Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 15

Ad compositionem transeamus. Quot genera tibi in hac dabo, quibus peccetur? Quidam praefractam et asperam probant; disturbant de industria, si quid placidius effluxit. Nolunt sine salebra esse iuncturam; virilem putant et fortem, quae aurem inaequalitate percutiat. Quorundam non est compositio, modulatio est; adeo blanditur et molliter labitur.

Que de genres n’y signalerai-je pas qui offensent le goût ? Ou bien on l’aime hachée et raboteuse : on s’étudie à briser toute phrase tant soit peu unie et coulante ; on veut que toute transition soit une secousse ; on tient pour mâle et vigoureuse une diction qui choque l’oreille de ses aspérités. Ou bien ce n’est point une construction oratoire : c’est une phrase musicale, tant les sons les plus flatteurs y sont filés avec mollesse.

Let us now turn to the arrangement of words. In this department, what countless varieties of fault I can show you! Some are all for abruptness and unevenness of style, purposely disarranging anything which seems to have a smooth flow of language. They would have jolts in all their transitions; they regard as strong and manly whatever makes an uneven impression on the ear. With some others it is not so much an “arrangement” of words as it is a setting to music; so wheedling and soft is their gliding style.