A burr, or piece of fluff, which has lodged in memory since I read it many years ago was the comment, made I think by a little girl, and embryonic authoress: "How can I know what I mean until I see what I say?"

Actually, since I am now re-reading Koestler properly, I discovered that he was my source for this anecdote, and, as usual, I had misremembered it. What he in fact writes is (The Act of Creation, 1964, p.174):  "little Alice who, on being admonished to think carefully before she spoke, indignantly exclaimed: How I can I know what I think until I see what I say?"

 

On the subject which I'd promised not to raise again, I confess I find it very difficult to reason against arguments which impute to me positions I do not hold and never expressed, and which then proceed to demolish these positions.

 

Never mind. It's a good idea to read carefully, and think carefully, before one speaks.

 

Charles