Asking
a working writer what he thinks about critics is
like asking a lamp-post what it feels about dogs.
-- Christopher
Hampton
1946-, British
Playwright
Harsh
counsels have no effect; they are like hammers which
are always repulsed by the anvil.
-- Claude A.
Helvétius
1715-1771, French
Philosopher
God
knows people who are paid to have attitudes toward
things, professional critics, make me sick; camp
following eunuchs of literature. They won't even
whore. They're all virtuous and sterile. And how
well meaning and high minded. But they're all camp
followers.
-- Ernest Hemingway
1898-1961, American
Writer
All
the critics who could not make their reputations by
discovering you are hoping to make them by
predicting hopefully your approaching impotence,
failure and general drying up of natural juices. Not
a one will wish you luck or hope that you will keep
on writing unless you have political affiliations in
which case these will rally around and speak of you
and Homer, Balzac, Zola and Link Steffens.
-- Ernest Hemingway
1898-1961, American
Writer
