Less is more

I am reminded by Mr Bennett, shortly after completing what I believe the youngsters would call my last ‘post’, that it is more advisable in the world of blogging to keep things short. In fact, his exact words were:

‘For God’s sake, man, keep it snappy! Less is more, and all that’.

My colleague’s words sent a shudder down my spine, not least because he opted to employ the ubiquitous, oxymoronic phraseology of ‘less is more’.

‘Get with the times, Mr Teed’, was his defence when questioned on this matter. ‘You’ll see I only speak truths’.

I repaired to the great Lexicon in an effort to soothe my fraying nerves, for I knew it was society’s fault, not Mr Bennett’s, that every cock and spaniel bandied about that infernal phrase ‘less is more’ as if it meant something.

‘Great Scott!’ I exclaimed, moments later. ‘Mr Bennett, you are almost right!’

‘Only almost?’ enquired my startled friend.

‘According to the Dictionary, and I quote, “Less, sense 5: used peculiarly by Shakespeare with words expressing or implying a negative, where the sense requires more“. Then there are examples from the Winter’s Tale and Cymbeline’.

‘I see’, Mr Bennett said drily. ‘In other words Shakespeare agreed that less is actually more? How more right, in the English language, do you require me to be?’

‘It’s a very narrow sense, hardly used’, I blustered, closing the Dictionary. ‘And besides it is obsolete now’.

Mr Bennett returned to his palette in disgust. ‘Ha! Forget it, Mr Teed. Just keep it snappy’.