From William Hazlitt's essay *On the Ignorance of the Learned* (1821). Select the word that fits the blank. "The ______ readers of books are like the everlasting copiers of pictures, who, when they attempt to do anything of their own, find they want an eye quick enough, a hand steady enough, and colours bright enough, to trace the living forms of nature."

Hazlitt is criticising readers who read *constantly* and reflexively, paralleling them to *everlasting copiers* of pictures. The word he uses is *indefatigable* — incapable of being wearied, tireless. - "Occasional" reverses the description; the targets of Hazlitt's critique are not casual readers. - "Discriminating" misses the polemic — selective readers would be exempt from his criticism. - "Timid" doesn't fit the parallel with *everlasting* copiers. The root is Latin *in-* (not) + *defatigare* (to weary). *Indefatigable* and *everlasting* are paired as synonyms in Hazlitt's sentence, reinforcing the answer.