“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”

From 📰 Of Studies, in the 1625 edition of the Essays. Three verbs and three results, with semicolons doing the carpentry.

• Reading fills.
• Conference, meaning conversation, makes you quick.
• Writing makes you exact.

The third is the one I live by. I can talk about a thing for an hour and only find the hole in it when I try to write four sentences. That became 💎 Writing is how I find out whether I understand, and it is the whole case for the newsletter. See also 📖 Bacon on studies.

For man read anyone with a pencil.