One doesn't always succeed in pleasing other people

I sent Father a drawing which I had done in line with his criticism of the first lithography of the old man. Not because I thought Father was exactly right, but I thought, Now I know how you would like to have it, I will try and make it that way for you. But I'm afraid I didn't succeed. Even though one tries hard, one doesn't always succeed in pleasing other people. Father didn't exactly write that he didn't like it, but it was between the lines. It may be that it wasn't good after all.

To Theo van Gogh, from The Hague, 3 February 1883, Letter 263
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
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