Prune what is turgid, elevate what is commonplace, arrange what is disorderly, introduce rhythm where the language is harsh, modify where it is too absolute.
Usage is the best language teacher.
It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.