...nineties, which wrote his epitaph in decorative word-patterns. We remember Butler's curt admonition: I never knew a writer yet who took the smallest pains...with his style and was at the same time readable. . . . A man may, and ought to, take a. great deal of pains to write clearly, tersely, and euphemistically...

...man's style in any art should be like his dress - it should attract as little attention as possible. I never knew a writer yet who took the smallest pains...with his style and was at the same time readable. Samuel Butler (1835-1902), The Note-Books of Samuel Suffer (1912) 47:9 [Count Lodovico] 'Let me ask...