Words are like leaves? On the contrary, Alexander Pope

One of my favourite Popes was Alexander. English too, but unlike Pope Adrian IV – the only English man to be pope and who in 1156 gave Henry II licence to conquer the Irish “for the correction of morals and the introduction of virtues, for the advancement of the Christian religion.” Good luck with that.

Adrian was almost 10 years dead when Henry got around to acting on that particular bit of papal bull in 1169.

But back to Alexander the 18th-century English poet famed for satire. Some of my favourite quotes of his would include: “Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed”; or “They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake”; “the most positive men are the most credulous”; and, particularly, “words are like leaves, and where they most abound, much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found.”

Then I came across the below and suddenly found myself in surprising disagreement with that Pope on “words”.

How Ireland drinks now: Teetotallers, wine-o’clockers and ex-drinkers

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Mark Moriarty: two 15-minute meals made easy, with a few simple tricks

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Every time I travel abroad I am gripped by the fear that Ireland is making a fool of me

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A personal housing plan: Move to Newry, buy for €150,000 less, commute to Dublin

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It’s a letter sent to Hollywood executives in 1934 by a young New York advertising copywriter looking for a job as a screenwriter.

“Dear sir,

I like words. I like fat buttery words, such as ooze, turpitude, glutinous, toady. I like solemn, angular, creaky words, such as strait-laced, cantankerous, pecunious, valedictory. I like spurious, black-is-white words, such as mortician, liquidate, tonsorial, demi-monde. I like suave “v” words, such as Svengali, svelte, bravura, verve. I like crunchy, brittle, crackly words, such as splinter, grapple, jostle, crusty. I like sullen, crabbed, scowling words, such as skulk, glower, scabby, churl. I like Oh-Heavens, my-gracious, land’s-sake words, such as tricksy, tucker, genteel, horrid. I like elegant, flowery words, such as estivate, peregrinate, elysium, halcyon. I like wormy, squirmy, mealy words, such as crawl, blubber, squeal, drip. I like sniggly, chuckling words, such as cowlick, gurgle, bubble and burp.

I like the word screenwriter better than copywriter, so I decided to quit my job in a New York advertising agency and try my luck in Hollywood, but before taking the plunge I went to Europe for a year of study, contemplation and horsing around.

I have just returned and I still like words. May I have a few with you?”

Robert Pirosh went on to be a very successful screenwriter with MGM.

Words, from Old English word, for “speech, talk, utterance”.

inaword@irishtimes.com