hem. That is positive enough, I hope?
Though I cannot admire his style, I admire the man who wrote to me, 'Re
Tennyson--your remarks anent his "In Memoriam" make me sick': for though
re is not a preposition of the first water, and 'anent' has enjoyed its
day, the finish crowned the work. But here are a few specimens far, very
far, worse:--

The special difficulty in Professor Minocelsi's case [our old friend
'case' again] arose _in connexion with_ the view he holds _relative
to_ the historical value of the opening pages of Genesis.

That is Jargon. In prose, even taking the miserable sentence as it stands
constructed, we should write 'the difficulty arose over the views he
holds about the historical value,' etc.

From a popular novelist:--

I was entirely indifferent _as to_ the results of the game, caring
nothing at all _as to_ whether _I had losses or gains_--

Cut out the first 'as' in 'as to,' and the second 'as to' altogether, and
the sentence begins to be prose--'I was indifferent to the results of the
game, caring nothing whether I had losses or gains.'

But why, like Dogberry, have 'had losses'? Why not simply 'lose.' Let us
try again. 'I was entirely indifferent to the results of the game, caring
nothing at all whether I won or lost.'

Still the sentence remains absurd: for the second clause but repeats the
first without adding one jot. For if you care not at all whether you win
or lose, you must be entirely indifferent to the results of the game. So
why not say 'I was careless if I won or lost,' and have done with it?

A man of simple and charming character, he was fitly _associated
with_ the distinction of the Order of Merit.

I take this gem with some others from a collection made three years ago,
by the "Oxford Magazine"; and I hope you admire it as one beyond price.
'He was associated with the distinction of the Order of Merit' means 'he
was given the Order of Merit.' If the members of that Order make a
society then he was associated with them; but you cannot associate a man
with a distinction. The inventor of such fine writing would doubtless
have answered Canning's Needy Knife-grinder with:--

I associate thee with sixpence! I will see thee in another
association first!

But let us close our _florilegium_ and attempt to illustrate Jargon by
the converse method of taking a famous piece of English (say Hamlet's
soliloquy) and remoulding a few lines o