M. Forster
M. Forster
lying mirrors historical
A mirror does not develop because an historical pageant passes in front of it. It only develops when it gets a fresh coat of quicksilver in other words, when it acquires new sensitiveness; and the novel's success lies in its own sensitiveness, not in the success of its subject matter.
memories stupid people
Curiosity is one of the lowest of the human faculties. You will have noticed in daily life that when people are inquisitive they nearly always have bad memories and are usually stupid at bottom.
sympathy ifs
Science is better than sympathy, if only it is science.
art taken men
In the creative state a man is taken out of himself. He lets down as it were a bucket into his subconscious, and draws up something which is normally beyond his reach. He mixes this thing with his normal experiences and out of the mixture he makes a work of art.
wall war nerves
Before the civil war, Pottibakia was a normal member of the Comity of Nations. She erected tariff walls, broke treaties, persecuted minorities, obstructed at conferences unless she was convinced there was no danger of a satisfactory solution; then she strained every nerve in the cause of peace.
character vanity changed
For our vanity is such that we hold our own characters immutable, and we are slow to acknowledge that they have changed, even for the better.
running strong men
I can only do what's easy. I can only entice and be enticed. I can't, and won't, attempt difficult relations. If I marry it will either be a man who's strong enough to boss me or whom I'm strong enough to boss. So I shan't ever marry, for there aren't such men. And Heaven help any one whom I do marry, for I shall certainly run away from him before you can say 'Jack Robinson.
sight firsts criminals
She must be assured that it is not a criminal offense to love at first sight.
writing giving novel
A novel must give a sense of permanence as well as a sense of life.
may emotion endless
The emotions may be endless. The more we express them, the more we may have to express.
literature reverence
Reverence is fatal to literature.
thoughtful men world
Of course he despised the world as a whole; every thoughtful man should; it is almost a test of refinement.
humanity horizon pursuit
They cared for no one, they were outside humanity, and death, had it come, would only have continued their pursuit of a retreating horizon.
thinking helping admire
I cannot help thinking that there is something to admire in everyone, even if you do not approve of them.