Looking back on the long-stretched-out body of one's work, it is interesting to mark the endless duel fought within a man between the emotional and critical sides of his nature, first one, then the other, getting the upper hand, and too seldom fusing till the result has the mellowness of full achievement. One can even tell the nature of one's readers, by their preference for the work which reveals more of this side than of that.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Work reflects the internal struggle between emotional and critical sides of a person, with success coming when they fuse.
- In plain terms
- Your work shows the battle between your feelings and your critical mind, and good work comes when they work together.
- What can you take from it?
- Great work balances emotion and criticism.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Which side dominates your current work?
- How do your readers prefer your output?
Another view
Some styles succeed by favoring one side over the other.
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