Celine: “Shit on Every Authority”

To Jaroslav Zaoralek

Saint-Malo, [May] 12[,1937

Dear friend,

Your critics’ reaction doesn’t surprise me: I was expecting this. The Austrian Soviet Masonic Jewish clique in power in your country couldn’t but slobber the way they did. Anyway, I don’t think that even in good faith they could have understood. The fate of criticism is to unfailingly be full of shit. In reality, “Death on the Installment Plan” is in ever way superior to “Journey.” It is direct expression and “Journey” was still literary, that is, full of shit in more ways than one. Like the public, critics above all like the fake, imitation, imposture. They flee the authentic. We won’t change them.

So be it. After all I don’t give a damn. I’m willing to share the fate of all true creators. I’m willing to be alone against all. I’m even perfectly pleased to have reached this point. There is something degrading and base in approbation. Applause makes the monkey. In these times of the herd I find it agreeable to shit on every authority. As for optimism, don’t make me laugh. All charlatans are optimists. What would they be without good humor? This says it all.

With friendship.

L.F. Céline

[In the margin without point of insertion: As for the photographic, nothing is less photo than “Death on the Installment Plan.”

You have to be as stupid as a critic not to be conscious of any transposition]

Translation by Mitchell Abidor