the superlative only means very. No harm will be done if they eventually have their way: in the meantime, the omission of the with inflected superlatives has the appearance of gross mannerism.
Our enveloping movements since some days proved successful, and fiercest battle is now proceeding.–Times.
In which, too, so many noblest men have... both made and been what will be venerated to all time.–Carlyle.
Struggling with objects which, though it cannot master them, are essentially of richest significance.–Carlyle.
The request was urged with every kind suggestion, and every assurance of aid and comfort, by friendliest parties in Manchester, who, in the sequel, amply redeemed their word.—Emerson.
In Darkest Africa.–Stanley.
Delos furnishes, not only quaintest tripods, crude bronze oxen and horses like those found at Olympia, but...–L. M. Mitchell.
The scene represents in crudest forms the combat of gods and giants, a subject which should attain long afterwards fullest expression in the powerful frieze of the Great Altar at Pergamon.–L. M. Mitchell.
A world of highest and noblest thought in dramas of perfect form.–L. M. Mitchell.
From earliest times such competitive games had been celebrated.–L. M. Mitchell.
When fullest, freest forms had not yet been developed.–L. M. Mitchell.
d. Cheap originality.
Just as 'elegant variation' is generally a worse fault than monotony, so the avoidance of trite phrases is sometimes worse than triteness itself. Children have been known to satisfy an early thirst for notoriety by merely turning their coats inside out; and 'distinction' of style has been secured by some writers on the still easier terms of writing a common expression backwards. By this simplest of all possible expedients, 'wear and tear' ceases to be English, and becomes Carlylese, and Emerson acquires an exclusive property (so at least one hopes) in 'nothing or little '. The novice need scarcely be warned against infringing these writers' patents; it would be as unpardonable as stealing the idea of a machine for converting clean knives into dirty ones. Hackneyed phrases
