In art, never try to find out anything, or try to learn anything until
the not knowing it has come to be a nuisance to you for some time. Then
you will remember it, but not otherwise. Let knowledge importune you
before you will hear it. Our schools and universities go on the
precisely opposite system.
Never consciously agonise; the race is not to the swift, nor the battle
to the strong. Moments of extreme issue are unconscious and must be left
to take care of themselves. During conscious moments take reasonable
pains but no more and, above all, work so slowly as never to get out of
breath. Take it easy, in fact, until forced not to do so.
There is no mystery about art. Do the things that you can see; they will
show you those that you cannot see. By doing what you can you will
gradually get to know what it is that you want to do and cannot do, and
so to be able to do it.