“Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit: for merit itself is offensive.”
“But then you begin to understand that the reward of merit is not life’s business.”
“There is often a great deal more of the past in the future than there was in the past itself at the time... one learns little by little that a thing is not over because it is not happening with noise and shape or outward sign.”
“More glorious to merit a sceptre than to possess one.”
“The book trade invented literary prizes to stimulate sales, not to reward merit.”