The best book written in English

What should it be? At least in my opinion, The Anatomy of Melancholy. Samuel Johnson and Herman Melville were among its ardent admirers. Innumerable authors have plagiarized from it, even of the stature of Laurence Sterne in Tristam Shandy. It’s immense, you don’t read it front to back, but rather open at random and just read for a few pages.

Every man hath liberty to write, but few ability. Heretofore learning was graced by judicious scholars, but now noble sciences are vilified by base and illiterate scribblers, that either write for vain-glory, need, to get money, or as Parasites to flatter and collogue with some great men, they put out trifles, rubbish and trash. Among so many thousand Authors you shall scarce find one by reading of whom you shall be any whit better, but rather much worse; by which he is rather infected than any way perfected…