FROM THE PREFACE OF THE IMMORALIST

"If some distinguished readers have refused to see anything more in this drama than the description of a peculiar case, nor anything more in its hero than a sick person; if they have failed to recognize that it might nevertheless contain some very urgent ideas of very wide interest -- the fault lies not in those ideas or this drama, but in the author, and I mean in his incompetence -- even though he has bestowed on this book all his passion, all his tears and all his care. But the intrinsic interest of a work of art and the interest that a transitory readership takes in it are two very different things. One may, I think, without too much conceit, prefer the risk of totally failing at the very outset to interest people in truly interesting things, to the greater risk of immediately gratifying a readership avid for nonsense, and thereby nullifying all influence on future generations.

All the same, I have made no attempt to prove anything, merely to paint an accurate picture to give that picture the proper lighting."

I like this book so far, and I like many quotes by Gide about art. I don't 'identify' with his quotes about man's relation to God, though.