power of people for a great many
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people, a power of money for great wealth, a heap of houses for many
houses, lots of books for many books, lots of corn for much corn or
large quantities of corn, gents for gentlemen, and many others of a
similar character.
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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