Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts, unusually lofty stilts, and staggered along at a most ungracious pace, with an occasional awkward lurch into colloquialism, giving a strikingly false impression of himself.
In "The Far Side of the World," Patrick O'Brian describes Martin as a likable individual with extensive knowledge. Despite his amiable nature, his writing process seems to create a disconnect between his true self and his work. He adopts a formal and elevated style, which renders him awkward and prevents a smooth flow of ideas.
This contrast between Martin's personality and his writing style leads to a misrepresentation of who he is. His tendency to awkwardly incorporate informal language amidst his lofty prose highlights the challenges he faces in conveying his authentic voice in writing.
