To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal. W. H. Auden More Quotes by W. H. Auden More Quotes From W. H. Auden An honest self-portrait is extremely rare because a man who has reached the degree of self-consciousness presupposed by the desire to paint his own portrait has almost always also developed an ego-consciousness which paints himself painting himself, and introduces artificial highlights and dramatic shadows. W. H. Auden egoselfmen Those to whom evil is doneDo evil in return. W. H. Auden returncompassionevil Literary confessors are contemptible, like beggars who exhibit their sores for money, but not so contemptible as the public that buys their books. W. H. Auden confessionmoneybook Looking up at the stars, I know quite well That, for all they care, I can go to hell, But on earth indifference is the least We have to dread from man or beast. How should we like it were stars to burn With a passion for us we could not return? If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me. Admirer as I think I am Of stars that do not give a damn, I cannot, now I see them, say I missed one terribly all day. Were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky And feel its total dark sublime, Though this might take me a little time. W. H. Auden passionstarsdark There are not many English novels which deserve to be called great: Parade's End is one of them. W. H. Auden paradesnovelends Every poet has his dream reader: mine keeps a look out for curious prosodic fauna like bacchics and choriambs. W. H. Auden poetdreamlooks To ask the hard question is simple. W. H. Auden brainstormingoptimisticsimple The relation of faith between subject and object is unique in every case. Hundreds may believe, but each has to believe by himself. W. H. Auden uniquefaithbelieve Slavery is so intolerable a condition that the slave can hardly escape deluding himself into thinking that he is choosing to obey his master's commands when, in fact, he is obliged to. Most slaves of habit suffer from this delusion and so do some writers, enslaved by an all too personal style. W. H. Auden stylesufferingthinking To the man-in-the-street, who, I'm sorry to say, is a keen observer of life. The word Intellectual suggests straight away. A man who's untrue to his wife. W. H. Auden intelligentsorrymen One of the troubles of our times is that we are all, I think, precocious as personalities and backward as characters. W. H. Auden personalitycharacterthinking From beginning to end Wilde performed his life and continued to do so even after fame had taken the plot out of his own hands. W. H. Auden plottakenhands Composing mortals with immortal fire. W. H. Auden composingimmortalfire It's a pity I am so impatient and careless, as any ordinary person could learn all the techniques of photography in a week. It is the democratic art, i.e. technical skill is practically eliminated - the more foolproof cameras become with focusing and exposure gadgets the better - and artistic quality depends only on choice of subject. W. H. Auden skillsphotographyart The camera may do justice to laughter, but must degrade sorrow. W. H. Auden laughtersorrowjustice Human language is mythological and metaphorical by nature. W. H. Auden metaphoricallanguagehumans Does God judge us by appearances? I Suspect that He does. W. H. Auden appearancejudgingdoe If time were the wicked sheriff in a horse opera, I'd pay for riding lessons and take his gun away. W. H. Auden wickedhorsegun We all have these places where shy humiliations gambol on sunny afternoons. W. H. Auden sunny-afternoonsunny-dayshy It takes little talent to see what lies under one's nose, a good deal to know in what direction to point that organ. W. H. Auden noseslittleslying
