(no subject)

So I'm doing my reading for this afternoon, and I come across this, randomly, in the middle of Kenneth Burke's sociological exploration of proverbs:

"Mencken's book on The American Language, I hate to say, is splendid."

I almost don't want to tell you any more, because that one line is so awesome. However: "I console myself with the reminder that Mencken didn't write it. Many millions of people wrote it, and Mencken was merely the amanuensis who took it down from their dictation. He found a true 'vehicle' (that is, a book that could be greater than the author who wrote it). He gets the royalties, but the job was done by a collectivity."

Man, I could really go for a saucer of cream right now.