Definitions HQ

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠honest when it seeks out the good and strong side of the object of criticism, and evolves and develops it itself.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to seek out the good and strong side, to advance what is imperfect and evolving rather than to see through it in its imperfection and deny it.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠without content; blame is interchangeable with praise — we always opt for whichever affords more opportunity for exhibiting our power of judgment.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not something arbitrary and impersonal—it is, at least very often, a proof that there are lively, active forces in us, which cast a skin.

Criticism (n.) denies, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠and must deny, because something in us wants to live and affirm itself, something we perhaps do not as yet know or see.

Criticism (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an ideal is never levelled at the ideal itself, only at why it has not yet been realised, or is not demonstrable in small things as in great.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠all a work produces now, and the critique produces only a further critique; the critics' pens never cease to flow, for they no longer direct them but are directed by them.

Criticism (n.) falls ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠hardest on a thinker's unpleasing propositions — when it should fall hardest on the ones that please us.

Criticism (n.) gives ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the critic such pleasure, just or unjust, that the world owes thanks to every work that invites it — the god of joy created the bad and mediocre for the same reason as the good.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠sharpest when it sketches out the ideal of a man or a book.

Criticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not reason's victory over an error but new life shedding a skin: what killed the old opinion was your new life, and unreason crawls out of it like a worm.