There is scarcely a good critic of books born in our age, and yet every fool thinks himself justified in criticising persons.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Good critical writing is measured by the perception and evaluation of the subject; bad critical writing by the necessity of maintaining the professional standing of the critic.
—Raymond Chandler (1888–1959) American Novelist
A good drama critic is one who perceives what is happening in the theatre of his time. A great drama critic also perceives what is not happening.
—Kenneth Tynan (1927–80) English Theatre Critic, Writer
It behooves the minor critic, who hunts for blemishes, to be a little distrustful of his own sagacity.
—Junius Unidentified English Writer
The best criticism doesn’t trap an employee or child in a dead end. It gives them an escape route.
—Indian Proverb
Critics must excuse me if I compare them to certain animals called asses, who, by gnawing vines, originally taught the great advantage of pruning them.
—William Shenstone (1714–63) British Poet, Landscape Gardener
Criticism is an indirect form of self-boasting.
—Emmet Fox (1886–1951) Irish-American New Thought Leader
Criticism is the disapproval of people, not for having faults, but having faults different from your own.
—Anonymous
He whose first emotion, on the view of an excellent work, is to undervalue or depreciate it, will never have one of his own to show.
—John Aikin (1747–1822) British Doctor, Writer
Nothing is as peevish and pedantic as men’s judgments of one another.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Any coward can sit at home and criticize a pilot for flying into a mountain in a fog. But I would rather by far die on a mountainside than in bed.
—Charles Lindbergh (1902–74) American Aviator, Inventor, Conservationist
Most of our censure of others is only oblique praise of self, uttered to show the wisdom and superiority of the speaker. It has all the invidiousness of self-praise, and all the ill-desert of falsehood.
—Tryon Edwards (1809–94) American Theologian, Author
Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
What the public criticizes in you, cultivate. It is you.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
What we ask of him is, that he should find out for us more than we can find out for ourselves. He must have the passion of a lover.
—Arthur Symons (1865–1945) English Literary Scholar, Author
Not even the most powerful organs of the press, including Time, Newsweek, and The New York Times, can discover a new artist or certify his work and make it stick. They can only bring you the scores.
—Thomas Wolfe (1900–38) American Novelist
One ought to look a good deal at oneself before thinking of condemning others.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
It is critical vision alone which can mitigate the unimpeded operation of the automatic.
—Marshall Mcluhan (1911–80) Canadian Writer, Thinker, Educator
We are suffering from too much sarcasm.
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972) American Poet
Culture is only true when implicitly critical, and the mind which forgets this revenges itself in the critics it breeds. Criticism is an indispensable element of culture.
—Theodor W. Adorno (1903–69) German Philosopher, Composer
The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews. The ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
The whole effort of a sincere man is to erect his personal impressions into laws.
—Remy de Gourmont (1858–1915) French Critic, Novelist
They condemn what they do not understand.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
A friend is a lot of things, but a critic he isn’t.
—Bert Williams (1876–1922) American Entertainer, Actor
How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
People want you to be a crazy, out-of-control teen brat. They want you miserable, just like them. They don’t want heroes; what they want is to see you fall.
—Leonardo DiCaprio (b.1974) American Actor, Film Producer, Environmentalist
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
—Indian Proverb
Honest criticism means nothing: what one wants is unrestrained passion, fire for fire.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
You know what the critics are. If you tell the truth they only say you’re cynical and it does an author no good to get a reputation for cynicism.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Those who can—do. Those who can’t—criticize.
—Indian Proverb
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