Bow wow Quote by Virginia Woolf
“The comparison between Coleridge and Johnson is obvious in so far as each held sway chiefly by the power of his tongue. The difference between their methods is so marked that it is tempting, but also unnecessary, to judge one to be inferior to the other. Johnson was robust, combative, and concrete; Coleridge was the opposite. The contrast was perhaps in his mind when he said of Johnson: "his bow-wow manner must have had a good deal to do with the effect produced.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Common Reader, Virginia Woolf, 1925
The quote contrasts Johnson's forceful, concrete style with Coleridge's subtle, imaginative approach, suggesting both are powerful in their own ways.
In simple terms: Johnson is direct, Coleridge is poetic; both excel.
Key Takeaway
Recognize different strengths in communication.
Themes
literature
style
communication
comparison
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
comparative
literary
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- writing workshops
- literary criticism
- public speaking
Key Concepts
rhetoric
personality
influence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance clarity and imagination in your work?
- When is a direct style more effective than a poetic one?
A Different Perspective
Each style has limits; overemphasis on style can obscure content.
![“Mr. Langton one day asked him [Samuel Johnson] how he had acquired so accurate a knowledge of Latin, in which, I believe, he was exceeded by no man of his time; he said, 'My master whipt me very well. Without that, Sir, I should have done nothing.' He told Mr. Langton, that while Hunter was…” quote by James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/06b/james-boswell-7136_brothers-and-sisters_mr-langton-one-day-asked-him-samuel-john_491021.jpg)
