The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all.

薄：挑剔，贬低。訾：贬斥。贬低我商品的人，是想和我做生意；贬斥我品行的人，是想和我交朋友。

写作是那些没有写作就无法生活的人的职业。

I paint people not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be.