There be writers whose style is swift and flashing like a river, and has a current to whirl you along.

The style seizes on you and takes you down the page, showing the right and the left of the subject as a river shows its banks.

You are swept round some unexpected bend of incident, and given new impressions in new lights.

Addison was the king of those who wrote like a lake; Macaulay of those who wrote like a river.

The latter is the better style, giving more and carrying further and tiring less.
Richard belonged by native gift to the Macaulay school.