For Henry James, class was 'the essentially hierarchial plan of English society' which was 'the great and ever-present … - David Cannadine

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In a poem the excitement has to maintain itself. I am governed by the pull of the sentence as the pull of a fabric is governed by gravity.

David Cannadine

For Henry James, class was 'the essentially hierarchial plan of English society' which was 'the great and ever-present fact to the mind of a stranger; there is hardly a detail of life that does not in some degree betray it'.

Class, Details Of Life, Essentially, James, Mind, Stranger

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The older I get the more I'm convinced that it's the purpose of politicians and journalists to say the world is very simple, whereas it's the purpose of historians to say, 'No! It's very complicated. ' The job of the historian is to help give people a sense of existence in time, without which we are really not fully human.

Jobs, People, Politicians, Purpose, Say, Simple

He was, albeit only briefly, the hero of the world's hopes.

Albeit, Briefly, Hero, Hopes, War, World

Like sex, poverty and power, suicide may always be with us. But like them again, the actual form is takes is essentially time-specific and culture-bound, not only in the past but in the present too. The people who took their lives, the paths which led them to that end, and the experience of dying in this way were deeply influenced by specific historical circumstances. Only by making a greater effort at historical understanding can this most secret house of death be made to yield up more of its confidences.

Dying, Past, Secret, Sex, Specific, Suicide

For those who reject it, the Victorian experience is something to feel embarrassed about, to apologise for, to escape from, and never to repeat. But to those who remain enthralled, it is a fabulous story of oustanding success and splendid achievement, by comparison with which Britain's 20th century records seems at best unimpressive, and often distinctly lacklustre.

Achievement, Fabulous, Reject, Remain, Repeat, Stories

For all her active goodness, Florence Nightingale herself was far from being the angelic figure of popular adulation: according to Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians she was a self-righteous, domineering amazon, who was ruthless in her compassion, merciless in her philantropy, destructive in friendships, obsessional in her list for power, and demonic in her saintliness.

Angelic, Compassion, Florence Nightingale, Power, Self

Similar Quotes

Marianne Moore

In a poem the excitement has to maintain itself. I am governed by the pull of the sentence as the pull of a fabric is governed by gravity.

Excitement, Fabric, Gravity, Poem

Thomas S. Buechner

I'm interested in human vulnerability. We are alone, and my portraits reflect this quality. I don't want anything to get in the way of this feeling.

Alone, Feelings, Interested, Portraits, Quality, Reflect

David Duchovny

I will read biographies or autobiographies while I'm writing, but mostly I put books in a to-read queue, like Rachel Cusk's new novel, "Outline. "

Biographies, Book, Novel, Writing

Andrea Zittel

The creation of rule is more creative than the destruction of them. Creation demands a higher level of reasoning and draws connections between cause and effect. The best rules are never stable or permanent, but evolve naturally according to context or need.

Connections, Creative, Demands, Needs, Rule

Oprah Winfrey

Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it's right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.

Dream, Let, Resound, Stress, Time