Somerset Maugham narrates an anecdote in the Foreword to his majestic novel, Of Human Bondage . Celebrated French novelist, Marcel Proust, wanted a periodical to publish an article on one of his great novels. The novelist wrote the article himself thinking that none would be a better critic of his than himself. Then he asked a young friend of his, a man of letters, to put his name to it and take it to the editor. The editor called the young writer after a few days. “I must refuse your article,” said the editor. “Marcel Proust would never forgive me if I printed a criticism of his work that was so perfunctory and so unsympathetic.” Authors are touchy about their productions, says Maugham, and inclined to resent unfavourable criticism. But they are seldom self-satisfied. “Their aim is perfection and they are wretchedly aware that they have not attained it.” Not only authors, but any person or institution should be ready to...
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