Ecurb
12-26-2016, 05:08 PM
Evelyn Waugh did not think writers could (or should) be humble. He wrote:
Humility is not a virtue propitious to the artist. It is often pride, emulation, avarice, malice -- all of the odious qualities -- which drive a man to complete, elaborate, refine, destroy, renew his work until he has made something that gratifies his pride and envy and greed. And in so doing he enriches the world more than the generous and good, though he may lose his own soul in the process. That is the paradox of artistic achievement.
Aha! That explains my lack of writing talent! I'm insufficiently wicked!
Humility is not a virtue propitious to the artist. It is often pride, emulation, avarice, malice -- all of the odious qualities -- which drive a man to complete, elaborate, refine, destroy, renew his work until he has made something that gratifies his pride and envy and greed. And in so doing he enriches the world more than the generous and good, though he may lose his own soul in the process. That is the paradox of artistic achievement.
Aha! That explains my lack of writing talent! I'm insufficiently wicked!