Rilke takes a skeptical view of texts about literature and art. "Read as few aesthetic-critical things as possible," he advised in 1903 in his famous 'Letters to a Young Poet.' However, the collected (partially abridged) texts in this volume, including 'Modern Lyric,' his 'Letters to a Young Poet,' and 'Auguste Rodin. A Lecture,' show that Rilke was by no means so carefree or uninformed; rather, he extensively commented on the origin, nature, and impact of literature and visual art.