take care of the matter, and let the words take care of themselves,
is the best safeguard.

To this I shall be answered, "Yes, but is not a diamond cut and
polished a more beautiful object than when rough?" I grant it, and
more valuable, inasmuch as it has run chance of spoliation in the
cutting, but I maintain that the thinking man, the man whose
thoughts are great and worth the consideration of others, will "deal
in proprieties," and will from the mine of his thoughts produce
ready-cut diamonds, or rather will cut them there spontaneously, ere
ever they see the light of day.

There are a few points still which it were well we should consider.
We are all too apt when we sit down to study a subject to have
already formed our opinion, and to weave all matter to the warp of
our preconceived judgment, to fall in with the received idea, and,
with biassed minds, unconsciously to follow in the wake of public
opinion, while professing to lead it. To the best of my belief half
the dogmatism of those we daily meet is in consequence of the
unwitting practices of this self-deception. Simply let us not talk
about what we do not understand, save as learners, and we shall not
by writing mislead others.

There is no shame in being obliged to others for opinions, the shame
is not being honest enough to acknowledge it: I would have no one
omit to put down a useful thought because it was not his own,
provided it tended to the better expression of his matter, and he
did not conceal its source; let him, however, set out the borrowed
capital to interest. One word more and I have done. With regard to
our subject, the best rule is not to write concerning that about