“Why should I pretend to an erudition which is not mine? Sincerity forbids it.”

—  George Henry Lewes

The Principles of Success in Literature (1865)
Context: Sincerity is not only effective and honourable, it is also much less difficult than is commonly supposed. To take a trifling example: If for some reason I cannot, or do not, choose to verify a quotation which may be useful to my purpose, what is to prevent my saying that the quotation is taken at second-hand? It is true, if my quotations are for the most part second-hand and are acknowledged as such, my erudition will appear scanty. But it will only appear what it is. Why should I pretend to an erudition which is not mine? Sincerity forbids it.

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George Henry Lewes 54
British philosopher 1817–1878

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