William Hazlitt Quotes

The greater part of critics are parasites, who, if nothing had been written, would find nothing to write.

I don't read the critics.

Everybody wants to be a critic: a critic without the actual accolades to be a critic.

Pedants make a great rout about criticism, as if it were a science of great depth, and required much pains and knowledge--criticism however is only the result of good sense, taste and judgment--three qualities that indeed seldom are found together, and extremely seldom in a pedant, which most critics are.

A whipper-snapper of criticism who quoted dead languages to hide his ignorance of life.

I always tell my critics that if they don't like this theory for helping people - come up with a better one and I'll use it.

Women excel more in literary judgment than in literary production,--they are better critics than authors.

For critics, as they are birds of prey, have ever a natural inclination to carrion.

Some of the most vocal critics of the way things are being done are people who have done nothing themselves, and whose only contributions to society are their complaints and moral exhibitionism.

I wanna grow up and be a critic.

A man must serve his time to every trade, Save censure-critics all are ready made. Take hackney'd jokes from Miller, got by rote With just enough learning to misquote.

I'm a fan of Hugh Kenner, Richard Ellman, Lionel Trilling and Frank Kermode. All these people have taught me how to read - but perhaps, above all literary critics, I'm indebted to Wayne Booth (several people have suggested to me that I'm trying to reinvent "ethical criticism").

A critic knows more than the author he criticizes, or just as much, or at least somewhat less.

A critic must accept what is best in a poet, and thus become his best encourager.

The animadversions of critics are commonly such as may easily provoke the sedatest writer to some quickness of resentment and asperity of reply.

Don't bow down to critics who have not themselves written great masterpieces.

Recognize the cunning man not by the corpses he pays homage to but by the living writers he conspires against with the most shameful weapon, Silence, or the briefest review.

A true critic ought to dwell rather upon excellencies than imperfections

A critic is to an author as a fungus to an oak.

But anyone can write, right?'" Conner asked. "I mean, that's why authors get judged so harshly, isn't it? Because technically everyone could do it if they wanted to." "Just because anyone can do something doesn't mean everyone should," Mrs. Peters said. "Besides, anyone with an Internet connection feels they have the credentials to critique or belittle anything these days.

Art critics are like every other critic.

Pay no attention to the criticism of men who have never themselves written a notable work.

I feel that the task of criticizing my poetry is best left to others (i.e. critics) and would much rather have it take place after I am dead. If at all.

Critics I don't understand. They get too intellectual. They're not very well-versed in street talk; it takes them longer to say it. So they have to do it in dictionaries and they take longer to say it.

Great critics, of whom there are piteously few, build a home for the truth.