394:. The essay reworks the core points of
1242:
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200:Chapter 5: Courtesy to Readers - (3)
190:Chapter 4: Courtesy to Readers - (2)
184:Chapter 3: Courtesy to Readers - (1)
936:Epstein, Joseph, 'Heavy Sentences',
835:Cassell's advertisement for Lucas's
752:The Odyssey Reader: Ideas and Style
698:The Odyssey Reader: Ideas and Style
400:The Odyssey Reader: Ideas and Style
180:The foundation of Style - Character
13:
14:
1276:
260:Background and publishing history
811:Kingsmen of a Century, 1873–1972
740:, Harriman House Publishing 2012
140:
28:Cover of first UK and US edition
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449:, Vol.8, No.1, Cambridge, 1965.
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1123:The Woman Clothed with the Sun
955:Style: The Art of Writing Well
859:, 24 September 1955, p.371-372
765:Style: The Art of Writing Well
738:Style: The Art of Writing Well
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556:
543:
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488:
475:
462:
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655:Cambridge University Reporter
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857:The New Statesman and Nation
315:
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1255:Books of literary criticism
824:Euripides and his Influence
700:(New York 1968), pp.486–494
295:of New York in 1962 and by
126:
10:
1281:
919:Philip Toynbee, review of
839:(London 1934), dust-jacket
837:Studies French and English
684:(London 1955), p.22, p.143
1265:Cassell (publisher) books
1214:
1195:
1168:
1141:
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1037:Curtis Publishing Company
990:Curtis Publishing Company
494:John Rosselli, review of
485:(London 1955), p.16, p.45
80:
65:
57:
43:
33:
21:
441:'Long Lives the Emperor'
423:
605:(London 1955), pp.35–37
592:(London 1955), pp.41–45
1260:1955 non-fiction books
754:(New York 1968), p.490
671:(London 1955), p.24–25
579:(London 1955), Preface
446:The Historical Journal
776:Nowell-Smith, Simon,
283:of London and by the
281:Cassell & Company
70:Cassell & Company
1003:Readings for Writers
644:(London 1955), p.166
631:(London 1955), p.151
618:(London 1955), p.269
420:(Burlington, 2006).
404:Readings for Writers
248:The Harmony of Prose
135:Modern English Usage
105:Cambridge University
927:, 11 September 1955
790:Hugh Gordon Porteus
713:(London 1955), p.36
566:(London 1955), p.61
553:(London 1955), p.48
527:, 11 September 1955
500:Manchester Guardian
472:(London 1955), p.10
242:Simile and Metaphor
18:
973:New English Review
881:, 18 November 1955
809:Wilkinson, L. P.,
331:Rayner Heppenstall
254:Methods of writing
174:The Value of Style
52:literary criticism
16:
1237:
1236:
939:The New Criterion
437:Prose of Our Time
376:The New Criterion
285:Macmillan Company
166:
165:
121:Desmond MacCarthy
92:
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87:978-0-85719-187-8
74:Macmillan Company
1272:
1158:Messene Redeemed
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352:Raymond Mortimer
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371:Joseph Epstein
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798:Time and Tide
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1250:Style guides
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342:The Listener
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252:Chapter 11:
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246:Chapter 10:
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109:Sainte-Beuve
99:
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1228:D. W. Lucas
1131:Doctor Dido
1092:F. L. Lucas
975:, July 2012
869:J. M. Cohen
657:, 1946–1953
350:the book".
306:Petersfield
240:Chapter 9:
232:Good Health
230:Chapter 8:
220:Chapter 7:
212:Good Humour
210:Chapter 6:
178:Chapter 2:
172:Chapter 1:
95:F. L. Lucas
48:Style guide
38:F. L. Lucas
1244:Categories
1185:Land's End
942:June 2011
890:Review of
456:References
222:Good Sense
206:Simplicity
76:, New York
1230:(brother)
1196:Criticism
316:Reception
297:Pan Books
226:Sincerity
72:, London
66:Publisher
58:Published
414:magazine
392:magazine
236:Vitality
202:Urbanity
127:Contents
1215:Related
1150:Ariadne
1099:Fiction
1033:Holiday
986:Holiday
796:in the
498:in the
412:Holiday
390:Holiday
333:in the
196:Variety
192:Brevity
186:Clarity
169:Preface
162:(1955)
1224:(wife)
1207:(1955)
1188:(1935)
1180:(1933)
1161:(1940)
1153:(1932)
1142:Poetry
1134:(1938)
1126:(1937)
1118:(1930)
1115:Cécile
1110:(1926)
1009:
216:Gaiety
34:Author
17:Style
1204:Style
1169:Plays
969:Style
921:Style
909:Style
892:Style
873:Style
853:Style
794:Style
724:Style
711:Style
682:Style
669:Style
642:Style
629:Style
616:Style
603:Style
590:Style
577:Style
564:Style
551:Style
538:Style
519:Style
496:Style
483:Style
470:Style
424:Notes
396:Style
321:Style
289:Style
277:Hut 3
265:Style
160:Style
100:Style
44:Genre
1007:ISBN
234:and
224:and
214:and
204:and
194:and
119:and
82:ISBN
971:in
923:in
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875:in
855:in
521:in
443:in
373:in
362:of
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97:'s
1246::
844:^
689:^
507:^
312:.
123:.
115:,
111:,
50:,
1084:e
1077:t
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