For those of you not on Malcolm's list.
Mike
Good post, Mike. Thank you. As I recall, Malcolm was a speaker in Free Exchange recently; totally mesmerizing talk. I will find a way to subscribe to his list.
One observation that comes to my mind is that perhaps our description of "eccentrics" has changed over the years. Oscar Wilde and George Sitwell produced a great body of excellent writing that is admired to this day. Newer eccentrics such as Timothy Leary, Andy Warhol, Jack Kerouac continued the tradition of talented contributors.
I think we need more eccentrics in the old style. But I could be unaware of some out there.
Marcy