"I have often noticed that after I had bestowed on the characters of my novels some treasured item of my past, it would pine away in the artificial world where I had so abruptly placed it"

In this quote, Vladimir Nabokov reviews the creative and typically personal process of writing fiction, especially regarding the transfer of personal memories or valued experiences into his books. He recommends a fragile relationship between truth and fiction, where components from the real life do not constantly grow when transferred into a fictional narrative.

Nabokov begins by acknowledging his tendency to imbue his characters with pieces of his own history or sentimental artifacts from his past. This practice shows the intimate connection in between an author's life and their work, where individual experiences and memories can become fertile ground for storytelling. The "cherished item" suggests something of significant worth and psychological weight, maybe a minute, a things, or an emotion that is deeply individual and meaningful to the author.

However, he observes that once these elements are transplanted into the "artificial world" of his books, they tend to "pine away". This expression communicates a sense of withering or losing vigor, recommending that these real-world treasures struggle to preserve their essence or significance when extracted from their original context and put into a constructed narrative. The use of "pining" anthropomorphizes these memories or experiences, crediting to them a mournful yearning for their initial truth.

Nabokov's choice of words reflects a wider commentary on the nature of fiction itself. The imaginary world, no matter how brilliant or well-crafted, stays an artificial construct, bound by the constraints of narrative and imagination. When real-life experiences or things are inserted into this realm, they undergo these restraints and might lose the richness or credibility they possessed in truth.

Ultimately, Nabokov's quote welcomes reflection on the intricacies of the creative procedure, the difficulties of protecting credibility in fiction, and the unavoidable change that happens when personal history is adapted for storytelling. It talks to the fragile balance between drawing from life and crafting an imaginary story that resonates with truth and emotional depth.