“Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.”

“Music is, for me, like a beautiful mosaic which God has put together. He takes all the pieces in his hand, throws them into the world, and we have to recreate the picture from the pieces.”

“I don’t listen to what art critics say. I don’t know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is.”

“What the public criticizes in you, cultivate. It is you.”

“Listen carefully to first criticisms made of your work. Note just what it is about your work that critics don't like - then cultivate it. That's the only part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.”

“It [speaking with words that bring about harmony] consists of speaking of what is good about people, instead of what is wrong with them. For some people this is an almost impossible exercise, for they have become totally habituated to speaking critically. We all seem to have a special talent for finding critical things to say about the world, about others, and about ourselves! (117)”

“I've been all over the world and I've never seen a statue of a critic.”