'Have you read Paul's Letters? Partial as I am to the author, I confess I was disappointed. I believe they are very just and well written, and profound; but they really are not very entertaining. A man of genius must feel sadly trammelled, methinks, when confined to matters of fact, especially of modern date. This book, however, is much admired by persons of taste and judgement; so, I suppose, it is my vicious inclination for high colouring that has destroyed my capacity for relishing plain sense'.