That bit is something of a cop-out, because of how open-ended it is. One feels entitled to an explanation as to exactly when those rules should be broken, or wh

That bit is something of a cop-out, because of how open-ended it is. One feels entitled to an explanation as to exactly when those rules should be broken, or what would qualify as barbarous. And why, exactly, do the previous bits of advice not mention their conditions of applicability? Bear in mind, it is quite possible that Orwell meant what he said (in the direct, plain meaning of it), and got it wrong. Maybe it's a pet peeve, but I loathe advice of the form "do just the right amount of a thing" that doesn't say how one is to determine the "right" amount. After all, if that was the easier part of following the advice, one wouldn't need the advice in the first place.