Few Words

[pjthompson]

Random quote of the day:


"Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty and its apparent ease."

—Charles Caleb Colton, Lacon: or, Many Things In Few Words Addressed to Those Who Think, 1865



I think that title proves his point—by irony, if nothing else.

Comments

[handworn.livejournal.com]

But whether our admiration will ever be in just proportion, in appropriate proportion, is another question entirely.

[pjthompson]

Huh?

[handworn.livejournal.com]

Somehow I knew your reply would be that, before I opened the email. "In proportion," strictly, means only that there'll be something of a ratio, a relationship. "In just proportion" in this context would mean that we're actually giving good writing the degree of admiration it's due according to how hard it was, rather than some lesser degree of admiration that happens to vary in the same way. If that still doesn't make sense, never mind. It was just a thought, a reaction to the quote, and not that important a one.