--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a…" description: "\"“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts, unusually lofty stilts, and st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png" --- # Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide… ![“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts, unusually lofty stilts, and staggered along at a most ungracious pace, with an occasional awkward lurch into colloquialism, giving a strikingly false impression of himself.” quote by Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png) > ““Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts, unusually lofty stilts, and staggered along at a most ungracious pace, with an occasional awkward lurch into colloquialism, giving a strikingly false impression of himself.”” [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes a writer who seems cultured but writes in a pretentious, uneven style, creating a misleading self‑image. **In simple terms:** A learned man writes pompously, masking his true voice. Key Takeaway Beware of style that hides authenticity. Themes literary criticism authenticity writing style Mood critical reflective Type analytical observational When to use this quote - academic essays - literary reviews - author interviews - writing workshops Key Concepts pretension voice self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - How does excessive formality affect reader connection? - When does a writer’s self‑image become a barrier? A Different Perspective Style can alienate readers if it feels forced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [False Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-impression/) [Stilts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stilts/) ## Related quotes > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“It is an absolute perfection and virtually divine to know how to enjoy our being rightfully. We seek other conditions because we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/it-is-an-absolute-perfection-and-virtually-divine-to-know-how-to/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I do not think very highly of Madame D'Arblay's books. The style is so strutting. She does so stalk about on Dr. Johnson's old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-russell-mitford/i-do-not-think-very-highly-of-madame-d-arblay-s-books-the-style-is-so/) [Mary Russell Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-russell-mitford/) > [My favorite place that I've been to that most people haven't been to is the Golden Triangle in the northeast of Thailand, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frommer/my-favorite-place-that-i-ve-been-to-that-most-people-haven-t-been-to/) [Arthur Frommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frommer/) > [I have a very close friend who is a brilliant clown, and I always wanted to do a show with him. So I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-have-a-very-close-friend-who-is-a-brilliant-clown-and-i-always/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [Processions that lack high stilts have nothing that catches the eye. What if my great-granddad had a pair that were twenty foot high, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/processions-that-lack-high-stilts-have-nothing-that-catches-the-eye/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Any one may mouth out a passage with a theatrical cadence, or get upon stilts to tell his thoughts; but to write or speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/any-one-may-mouth-out-a-passage-with-a-theatrical-cadence-or-get-upon/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Ladies like improv stilts, and I think men like improv giant cocks. But one of the great things about improv is that you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/ladies-like-improv-stilts-and-i-think-men-like-improv-giant-cocks-but/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense—nonsense upon stilts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/natural-rights-is-simple-nonsense-natural-and-imprescriptible-rights/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/ambition-is-but-avarice-on-stilts-and-masked/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs. And on the highest throne in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-matter-that-we-may-mount-on-stilts-we-still-must-walk-on-our-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Judge not man by his outward manifestation of faith; for some there are who tremblingly reach out shaking hands to the guidance of faith;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/judge-not-man-by-his-outward-manifestation-of-faith-for-some-there/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the STILTS It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/instead-of-burning-a-guy-at-the-stake-what-about-burning-him-at-the/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Those who have made unhappy marriages walk on stilts, while the happy ones are on a level with the crowd. No one sees 'em!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/those-who-have-made-unhappy-marriages-walk-on-stilts-while-the-happy/) [Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/) > [Cassidy's heart tried to leap out through his taught skin and hop into his wet hands. But outwardly it was all very calm, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-parker-jr/cassidy-s-heart-tried-to-leap-out-through-his-taught-skin-and-hop/) [John L. Parker Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-parker-jr/) ## More by Patrick O'Brian > [“Christ's blood in heaven, you ignorant, incompetent whey-faced nestlecock, do you think I am a hired spy, an informer? That I have a master,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/christ-s-blood-in-heaven-you-ignorant-incompetent-whey-faced/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“To tell the truth, sir, I believe I had rather sit in the shelter for a while. The cabbage seems to have turned my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/to-tell-the-truth-sir-i-believe-i-had-rather-sit-in-the-shelter-for-a/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Never mind the disappointment. Salt water will wash it away. You will be amazed how unimportant it will seem in a week’s time –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/never-mind-the-disappointment-salt-water-will-wash-it-away-you-will/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“The weather had freshened almost to coldness, for the wind was coming more easterly, from the chilly currents between Tristan and the Cape; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-weather-had-freshened-almost-to-coldness-for-the-wind-was-coming/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Of course I do know it is the French who are so wicked; but there are all these people who keep coming and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/of-course-i-do-know-it-is-the-french-who-are-so-wicked-but-there-are/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [My wife and I have spent most of our lives in France, and we are both pretty well bilingual, my wife more purely than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/my-wife-and-i-have-spent-most-of-our-lives-in-france-and-we-are-both/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“This short watch that is about to come, or rather these two short watches--why are they called dog watches? Where, heu, heu, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/this-short-watch-that-is-about-to-come-or-rather-these-two-short/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [The function of the novel is the exploration of the human condition. Really, that's what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-function-of-the-novel-is-the-exploration-of-the-human-condition/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [It is a great while since I felt the grind of bone under my saw,' he added, smiling with anticipation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-is-a-great-while-since-i-felt-the-grind-of-bone-under-my-saw-he/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Other people's marriages are a perpetual source of amazement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/other-people-s-marriages-are-a-perpetual-source-of-amazement/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“But I will tell you another misery that is not to be denied. In the common, natural course of events physicians, surgeons and apothecaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/but-i-will-tell-you-another-misery-that-is-not-to-be-denied-in-the/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Yet,'said Maturin, pursuing his own thought, 'there is a quality in dogs, I must confess, rarely to be seen elsewhere and that is affection:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/yet-said-maturin-pursuing-his-own-thought-there-is-a-quality-in-dogs/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Physically he was tired and his body relaxed throughout its entire length; his mind was in much the same state, floating free, detached, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/physically-he-was-tired-and-his-body-relaxed-throughout-its-entire/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“It was quite unlike their friendly discourse of some days before, and presently Stephen grew sadly bored: lies or half-lies, he reflected, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-was-quite-unlike-their-friendly-discourse-of-some-days-before-and/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“it would be the Devil to pay and no pitch hot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-would-be-the-devil-to-pay-and-no-pitch-hot/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) [Explore all 167 Patrick O'Brian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts, unusually lofty stilts, and staggered along at a most ungracious pace, with an occasional awkward lurch into colloquialism, giving a strikingly false impression of himself.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick O'Brian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/patrick-o-brian-2283_books_martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-ma_1037384.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair…” — Patrick O'Brian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patrick O'Brian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```