[120] On this point it is pertinent to cite Huxley’s remark in another lay sermon, “On the Study of Zoology” (_ibid._, p. 110): “I have a strong impression that the better a discourse is, as an oration, the worse it is as a lecture.” [121] _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_ (Bury’s ed., London, 1900), I, 28. [122] Cf. Kenneth Burke, _Attitudes Toward History_ (New York, 1937), I, 82-83: “Looking over the titles of books written by Huysmans, who went _from_ naturalism, _through_ Satanism, _to_ Catholicism, we find that his titles of the naturalistic period are with one exception nouns, all those of the transitional period are prepositions actually or in quality (“A-Vau-l’Eau,” “En Rade,” “A Rebours,” “La Bas,” “En Route”) and all in his period of Catholic realism are nouns.” [123] In German all nouns are regularly capitalized, and the German word for noun substantive is _Hauptwort_ or “head word.” In this grammatical vision the noun becomes a sort of “captain” in the sentence. [124] Cf. Aristotle, _Rhetoric_, 1410 b: “And let this be our fundamental principle: for the receiving of information with ease, is naturally pleasing to all; and nouns are significant of something; so that all those nouns whatsoever which produce knowledge in the mind, are most pleasing.” [125] Compare the following passage by Carl Sandburg in “Trying to Write,” _Atlantic Monthly_, Vol. 186, No. 3 (September, 1950), p. 33: “I am still studying verbs and the mystery of how they connect nouns. I am more suspicious of adjectives than at any other time in all my born days.” [126] _Essay on Rime_ (New York, 1945), p. 43, ll. 1224-1227. [127] _Life on the Mississippi_ (New York, 1903), p. 73. [128] “Remarks on the Character and Writings of John Milton,” _The Works of William E. Channing, D.D._ (Boston, 1894), p. 503. [129] Some correlation appears to exist between the mentality of an era and the average length of sentence in use. The seventeenth century, the most introspective, philosophical, and “revolutionary” era of English history, wrote the longest sentence in English literature. The next era, broadly recognized as the eighteenth century, swung in the opposite direction, with a shorter and much more modelled or contrived sentence. The nineteenth century, again turned a little solemn and introspective, wrote a somewhat long and loose one. Now comes the twentieth century, with its journalism and its syncopated tempo, to write the shortest sentence of all. [130] _The Prose Works of John Milton_, ed. J. A. St. John (London, 1909-14), II, 364-65. Hereafter referred to as _Works_. [131] _Works_, III, 194. [132] _Works_, II, 78-79. [133] _Works_, II, 364. [134] See her _Elizabethan and Metaphysical Imagery_ (Chicago, 1947), pp. 284-99. [135] _Works_, II, 89. [136] _Works_, II, 93-94. [137] _Works_, II, 446. [138] _Works_, III, 172. [139] _Works_, II, 382. [140] _Works_, II, 377-78. [141] _Works_, II, 418-19. [142] _Works_, II, 94.