Democracy - or any improvement on it - will rest on the layman's right to criticize. His criticism will be often - very often - damn silly, but if, like Plato and the Fascists, we take away his right to criticize, we take away his right to appreciate. Louis MacNeice criticismcriticizedamn share on social
All experiment is made on a basis of tradition; all tradition is the crystallization of experiment. Louis MacNeice basiscrystallizationexperiment Change image and share on social
The poet is a specialist in something which everyone practises. Herein, poetry differs from the other arts. Everyone does not practise music or painting or even dancing, but everyone without exception puts together words poetically every day of his life. Louis MacNeice artdanceday share on social
Good poets have written in order to describe something or to preach something - with their eye on the object or the end. The essence of the poetry does not lie in the thing described or in the message imparted but in the resulting concrete unity, the poem. Louis MacNeice concretedescribeend share on social
We are all fed from hundreds and thousands of hands. Often we do not know whose they are nor how they work. Only a few of us ever visualize the hands that grope in the coal mines or push levers in the mills or handle axes in the lumber camp. Louis MacNeice axiscampcoal share on social
Some day I shall write a novel and call it 'A Walking Tour in the Congo' or 'Thrills and Spills in Aeronautics'; but I keep this type of title as a last & mercenary resort. Louis MacNeice aeronauticscallcongo Change image and share on social
The poet is primarily a spokesman, making statements or incantations on behalf of himself or others - usually for both, for it is difficult to speak for oneself without speaking for others or to speak for others without speaking for oneself. Louis MacNeice behalfdifficultincantation share on social
I am more proud of what distinguishes man from the animals than of what he has in common with them. Louis MacNeice animalcommondistinguish Change image and share on social
My stepmother appeared when I was about 9. My brother was sent off to an institute in Scotland & my sister & I were sent to school. As my stepmother's ideas were then wholly Quaker, mixed with a naive & charming innocence & a little snobbery, it was one dotty epoch on top of another. I always remained terrified of my father. Louis MacNeice appearbrothercharm share on social