I think I don’t regret a single ‘excess’ of my responsive youth – I only regret, in my chilled age, certain occasions and possibilities I didn’t embrace.
Henry James
Youthful Excess, Missed Opportunities, Youth, Opportunities, Missed, Excess
Henry James’s Quotes On Topics
Financials | Talent | Dawn Promises | Bewilderment | Self-expression | Strangeness | Insignificance | Irrational | Emotional | Faith | Luxury | Dark Side | Weakness | Mortification | Written Moments | Day | Claim | Overspoken Thoughts | Persistence | Strong Mind | More
More Henry James Quotes
“We trust to novels to train us in the practice of great indignations and great generosity.” Henry James
Novel, Indignation, Generosity, Trust, Reflection, Training
Henry James Novel, Indignation, Generosity, Trust, Reflection, Training“He was burdened, poor Strether – it had better be confessed at the outset – with the oddity of a double consciousness. There was detachment in his zeal and curiosity in his indifference.” Henry James
Consciousness, Detachment, Curiosity, Indifference, Duality, Burden
Henry James Consciousness, Detachment, Curiosity, Indifference, Duality, Burden“I didn’t refuse often enough.” Henry James
Regret, Refusal, Missed Opportunities, Decisions, Self-awareness, Learning
Henry James Regret, Refusal, Missed Opportunities, Decisions, Self-awareness, Learning“Her reputation for reading a great deal hung about her like the cloudy envelope of a goddess in an epic; it was supposed to engender difficult questions and to keep the conversation at a low temperature.” Henry James
Reading Habit, Intellectual Aura, Cloudy Mystery, Epic Comparisons, Quiet Conversations, Thoughtful Reputation
Henry James Reading Habit, Intellectual Aura, Cloudy Mystery, Epic Comparisons, Quiet Conversations, Thoughtful Reputation“I don’t think I can attempt to say now what it was. Some day – perhaps.” Henry James
Uncertainty, Reflection, Mystery, Recollection, Contemplation, Discovery
Henry James Uncertainty, Reflection, Mystery, Recollection, Contemplation, Discovery“Europe was best described, to his mind, as an elaborate engine for dissociating the confined American from that indispensable knowledge, and was accordingly only rendered bearable by these occasional stations of relief, traps for the arrest of wandering western airs.” Henry James
Cultural Engine, Wandering Knowledge, Knowledge, Engine, Cultural, Wandering
Henry James Cultural Engine, Wandering Knowledge, Knowledge, Engine, Cultural, Wandering“He is outside of everything, and alien everywhere. He is an aesthetic solitary. His beautiful, light imagination is the wing that on the autumn evening just brushes the dusky window.” Henry James
Solitude, Creative Imagination, Isolation, Artistry, Reflection
Henry James Solitude, Creative Imagination, Isolation, Artistry, Reflection“She was a coquette; he was sure she had a spirit of her own; but in her bright, sweet, superficial little visage there was no mockery, no irony. Before long it became obvious that she was much disposed towards conversation.” Henry James
Coquette, Conversation, Charm, Spirit, Social, Allure
Henry James Coquette, Conversation, Charm, Spirit, Social, Allure“The artist beholds in nature more than she herself Nature is conscious of.” Henry James
Artist, Nature, Perception, Consciousness, Creativity, Inspiration
Henry James Artist, Nature, Perception, Consciousness, Creativity, Inspiration“We please the people we don’t care for, we displease those we do!” Henry James
Social Dynamics, Companionship, Rejection, Acceptance, Rejection, Confusion
Henry James Social Dynamics, Companionship, Rejection, Acceptance, Rejection, Confusion“Basil Ransom had got up just as Mrs. Luna made this last declaration; for a young lady had glided into the room, who stopped short as it fell upon her ears. She stood there looking, consciously and rather seriously, at Mr. Ransom; a smile of exceeding faintness played about her lips – it was just perceptible enough to light up the native gravity of her face. It might have been likened to a thin ray of moonlight resting upon the wall of a prison.” Henry James
Impression, Emotion, Perception, Smile, Seriousness, Light
Henry James Impression, Emotion, Perception, Smile, Seriousness, Light“I never really have believed in the existence of friendship in big societies – in great towns and great crowds. It’s a plant that takes time and space and air; and London society is a huge “squash”, as we elegantly call it – an elbowing, pushing, perspiring, chattering mob.” Henry James
Friendship, Society, Isolation, Community, Crowds, Connection
Henry James Friendship, Society, Isolation, Community, Crowds, Connection“With all her love of knowledge she had a natural shrinking from raising curtains and looking into unlighted corners.” Henry James
Curiosity, Knowledge, Reflection, Fear, Experience, Mystery
Henry James Curiosity, Knowledge, Reflection, Fear, Experience, Mystery“It was in her disposition at all times to lose faith in the reality of absent things; she could summon back her faith, in case of need, with with an effort, but the effort was often painful even when the reality had been pleasant. The past was apt to look dead and its revival rather to show the livid light of a judgement-day.” Henry James
Faith, Past, Revival, Reality, Pain, Judgment
Henry James Faith, Past, Revival, Reality, Pain, Judgment“Her tact had to reckon with the Atlantic Ocean, the General Post-Office and the extravagant curve of the globe.” Henry James
Atlantic Challenge, Global Reckoning, Postal Efforts, Personal Tact, Distance Overcome, Relational Connection
Henry James Atlantic Challenge, Global Reckoning, Postal Efforts, Personal Tact, Distance Overcome, Relational Connection“It’s never permitted to be surprised at the aberrations of born fools.” Henry James
Predictable Follies, Foolish Behaviors, Fools, Surprised, Behaviors, Follies
Henry James Predictable Follies, Foolish Behaviors, Fools, Surprised, Behaviors, Follies“We must grant the artist his subject, his idea, his donnée: our criticism is applied only to what he makes of it....If we pretend to respect the artist at all, we must allow him his freedom of choice, in the face, in particular cases, of innumerable presumptions that the choice will not fructify. Art derives a considerable part of its beneficial exercise from flying in the face of presumptions.” Henry James
Art, Creativity, Freedom, Choice, Interpretation, Criticism
Henry James Art, Creativity, Freedom, Choice, Interpretation, Criticism“I have a household of good books, and reading tends to take for me the place of experience – or rather to become itself experience concentrated. You will say this is a dull picture, but I cultivate dulness in a world grown too noisy.” Henry James
Knowledge, Solitude, Reflection, Experience, Focus, Distraction
Henry James Knowledge, Solitude, Reflection, Experience, Focus, Distraction