Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
CWSA 27
Sri Aurobindo’s Critical Comments on Poetry Written in the Ashram [11]
You all attach too much importance to the exact letter of my remarks of the kind as if it were a giving of marks. I have been obliged to renounce the use of the word “good” or even “very good” because it depressed Nirod – though I would be very much satisfied myself if I could always write poetry certified to be very good. I write “very fine” against work which is not improvable, so why ask me for suggestions for improving the unimprovable? As for rising superior to yourself that is another matter – one always hopes to do better than one has yet done, but that means not an avoidance of defects – I always point out ruthlessly anything defective in your work – but to rise higher, wider, deeper etc., etc. in the consciousness. Incidentally, even if my remarks are taken to be of mark-giving value, what shall I do in future if I have exhausted all adverbs? How shall I mark your self-exceeding if I have already certified your work as exceeding? I shall have to fall back on roars “Oh, damned fine, damned damned damned fine!”
15 May 1937