The narrator's last point respecting his critical assessment of Menard can be more briefly considered. According to the him, there is a vast difference in style between Cervantes' and Menard's works. This time the advantage is Cervantes', however.

The archaic style of Menard—quite foreign, after all
[since Menard is French]—suffers from a certain
affectation. Not so that of his forerunner, who handles
with ease the current Spanish of his time.

But this is absurd. Menard steeped himself in the Spanish of Cervantes' time, and may well have written 17th century Spanish with ease—one suspects that he did, given his determination and seriousness. The fact that he didn't live in 17th-century Spain certainly doesn't entail, in and of itself, that his style is affected, any more than Cervantes' living in 17th century Spain entails that his isn't. In fact, even if Menard did write in...