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Chapter companions for On the Art of Writing by Arthur Quiller-Couch.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Dedication

    The chapter is a brief dedication to John Hay Lobban.

  2. Chapter 2

    On the Art of Writing

    The inaugural lecture explores the art of writing as a living discipline, arguing that literature must be practiced and studied with precision and clarity. The speaker critiques jargon as sham prose, distinguishes between verse and prose, and celebrates the lineage of English literature from its Roman and medieval heritage through the Cambridge wits. The lecture proposes that writing be practiced at Cambridge and defends the Authorised Version of the Bible as a miracle of prose.

  3. Chapter 3

    Lecture I: Inaugural

    The inaugural lecture establishes the foundational principles for studying literature as a living art and the English language as a living tongue. The speaker argues that literature is an art to be practised, not merely pondered, and emphasizes the importance of cultivating sensibility and critical judgment over rote memorization. He warns against confusing the pedagogic mind with the scholarly, criticizes critics who misplace works of art into inappropriate categories, and lays down the first principle of approaching a work of genius absolutely, with openness to the author's intent. The lecture concludes by deferring a fourth principle to a later session, while addressing potential suspicions about aesthetic chatter and the difficulty of the task.

  4. Chapter 4

    Lecture II: The Practice of Writing

    In this lecture, the speaker proposes that English literature, as a living art with an improvable language, requires active practice in writing. He argues that studying great writers should guide one's own practice, not merely serve as historical study. Drawing parallels to painting and Sir Joshua Reynolds' Discourses, he emphasizes that studying masters fosters invention and originality. He criticizes the neglect of practicing English prose, contrasting it with the emphasis on Latin and Greek composition in schools. The lecture advocates for perspicuity, accuracy, and appropriateness in writing, quoting Cardinal Newman to assert that style is intrinsic to thought, not mere ornamentation.

  5. Chapter 5

    Lecture III: On the Difference Between Verse and Prose

    This lecture distinguishes verse from prose, defining verse as memorable speech set down in metre with strict rhythms, and prose as memorable speech without metre and with freer rhythm. The speaker warns against confusing the two, advises beginners to stay on one side of the frontier, and illustrates the difference through examples from Milton and Burke. He also discusses the evolution of literature from oral to written forms, the role of print, and the importance of propriety in style.

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  1. Chapter 6Lecture IV: On the Capital Difficulty of Verse
  2. Chapter 7Lecture V: Interlude: On Jargon
  3. Chapter 8Lecture VI: On the Capital Difficulty of Prose
  4. Chapter 9Lecture VII: Some Principles Reaffirmed
  5. Chapter 10Lecture VIII: On the Lineage of English Literature (I)
  6. Chapter 11Lecture IX: On the Lineage of English Literature (II)
  7. Chapter 12Lecture X: English Literature in Our Universities (I)
  8. Chapter 13Lecture XI: English Literature in Our Universities (II)
  9. Chapter 14Lecture XII: On Style
  10. Chapter 15Endnotes