done and undone by his own writing

Ronald Christ: You have written many reviews and journal articles. 

Jorge Luis Borges: Well, I had to do it. 

Christ: Did you choose the books you wanted to review? 

Borges: Yes, I generally did. 

Christ: So the choice does express your own tastes? 

Borges: Oh yes, yes. For example, when somebody told me to write a review of a certain history of literature, I found there were so many howlers and blunders, and as I greatly admire the author as a poet, I said, No, I don't want to write about it, because if I write about it I shall write against it. I don't like to attack people, especially now - when I was a young man, yes, I was very fond of it, but as time goes on, one finds that it is no good. When people write in favor or against anybody, that hardly helps or hurts them. I think that a man can be helped, well, the man can be done or undone by his own writing, not by what other people say of him, so that even if you brag a lot and people say that you are a genius - well, you'll be found out.

- Jorge Luis Borges, from his Paris Review interview. You can read the whole thing here.