James Stephens
James Stephens
James Stephenswas an Irish novelist and poet...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth2 February 1882
CountryIreland
both coming nor washed washing
We are washed both on coming into the world and on going out of it, and we take no pleasure from the first washing nor any profit from the last.
desires humorist necessary otherwise people shall wise
If a person desires to be a humorist it is necessary that the people around him shall be at least as wise as he is, otherwise his humor will not be comprehended.
die men stronger wisdom women
Women are stronger than men - they do not die of wisdom.
love speaks
When a woman speaks to a man about the love she feels for another man, she is not liked.
cleaned safety
It was potentially a safety hazard. We are most appreciative of it being cleaned up,
holy people places priest work
To work is nothing; the king on his throne, the priest kneeling before the Holy Altar, all people in all places had to work, but no person at all need be a servant.
To understand the theory which underlies all things is not sufficient. Theory is but the preparation for practice.
aggressor call die evil fall fat might slumber wide
In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its onslaughts and depredations humanity might fall to a fat slumber upon its cornsacks and die snoring.
given grows herself inwardly man needs receive spirit time wisdom works
Man works outwardly and inwardly - after rest, he has energy; after energy, he needs repose; so, when we have given instruction for a time, we need instruction and must receive it, or the spirit faints and wisdom herself grows bitter.
becomes faulty shall trouble
The trouble of the king becomes the trouble of the subject, for how shall we live if judgement is withheld, or if faulty decisions are promulgated?
compulsion death hasten health inexorable joyous joys life logical towards wish woes
The inexorable compulsion of all things is towards health or destruction, life or death, and we hasten our joys or our woes to the logical extreme. It is urgent, therefore, that we be joyous if we wish to live.
A secret is a weapon and a friend.
bird gold inside pot rose
A Leprecaun without a pot of gold is like a rose without perfume, a bird without a wing, or an inside without an outside.
attainment barren finality happen hate hopelessly nor tragedy woeful
There is no tragedy more woeful than the victory of hate, nor any attainment so hopelessly barren as the sterility of that achievement; for hate is finality, and finality is the greatest evil which can happen in a world of movement.