When one reads a number of good authors and feels that one author describes things very vividly, that another shows great tenderness of delicacy, a third expresses things exquisitely, a fourth has an indescribable charm, a fifth one's writing is like good whiskey, a sixth one's is like mellow wine, he should not be afraid to say that he likes them and appreciates them, if only his appreciation is genuine. After such a wide experience in reading, he has the proper experiential basis for knowing what are mildness, mellowness, strength, power, brilliance, pungency, delicacy, and charm. When he has tasted all these flavours, then he knows what is good literature without reading a single handbook.

The first rule of a student of literature is to learn to sample different flavours. The best flavour is mildness and mellowness, but is most difficult for a writer to attain. Between mildness and mere flatness there is only a very thin margin.A writer whose thoughts lack depth and originality may try to write a simple style and end up by being insipid. Only fresh fish may be cooked in its own juice; stale fish must be flavoured with anchovy sauce and pepper and mustard - the more the better.

A good writer is like the sister of Yang Kueifei, who could go to see the Emperor himself without powder and rouge. All the other beauties in the palace required them. This is the reason why there are so few writers who dare to write in simple English.