Add Quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne
“A high truth, indeed, fairly, finely, and skilfully wrought out, brightening at every step, and crowning the final development of a work of fiction, may add an artistic glory, but is never any truer, and seldom any more evident, at the last page than at the first.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Scarlet Letter, 1850
He describes how a work’s artistic brilliance is evident from start to finish, yet true truth shines brightest at the beginning.
In simple terms: Artistic truth appears early, not just at the end.
Value early insight in creative work.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing drafts
- editing
- critical review
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Do first impressions always hold?
- How can later revisions improve a work?
Early brilliance may mask deeper flaws later.