The light words are taken to be grave because they meet the modern critic's eye clothed in the majesty of a dead language; and thus it comes to pass that their very meaning is misunderstood.
My friend Mr.Collins speaks, in his charming little volume on Cicero, of "quiet evasions" of the Cincian law,[7] and tells us that we are taught by Cicero's letters not to trust Cicero's words when he was in a boasting vein.

What has the one thing to do with the other?
He names no quiet evasions.

Mr.Collins makes a surmise, by which the character of Cicero for honesty is impugned--without evidence.

The anonymous biographer altogether misinterprets Cicero.

Mr.Froude charges Cicero with anticipation of murder, grounding his charge on words which he has not taken the trouble to understand.