"Every nation, every race, has not only its own creative, but its own critical turn of mind; and is even more oblivious of the shortcomings and limitations of its critical habits than those of its creative genius.... we might remind ourselves that criticism is as inevitable as breathing, and that we should be none the worse for articulating what passes in our minds when we read a book and feel an emotion about it, for criticizing our own minds in their work of criticism."
--T. S. Elliot, "Tradition and the Individual Talent"
I was just reading this last night too! I liked a lot of what he had to say, particularly this point. :) Glad you're enjoying it.
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