Prettiness is terribly vulgar nowadays, and it is not every one that knows just the sort of ugliness that has chic.
Henry James
Aesthetics, Society, Contrast, Ugliness, Style, Reflection
Henry James’s Quotes On Topics
Vow | Strange | Foreign | Self-centeredness | Starting | Tables | Meaningful Living | Self-Acceptance | Social Constraints | Sentry-box | Rewarded | Unique Essence | Flame | Personal Crisis | Narrative | Self-Judgment | Identity Crisis | Richness | Past Reflection | Constraint | More
More Henry James Quotes
“Ah, one doesn’t give up one’s country any more than one gives UP one’s grandmother. They’re both antecedent to choice – elements of one’s composition that are not to be eliminated.” Henry James
Unyielding Roots, National Bond, Roots, Bond, National, Unyielding
Henry James Unyielding Roots, National Bond, Roots, Bond, National, Unyielding“The will, I believe, is the mystery of mysteries. Who can say beforehand that his will is strong? There are all kinds of indefinable currents moving to and fro between one’s will and one’s inclinations. People talk as if the two things were essentially distinct; on different sides of one’s organism, like the heart and the liver. I believe there is a certain group of circumstances possible for every man, in which his will is destined to snap like a dry twig.” Henry James
Willpower, Mystery, Determination, Strength, Circumstances, Snap
Henry James Willpower, Mystery, Determination, Strength, Circumstances, Snap“England always seems to me like a man swimming with his clothes on his head.” Henry James
Strange Metaphor, Observation, Identity, England, Reflection, Imagery
Henry James Strange Metaphor, Observation, Identity, England, Reflection, Imagery“It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, for our consideration and application of these things, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process.” Henry James
Artistic Importance, Life Creation, Art, Creation, Importance, Life
Henry James Artistic Importance, Life Creation, Art, Creation, Importance, Life“Feel, feel, I say – feel for all you’re worth, and even if it half kills you, for that is the only way to live.” Henry James
Emotional Expression, Vulnerability, Growth, Feeling, Living, Experience
Henry James Emotional Expression, Vulnerability, Growth, Feeling, Living, Experience“When you are embarrassed, do as you think best, and you will do very well. When you are in a difficulty, judge for yourself.” Henry James
Embarrassment, Judgment, Difficulty, Choice, Decision, Confidence
Henry James Embarrassment, Judgment, Difficulty, Choice, Decision, Confidence“His mind contained several millions of facts, packed too closely together for the light breeze of the imagination to draw through the mass.” Henry James
Information Overload, Knowledge, Imagination, Complexity, Thoughts, Reflection
Henry James Information Overload, Knowledge, Imagination, Complexity, Thoughts, Reflection“Whatever life you lead you must put your soul in it – to make any sort of success of it; and from the moment you do that it ceases to be romance, I assure you: it becomes grim reality!” Henry James
Life Dedication, Grim Reality, Soul Investment, Personal Success, True Effort, Romantic Loss
Henry James Life Dedication, Grim Reality, Soul Investment, Personal Success, True Effort, Romantic Loss“Life is a predicament which precedes death.” Henry James
Life, Predicament, Mortality, Existence, Purpose, Reflection
Henry James Life, Predicament, Mortality, Existence, Purpose, Reflection“What young man had ever paraded about that way, without a reason, a maiden in her flower?” Henry James
Youthful Parade, Emotional Clarity, Passion, Youth, Clarity, Passion
Henry James Youthful Parade, Emotional Clarity, Passion, Youth, Clarity, Passion“She was glad to pause, however, on the edge of this larger adventure; there was such a thrill even in the preliminary hovering.” Henry James
Adventure Pause, Preliminary Thrill, Edge Moment, Personal Journey, Emotional Anticipation, Life Excitement
Henry James Adventure Pause, Preliminary Thrill, Edge Moment, Personal Journey, Emotional Anticipation, Life Excitement“She gave an envious thought to the happier lot of men, who are always free to plunge into the healing waters of action.” Henry James
Action, Gender Differences, Equality, Agency, Reflection
Henry James Action, Gender Differences, Equality, Agency, Reflection“There are moods in which one feels the impulse to enter a tacit protest against too gross an appetite for pure aesthetics in this starving and sinning world. One turns half away, musingly, from certain beautiful useless things.” Henry James
Artistic Protest, Moral Struggle, Emotional Depth, Aesthetics, Struggle, Reflection
Henry James Artistic Protest, Moral Struggle, Emotional Depth, Aesthetics, Struggle, Reflection“I hold any writer sufficiently justified who is himself in love with his theme.” Henry James
Passion, Writing, Justification, Creativity, Writing, Emotion
Henry James Passion, Writing, Justification, Creativity, Writing, Emotion“It was practically the end of everything. I met his kiss and I had to make, while I folded him for a moment in my arms, the most stupendous effort not to cry.” Henry James
Bittersweet Goodbye, Emotional Struggle, Goodbye, Emotional, Struggle, Bittersweet
Henry James Bittersweet Goodbye, Emotional Struggle, Goodbye, Emotional, Struggle, Bittersweet“She had an unequalled gift, usually pen in hand, of squeezing big mistakes into opportunities.” Henry James
Creative Resilience, Mistake Transformation, Resilience, Mistake, Transformation, Creative
Henry James Creative Resilience, Mistake Transformation, Resilience, Mistake, Transformation, Creative“It was the tragic part of happiness; one’s right was always made of the wrong of some one else.” Henry James
Paradox Of Joy, Moral Dilemma, Happiness, Loss, Fairness, Duality
Henry James Paradox Of Joy, Moral Dilemma, Happiness, Loss, Fairness, Duality