It is no use to try to get another man’s style, or to imitate
the wit or the mannerisms of another writer. The late Mr.
Carlyle, for example, did, in my judgment, a considerable
mischief in his day because he led everybody to write after the
style of his “French Revolution,” and it became pretty tedious.
They got over it after a time, however. But it was not a good
thing. Let every man write in his own style, taking care only
not to be led into any affectation, but to be perfectly clear,
perfectly simple.--CHARLES A. DANA.
(1526)