If I had written King Lear, I would regret it all my life afterwards.…

Quote byFernando Pessoa · 1888–1935

Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: The Book of Disquiet, Original: Se eu tivesse escrito o Rei Lear, levaria com remorsos toda a minha vida de depois. Porque essa obra é tão grande, que enormes avultam os seus defeitos, os seus monstruosos defeitos, as coisas até mínimas que estão entre certas cenas e a perfeição possível delas. Não .

English (original)

If I had written King Lear, I would regret it all my life afterwards. Because that work is so big, that its defects show as huge, its monstrous defects, things even minimal in between some scenes and their possible perfection. It's not the sun with spots; it's a broken greek statue.

— Fernando Pessoa

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