Montesquieu

“ But when they lay it down as a law that they must never speak except of works hot from the press, they impose upon themselves another-which is, to be very tedious. They are very chary of criticising the works from which they make extracts, whatever their reason may be: and, indeed, what man is bold enough to wish to make ten or twelve enemies every month?
Most authors are like poets, who will take a caning without a murmur; but who, indifferent as to their shoulders, are so very jealous of their works, that they cannot endure the least criticism. ”

“ They therefore do just the contrary: they begin by praising the matter treated of; from this their first ineptitude they pass to the praise of the author, forced praise, for they have to do with people who are always on the alert, ever ready to see justice done themselves, and to attack with trenchant pen a foolhardy journalist. ”

“ There is a species of book unknown to us in Persia, and which seems to me to be very fashionable here: these are the journals.1 Idleness feels flattered in reading them; it is so delightful to be able to run through thirty volumes in a quarter of an hour. ”