“Addison writes with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so that ... - MORE Addison writes with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so that he insinuates his sentiments and taste into their minds by an imperceptible influence. Johnson writes like a teacher. He dictates to his readers as if from an academical chair. They attend with awe and admiration; and his precepts are impressed upon them by his commanding eloquence. Addison's style, like a light wine, pleases everybody from the first. Johnson's, like a liquor of more body, seems too strong at first, but, by degrees, is highly relished.”
“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”
“Aphorisms are essentially an aristocratic genre of writing. The aphorist does not argue or explain, he asserts; and implicit in his assertion is a conviction that he is wiser and more intelligent than his readers.”
“He didn't want to please his readers. He wanted to stretch them until they twanged.”
“A wise reader reads the book of genius not with his heart, not so much with his brain, but with his spine. It is there that occurs the telltale tingle...”
“If a writer disbelieves what he is writing, then he can hardly expect his readers to believe it.”