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The Work of art (n.) should ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠rise far above the realm of personal life and speak to the spirit and heart of the poet as man to the spirit and heart of mankind.

A Work of art (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠often a symbol promising a renewal of life that the world, bound by tradition, appreciates merely as art — but to become a living reality it must be assimilated and actually lived.

A Work of art (n.) explained ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the same way as a neurosis forces the conclusion that either the work of art is a neurosis or the neurosis is a work of art.

A Work of art (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as much or as little to do with its personal causes as the plant with the soil it springs from.

A Work of art (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a thing, not a personality; its significance lies precisely in having escaped the personal concerns of its creator.

A Work of art (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠almost a living thing that feeds on its maker like a culture medium, using his gifts by its own laws.

A Work of art (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is symbolic grips us intensely but seldom gives pure aesthetic enjoyment; the work complete in itself pleases more, because it does not perpetually challenge us.

A Work of art (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠like a dream: for all its apparent obviousness it never explains itself, never says 'you ought' — it grows an image as nature grows a plant, and leaves the conclusions to us.