"I would like to take you seriously, but to do so would affront your intelligence"

This quote by William F. Buckley, Jr. indicates that the speaker is trying to be respectful of the other individual's intelligence. The speaker is suggesting that they wish to take the other person seriously, however to do so would be an insult to their intelligence. This could be interpreted as the speaker believing that the other individual is too smart to take them seriously. It could likewise be translated as the speaker thinking that the other person is too intelligent to be taken seriously. In either case, the speaker is trying to be considerate of the other person's intelligence and is suggesting that they must not be taken too seriously. This quote might also be interpreted as the speaker wanting to show respect for the other individual's intelligence and not wanting to patronize them. By not taking them too seriously, the speaker is showing that they comprehend the other person's intelligence and are not attempting to belittle them.