“The pen is not my instrument. I feel that I think correctly, but the compulsion of the discipline I must follow terrifies me. Can you believe that the obligation to write a page brings me a sense of discomfort?”

This phrase is from Eugène Delacroix, the great and innovative figure of art. Baudelaire quotes his words in an extensive piece after the death of the great artist.

“I do not feel awkward because I am on this stage, in front of you, but I am not accustomed to writing and speaking. My whole life has been action. Before such a distinguished audience [...] it is natural to be filled with some awe, as the subject I will discuss will be subject to your criticism, something I do not shy away from but seek, just as I seek it in my work.”

“This concern did not keep me awake at night, but it did make me spend time trying to present my thoughts clearly. Not that I have diminished mental faculties, but because it is common for artists not to have the comfort to express themselves with words, or conversely, to have the facility but sometimes without conveying clear meanings. I believe I belong to the first case.”