Desert vacancy, as regards thought. 
Self-complacency. 
Puerility. 
Sentimentality. 
Affectations of scholarly learning. 
Lust after eloquent and flowery expression. 
Repetition of pet poetic picturesquenesses. 
Confused and wandering statement. 
Metaphor gone insane. 
Meaningless words, used because they are pretty, or showy, or unusual. 
Sorrowful attempts at the epigrammatic. 
Destitution of originality.

The fat volume called Miscellaneous Writings of Mrs. Eddy contains several hundred pages.  Of the five hundred and fifty-four pages of prose in it I find ten lines, on page 319, to be Mrs. Eddy’s; also about a page of the preface or “Prospectus”; also about fifteen pages scattered along through the book.  If she wrote any of the rest of the prose, it was rewritten after her by another hand.  Here I will insert two-thirds of her page of the prospectus.  It is evident that whenever, under the inspiration of the Deity, she turns out a book, she is always allowed to do some of the preface.  I wonder why that is?  It always mars the work.  I think it is done in humorous malice I think the clerks like to see her give herself away.  They know she will, her stock of usable materials being limited and her procedure in employing them always the same, substantially.  They know that when the initiated come upon her first erudite allusion, or upon any one of her other stage-properties, they can shut their eyes and tell what will follow.  She usually throws off an easy remark all sodden with Greek or Hebrew or Latin learning; she usually has a person watching for a star—­she can seldom get away from that poetic idea—­sometimes it is a Chaldee, sometimes a Walking Delegate, sometimes an entire stranger, but be he what he may, he is generally there when the train is ready to move, and has his pass in his hat-band; she generally has a Being with a Dome on him, or some other cover that is unusual and out of the fashion; she likes to fire off a Scripture-verse where it will make the handsomest noise and come nearest to breaking the connection; she often throws out a Forefelt, or a Foresplendor, or a Foreslander where it will have a fine nautical foreto’gallant sound and make the sentence sing; after which she is nearly sure to throw discretion away and take to her deadly passion, Intoxicated Metaphor.  At such a time the Mrs. Eddy that does not hesitate is lost: 

“The ancient Greek looked longingly for the Olympiad.  The Chaldee watched the appearing of a star; to him no higher destiny dawned on the dome of being than that foreshadowed by signs in the heavens.  The meek Nazarene, the scoffed of all scoffers, said, ’Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?’—­for He forefelt and foresaw the ordeal of a perfect Christianity, hated by sinners.

“To kindle all minds with a gleam of gratitude, the new idea that comes welling up from infinite Truth needs to be understood.  The seer of this age should be a sage.