work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context 5354,Stock of Ideas,Searching in HDIS (Prose),2006-03-13 00:00:00 UTC,"DEAR PHILLIPS,
In my last, I mentioned my having spent an evening with a society of authors, who seemed to be jealous and afraid of one another. My uncle was not at all surprised to hear me say I was disappointed in their conversation. ""A man may be very entertaining and instructive upon paper, (said he) and exceedingly dull in common discourse. I have observed, that those who shine most in private company, are but secondary stars in the constellation of genius--A small stock of ideas is more easily managed, and sooner displayed than a great quantity crowded together. There is very seldom any thing extraordinary in the appearance and address of a good writer; whereas a dull author generally distinguishes himself by some oddity or extravagance. For this reason, I fancy, that an assembly of Grubs must be very diverting.""",,14369,•I've included twice: Stock and Crowd,"""A small stock of ideas is more easily managed, and sooner displayed than a great quantity crowded together.""","",2009-09-14 19:40:43 UTC,"Vol 1, Letter 37"