I told that girl, in the kindest, gentlest way, that I…
“I told that girl, in the kindest, gentlest way, that I could not consent to deliver judgment upon any one's manuscript, because an individual's verdict was worthless. It might underrate a work of high merit and lose it to the world, or it might overrate a trashy production and so open the way for its infliction upon the world. I said that the great public was the only tribunal competent to sit in judgment upon a literary effort, and therefore it must be best to lay it before that tribunal in the outset, since in the end it must stand or fall by that mighty court's decision any way.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He argues that personal judgments on literature are unreliable; only the public’s collective opinion should decide a work’s value.
In simple terms: Personal opinions are flawed; let the public judge literature.
Key Takeaway
Trust the public’s judgment over personal bias.
Themes
literature
judgment
public opinion
subjectivity
critique
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- publishing decisions
- book reviews
- literary awards
- author self‑assessment
- marketing strategies
Key Concepts
valuation
collective decision
bias
reliability
Questions to Reflect On
- Who decides a book’s worth?
- How can authors balance personal conviction with public reception?
A Different Perspective
Public taste can be fickle and influenced by trends, not just merit.