A Life of Wonder

In A World Of My Own, originally uploaded by Boy_Wonder.

“Letter-writing imposes its small ceremonies even upon those who disdain the medium. An audience of one requires confrontation too, and even perfunctory message discloses a little with what candour, modesty, or self-esteem its writer ranks himself in the world. Some accompanying hint of his appraisal of that world’s bound to appear in the way he asserts or beseeches a tie with his correspondent, the degree of familiarity he takes for granted, the extent to which he solicits action or approbation, the alacrity and tenacity with which he joins the issue…If he is a practicing writer his assembling of words can never be totally negligent; once enslaved by language forever enslaved.” – Richard Ellmann on James Joyce’s Letters