ON WRITING FOR THE READER, NOT THE WRITER

Anybody who has paid any attention whatsoever to writing English, but especially those who attend closely, knows well the name and fame of Quiller-Couch. His name, by the way, is not the same as the stock-in-trade of the psychoanalyst, but rhymes with hooch. This pleases me. This striking name I recall seeing first in an anthology of poetry of which he was editor. More years ago than I can recall exactly, I borrowed a copy of his book On the Art of Writing . I did not react very enthusiastically, fancying then that books on writing or grammar were necessarily suspect if not actually poisonous. Later, when I read for pleasure to be found in style as well as content, it came over me with great force that Quiller-Couch was a master of prose style, both in precept and example. In the last few years I have snared from the shelves