There is a disease which consists in loving words too much. Logophilia first manifests itself in childhood and is, alas, incurable.

There is little in Maryland's scenery from Ocean City to Oakland that is especially memorable. But almost all of it, except where you find real poverty, is pleasant. Maryland has a history of being tolerant of idiosyncrasy, from the Calverts' Catholicism to H. L. Mencken's logophilia.

What civilisation has ever appeared to be more respectful of discourse than ours? Where has it ever been more honoured, or better honoured? Where has it ever been, seemingly, more radically liberated from its constraints, and universalised? Yet It seems to me, that beneath this apparent veneration of discourse, under this apparent logophilia, a certain fear is hidden.