break any of these rules sooner than say anything barbarous

George Orwell’s 6 Rules of Effective Writing (1946)

1.    Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of          speech which you are used to seeing in print.

2.   Never use a long word where a short one will do.

3.   If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it             out.

4.   Never use the passive where you can use the               active.

5.   Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a       jargon word if you can think of an everyday                 English equivalent.

6.  Break any of these rules sooner than say                       anything barbarous.