Recently came across a letter, written by my grandmother as a young woman in the 1920s. Her handwriting was simply beautiful.
She wasn’t a particularly highly educated person, and I imagine many people wrote similarly well, because it was a focus of basic education 100 years ago.
—
I noticed the same in reading letters from a field soldier written during the Civil War. The writing was cursive and extremely even. The prose itself was clear, insightful and grammatically correct.
Basic self-control taught to squirmy little kids.
That was teaching.
...and the prose was beautiful and lyrical.
Some of Stephen Foster’s love song lyrics are purely magical. Who could possibly write like that today?
“Ah May the Red Rose Live Alway”
Ah! may the red rose live alway,
To smile upon earth and sky!
Why should the beautiful ever weep?
Why should the beautiful die?
Lending a charm to every ray
That falls on her cheeks of light,
Giving the zephyr kiss for kiss,
And nursing the dew-drop bright —
Ah! may the red rose live alway,
To smile upon earth and sky!
Why should the beautiful ever weep?
Why should the beautiful die?
Long may the daisies dance the field,
Frolicking far and near!
Why should the innocent hide their heads?
Why should the innocent fear?
Spreading their petals in mute delight
When morn in its radiance breaks,
Keeping a floral festival
Till the night-loving primrose wakes —
Spreading their petals in mute delight
When morn in its radiance breaks,
Keeping a floral festival
Till the night-loving primrose wakes.