That is what the highest criticism really is, the record of one's own soul. It is more fascinating than history, as it is concerned simply with oneself. It is more delightful than philosophy, as its subject is concrete and not abstract, real and not vague. It is the only civilized form of autobiography, as it deals not with events, but with the thoughts of one's life; not with life's physical accidents of deed or circumstance, but with the spiritual moods and imaginative passions of the mind.. The best that one can say of most modern creative art is that it is just a little less vulgar than reality, and so the critic, with his fine sense of distinction and sure instinct of delicate refinement, will prefer to look into the silver mirror or through the woven veil, and will turn his eyes away from the chaos and clamor of actual existence, though the mirror be tarnished and the veil be torn. His sole aim is to chronicle his own impressions. It is for him that pictures are painted, books written, and marble hewn into form. .Oscar Wilde
About This Quote
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Sometimes we may lose our self-confidence and feel like we will never succeed at anything we want to do. But, yet again we will find the strength we didn't know we had and rise to great heights. The most difficult thing for us to do is to ignore the failures that occur during the process of doing something. We must always remember that our failures are part of what will make us great. The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Source: The Critic As Artist
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