It is doubtless from a suspicion, more or less obscure, of the incoherency of their purpose, that such committees usually fall into the hands of a "practical man,"that is, a man impassive to principles, of hardihood or bluntness of perception enough to carry into effect their vague fancies, and spare them from coming face to face with their inconsistencies.

Surprised, but quite gravely, she looked up, and met his odd bluntness with as quaint an honesty of her own.

Each felt that he might heedlessly offend the young intellectual by putting things with a bluntness for which he had often been conspicuous.

There was a strange bluntness about this answer.

Swan learned bluntness on the Yukon.

He was always very secretive, affected much mystery in movements, came and went abruptly, was direct and dogmatic to bluntness in his conversation.

He fancied that he was imitating his great ancestor, and asserting the virtue of good old Roman bluntness against modern Greek affectation; he did not in the least see that he was himself a curious example of Roman affectation, shown up by the real amenities of intercourse, for which Romans had largely to thank Greece.