Thanks to Mark Alexander for showing us the way to Mitchell's entire book.
Again, from Ted Bernstein's "The Careful Writer," ......"in language alone
are the bunglers blessed."   In our "speaking," to be understood clearly,
we tend to be casual.  But in our writings, we professionals (in nearly
every profession save the oldest) are prone to be so careful and tedious
that we become elephantine in style.  I blame this not on the public
schools, but primarily on the litigious atmosphere in which we all work,
and secondarily on our egotistical need to avoid criticism from our
colleagues.  In the knowledge professions, we tend to develop our egos
quite well!

Ross Weeks
Tazewell, Va.    (where I stand accused of not saying such words as
"cain't" for "can't"
                and "h'it" for "it.")