"Misquotation is, in fact, the pride and privilege of the learned. A widely- read man never quotes accurately, for the rather obvious reason that he has read too widely"

This quote by Hesketh Pearson suggests that misquoting suggests being well-read. He implies that an individual who has actually checked out widely will not be able to properly estimate a text since they have actually read too much. This might be interpreted as a positive thing, as it recommends that the more one checks out, the most likely they are to exaggerate. It might also be seen as a criticism of those who misquote, as it indicates that they are not paying enough attention to the text they are quoting. Ultimately, this quote suggests that exaggerating is a sign of being well-read, and that it is something to be proud of.