The search for artistic devices and methods does not always bear fruit. If we are thwarted in our search, let us admit our failure. Almost all great artists and writers have experienced the bitterness of defeat. They do not consider that all their works will become classics and be handed down to posterity. There are indeed great works which, when flfSt published, were not given recognition by society.
History however holds the balance.
Even if a work becomes a classic, it will be better if it serves as a stepping-stone for posterity, rather than a weight on their shoulders. This is the attitude one ought to take on the matter of tradition and innovation. Copyright 1983, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. This material is for researchers' personal use only.