Under our present enormous accumulation of books, I do affirm that a most miserable distraction of choice must … - Thomas de Quincey

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He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words, "And, in my opinion Carthage should be destroyed. " ["Delenda est Carthago. "]

Thomas de Quincey

Under our present enormous accumulation of books, I do affirm that a most miserable distraction of choice must be very generally incident to the times; that the symptoms of it are in fact very prevalent, and that one of the chief symptoms is an enormous 'gluttonism' for books.

Book, Choices, Enormous, Facts, Incident, Symptoms

Same Author Quotes

There is first the literature of knowledge, and secondly, the literature of power. The function of the first is--to teach; the function of the second is--to move, the first is a rudder, the second an oar or a sail. The first speaks to the mere discursive understanding; the second speaks ultimately, it may happen, to the higher understanding or reason, but always through affections of pleasure and sympathy.

Firsts, Moving, Power, Rudder, Understanding

No progressive knowledge will ever medicine that dread misgiving of a mysterious and pathless power given to words of a certain import.

Certain, Medicine, Mysterious, Power, Progressive, Words

The science of style as an organ of thought, of style in relation to the ideas and feelings, might be called the organology of style.

Feelings, Ideas, Organ, Relation, Style

Out of the ruined lodge and forgotten mansion, bowers that are trodden under foot, and pleasure-houses that are dust, the poet calls up a palingenesis.

Dust, Feet, Mansion, Palingenesis, Poet, Poetry

All parts of knowledge have their origin in metaphysics, and finally, perhaps, revolve into it.

Knowledge, Metaphysics, Parts, Perhaps, Revolve