Selection Necessary. - Another condition to success in description is to make a judicious selection of the points to be described. Stand where we will, the things to be seen are numberless; we cannot undertake to name even, much less to describe, all that we see. The writer should first settle in his own mind the object of his essay. The points selected will vary according as he writes for information, for amusement, for the satisfying of a sense of the beautiful, and the like. In making observations preparatory to the description, it will be found best not to observe any particular order, at the time, but to put things down just as the eye meets them, reserving the grouping to the final process of finishing up. Avoid Generalities.- - Another condition is that we particularize. Young writers are apt to deal in easy generalities, to speak of trees-not of some one tree which they know something about; of gardens, not of that particular garden which is before their eyes; of landscapes in general, not of that particular landscape which is spread out before them. Descriptions should deal with the concrete, not with the abstract; with particulars, not with generals. Subjects.- Subjects for description exist in the greatest abundance. Every man, woman, or child that one is acquainted with, every domestic animal, every house, every field, every bridge or stream, may form a subject for description; and the more familiar the object, the better, especially for elementary exercises. Describing what we have not Seen. - We are required sometimes to describe objects with which we have become acquainted by reading and study, instead of observation. We may, for instance, be required to describe the Emperor Napoleon, or ancient Rome, or the Sandwich Islands, or the crater of Vesuvius, none of which wo have seen. In such cases we should observe as nearly as possible the suggestions already made. In reading about the object, we should make notes of the several points which seem suitable to the purpose; and after thus collecting the materials, we should combine them in some orderly arrangement, as we would in describing what we have seen. In the ordinary uses of life, description and narrative very commonly and properly go together. But in school exercises, for the purpose of cultivating the art of description, it is well occasionally to practise description apart from narrative, to assign as the subject for an essay the description of some specific person, place, scene, or thing. Examples are given of both kinds of descriptions, and of various degrees of maturity. Example.-Subject, OUR CAT AND THE RABBIT. (N. B. Notes. Time-May 29th, afternoon. Mother and I were together reading. The rabbit of a dark, mottled brown. Eating grass his ears- his eyes- -the way he jumped. The cat his eyes and tail-crouching - afraid to attack. What became of Bunny. Goldy's cowardice. Our excitement-throwing stones - no use. These notes were jotted down after the adventure was over, not at th● actual time of the occurrence.) Description. By a Boy. One afternoon in May, as mother and I were in the back parlor, reading, we saw, all at once, in the grass-plot back of the house, only a few feet from where we were sitting, a dear little wild rabbit. The grass was rather high, and he was busy as a bee, biting off the tops, which were most inviting. He seemed to be quite particular in his fancies, picking those blades which looked most fresh and tender. We sat still and watched him for some time, with the greatest curiosity, as we could see him perfectly. After nibbling awhile, he would stop, and stand perfectly still, as if watching against surprise. His eyes were not, like those of the cat or dog, in the front of his face, and looking forward, but on the sides of his head, so that he could look right and left without stirring; in fact, they stuck out beyond the rest of his head, so that probably he could see in every direction without turning. This may be to enable him better to protect himself, as he cannot fight, and his only chance of escape is by flight. I noticed that he had a peculiar way of sitting upon his haunches, with his body and head erect, and his forefeet entirely free. I could not see whether or not he used his forefeet as we do our hands, for taking hold of the grass and other things, but I think he did. It had that appearance. His mode of running, also, was peculiar. He went by leaps, using chiefly his hind legs. His color was different from that of the tame rabbits which I have seen, being of a dark mottled brown. Our cat got sight of the rabbit, and became at once very much excited. Mr. Goldy (that is our cat's name) was standing on the porch, about seven feet from where Bunny was nibbling, and we (mother and I) were looking on from the parlor window. The cat's eye flashed, and his tail moved slightly; he crouched as if ready any moment to spring. The scene became very exciting. We expected every moment to see poor Bunny murdered in open day, right before our eyes. But just as we were going to warn him of his danger, he caught sight of the treacherous foe, and forthwith suspended operations. Then ensued a moment of awful suspense. Bunny stood perfectly still, as if afraid that the least motion would bring on the catastrophe. Goldy, also, cat-like, watched and waited, in hope of some more favorable moment for making the final spring, At last, Bunny could stand it no longer, and, with a wild bound, started for the back part of the grounds. We expected of course to see Goldy follow and seize his victim. Instead of that, he walked composedly to the place where Bunny had been nibbling, smelled the grass and ground a little, and then sneaked away to the kitchen. The fact was, Mr. Goldy showed the white feather, and was about as glad to get off as Bunny was. This Mr. Bunny was a cunning chap. After escaping from the yard, he went a few rods into the adjoining field, and stopped in the midst of some high grass, where he remained, head up, perfectly motionless. I threw ever so many stones at him, some of which came very near hitting him, and I shouted again and again, but he remained as still as if he had been a bush or a clump of grass; and I have no doubt he had sense enough to know that moving about and dodging would be the surest way of betraying his whereabouts to his enemies. I watched him from time to time all the afternoon, until after dark, and still he did not move. Example.-Subject, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE. NOTE. The Bridge here referred to is the New Bridge over the Delaware, at Trenton, N. J., and the time selected for the description was an afternoon in June. Description. By a more advanced Student. In crossing the bridge this afternoon, I saw many things that interested me, some of which I shall describe. In going over, I took the path on the north side, looking up the stream; in returning, I took the path on the south side, looking down the stream. I shall follow the same order in my description. Looking north from the bridge, the most conspicuous object is the State Asylum for the Insane. This noble edifice, so beautiful in its architectural proportions, has a deep background of forest-trees, giving it an air of sweet and quiet repose. The building itself stands on a gentle elevation, with a lawn sloping down in front; and both building and lawn are open to the south, and consequently are full in the eye of one looking northward from the bridge, as I did this afternoon. But behind the building and at each end of it is an encompassing forest of living green, as if the enormous structure were actually reposing upon a mass of foliage. The effect is extremely pleasing to the eye. Another conspicuous object is a brown-stone dwelling-house, standing near the river, on the east bank, and not far from the bridge. This house, like the Asylum, is embosomed in the foliage of large forest-trees, not so closely as to exclude a view of the building, but just enough to give that air of softness and repose which was remarked of the Asylum. The house is built in the style known among architects as the Norman, with a flat roof and a high square tower on one corner. The hard, angular character of the building is softened to the eye by the mass of foliage in which it seems to repose. Along the same bank, and still nearer to the bridge, are several other new buildings, with pretty Mansard roofs. On the western bank is a building standing back some distance from the river, and so unusual in its shape and appearance that I could not determine, without going nearer, whether it was a dwelling-house or a barn. Among the natural objects that attract the eye is a pretty island, standing midway in the river, about two miles off, apparently, and beautifully green on all sides down to the water's edge. The river itself, however, is quite as pretty as any of its surroundings. At this season of the year, particularly when swollen by recent rains, its current is broad and full; and there is sufficient descent at this point to give to the water that steady, gliding motion which is always pleasing. On the right bank, close under the bridge, was quite a large collection of row-boats, kept there apparently for pleasureparties. Two or three lazy boatmen were lounging about, as if waiting for customers. I suppose these men keep the boats for hire. There were fifteen of these boats, all light and trim-looking, as if made for service, but none of them gay or fanciful in style. When about half-way across the bridge, I noticed a fine echo on the other side. A dog was barking, and his barks all came distinctly repeated by the echo. The bridge does not appear to be very firmly built, as it vibrates considerably every time a vehicle of any size passes over it. The bridge has not escaped entirely the assaults of the advertisers. On one of the beams, near the middle, is a big placard with the inscription, "Buy your Goods at Clark & Sanderson's." This is nothing, however, to the small bridge over the canal, on the other side. That is completely covered with advertising placards. Is it right to have our streets, and fences, and buildings of every kind thus turned into an advertising medium? It seems as if the whole face of the county were becoming one big advertising sheet. The view from the south side of the bridge is less picturesque than that from the north, and is proportionably more varied and exciting. The descent of the water becomes so great as to produce several rapids, and there are many projecting rocks, giving a very different aspect to the stream from that which it has above the bridge. A large part of Trenton lies in full view. Among the principal public buildings in sight are the State House, the First and Third Presbyterian churches, Taylor Hall, the State-Street Methodist Church, the Court House, the Second Presbyterian Church, and the First Baptist Church, two or three large rolling-mills, and last, but not least, the Old Trenton Bridge. This last structure is said to be a very solid one. It certainly has done good service. But it is about the meanest-looking concern one can find in a day's travel. OTHER SUBJECTS. A Visit to a Picture Gallery. A Description of the Girard College Buildings. A Description of a Factory. A Description of the United States Mint. The View from the Chesnut-Street Bridge, Philadelphia. The View from the Top of the State House. A Description of Independence Hall. |