THE MONEY IS A LIFEBELT THROWN TO A SWIMMER WHO HAS REACHED SHORE IN SAFETY

These were the words Shaw wrote to the Nobel Prize administrators in a letter dated Nov. 18 1926. A transcript of the letter can be read in Vol. 4 of Dan H Laurence's Bernard Shaw Collected Letters (p. 34). He considered that the award was a great honor, but the prize was quite a different thing. In his own words, 

My readers and audiences provide me with more than sufficient money for my needs; and as to my renown it is greater than is good for my spiritual health. 

That is why he ventured "to propose to you that the money which accompanies the award be funded by the Royal Academy or by the Swedish Minister in London and the annual proceeds be used to encourage intercourse and understanding in literature and art between Sweden and the British Isles."

As we all know, this initial idea is what led to the instauration of The Bernard Shaw Prize for Swedish Translations. Although no award was given this year, you can find a list of past winners here.