from New York Times
Mr. Gilder's Choice of Words
by Ellis Parker ButlerIn the petty controversy regarding Mr. Richard Watson Gilder's use of the words "real" in "More real than real things," is it not fair to consider that Mr. Gilder knows the meaning of the words he uses? To me it seems that "real" is not only correct, but unusually appropriate as used, "real" not only be synonymous with "actual," but with "royal," "regal," etc. When looked at in this sense, the substitution of "actual" for "real" is manifestly a weakening of the sense of the line, as well as a weakening of its strength of diction.
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Saturday, October 07 at 2:48:26am USA Central