Criticism is easy, and art is difficult.
[Fr., La critique est aisee, et l'art est difficile.]

Criticism is easy, and art is difficult.
[Fr., La critique est aisee, et l'art est difficile.]

Who shall dispute what the Reviewers say?
Their word's sufficient; and to ask a reason,
In such read more

Who shall dispute what the Reviewers say?
Their word's sufficient; and to ask a reason,
In such a state as theirs, is downright treason.

Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well.

Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well.

It is much easier to be critical that to be correct.

It is much easier to be critical that to be correct.

All who (like him) have writ ill plays before,
For they, like thieves, condemned, are hangman made,
read more

All who (like him) have writ ill plays before,
For they, like thieves, condemned, are hangman made,
To execute the members of their trade.

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

Critics? Don't talk to me of critics! You think some jackanapes journalist, his soul eaten away by the maggots of read more

Critics? Don't talk to me of critics! You think some jackanapes journalist, his soul eaten away by the maggots of jealousy and failure, has anything worthwhile to say of art? I don't.

A man must serve his time to every trade
Save censure--critics all are ready made.
Take hackney'd read more

A man must serve his time to every trade
Save censure--critics all are ready made.
Take hackney'd jokes from Miller, got by rote,
With just enough of learning to misquote;
A mind well skill'd to find or forge a fault;
A turn for punning, call it Attic salt;
To Jeffrey go, be silent and discreet,
His pay is just ten sterling pounds per sheet;
Fear not to lie, 'twill seem a lucky hit;
Shrink not from blasphemy, 'twill pass for wit;
Care not for feeling--pass your proper jest,
And stand a critic, hated yet caress'd.

Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of read more

Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants.