John Galsworthy

“ And he would say: "None of us fellows are doing any constructive critical work; no one nowadays seems to have any perception of the first principles of criticism." Having talked that theory out thoroughly he would feel better, and next day would take an opportunity of writing: "We are not like the academic French, to whom the principles of criticism are so terribly important; our genius lies rather in individual judgments, pliant and changing as the works they judge." ”

“ He had in his extreme youth published fiction, but it had never been the best work of which he was capable—it was not likely that it could be, seeing that even then he was constantly diverted from the ham-bone of his inspiration by the duty of perusing and passing judgment on the work of other men. ”

“ In course of conversation he would frequently admit, being a man of generous calibre, that the artist by reason of long years of devoted craftsmanship had possibly the most intimate knowledge of his art, but he would not fail to point out, and very wisely, that there was no such unreliable testimony as that of experts, who had an axe to grind, each of his own way of doing things ”

“ WE have all wondered from time to time what the godlike creatures who sit in remote sanctums and pass judgments on the works of artists and writers, great and small, are like. No doubt many of them are very ordinary mortals. ”

“ No sane reader will for a moment believe in Little Katie." Towards this sort of thing he showed small patience, having noticed with some acumen a relationship between the name of the writer, the politics of the paper, and the temper of the criticism. ”