Mere light sophistry is the thing that I happen to despise most of all things, and it is perhaps a wholesome fact that this is the thing of which I am generally accused. I know nothing so contemptible as a mere paradox; a mere ingenious defence of the indefensible.
As does Chesterton, less explicitly:
and at length.
I get the impression that he (thankfully!) eased off on that particular template as time went on.