ec. 68. That a perfectly endowed man must unconsciously write in all
styles, we may infer from considering how styles originate. Why is
Johnson pompous, Goldsmith simple? Why is one author abrupt, another
rhythmical, another concise? Evidently in each case the habitual mode
of utterance must depend upon the habitual balance of the nature. The
predominant feelings have by use trained the intellect to represent
them. But while long, though unconscious, discipline has made it do this
efficiently, it remains from lack of practice, incapable of doing the
same for the less active feelings; and when these are excited, the usual
verbal forms undergo but slight modifications. Let the powers of speech
be fully developed, however--let the ability of the intellect to utter
the emotions be complete; and this fixity of style will disappear. The
perfect writer will express himself as Junius, when in the Junius frame
of mind; when he feels as Lamb felt, will use a like familiar speech;
and will fall into the ruggedness of Carlyle when in a Carlylean mood.
Now he will be rhythmical and now irregular; here his language will be
plain and there ornate; sometimes his sentences will be balanced and
at other times unsymmetrical; for a while there will be considerable
sameness, and then again great variety. His mode of expression naturally
responding to his state of feeling, there will flow from his pen a
composition changing to the same degree that the aspects of his subject
change. He will thus without effort conform to what we have seen to
be the laws of effect. And while his work presents to the reader that
variety needful to prevent continuous exertion of the same faculties,
it will also answer to the description of all highly organized products,
both of man and of nature: it will be not a series of like parts simply
placed in juxtaposition, but one whole made up of unlike parts that are
mutually dependent.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Philosophy of Style, by Herbert Spencer

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