Grandes Aberturas # 16

The interests of a writer and the interests of his readers are never the same and if, on occasion, they happen to coincide, this is a lucky accident.

In relation to a writer, most readers believe in the Double Standard: they may be unfaithful to him as often as they like, but he must never, never been unfaithful to them.

To read is to translate, for no two persons' experiences are the same. A bad reader is like a bad translator: he interprets literally when he ought to paraphrase and paraphrase when he ought to interpret literally.

We often derive much profit from reading a book in a different way from that wich its author intended, but only (once childhood is over) if we know that we are doing so.


W. H. Auden - The Dyer's Hand