She was a woman who, between courses, could be graceful with her elbows on the table.
Henry James
Grace, Elegance, Dining, Behavior, Sophistication, Womanhood
Henry James’s Quotes On Topics
Class | Consternation | Fault | Magic | Sacrificial | Sky | True Character | Inexperienced Life | Floral | Craft | Historic Insight | Playfulness | Cultural Vulgarity | Intellectual | Refusal | Self-discovery | Social Expectations | Repetition | High Spirits | Reflection | More
More Henry James Quotes
“The artist is present in every page of every book from which he sought so assiduously to eliminate himself.” Henry James
Creative Presence, Artistic Integrity, Self-expression, Craft, Legacy
Henry James Creative Presence, Artistic Integrity, Self-expression, Craft, Legacy“However incumbent it may be on most of us to do our duty, there is, in spite of a thousand narrow dogmatisms, nothing in the world that anyone is under the least obligation to like — not even (one braces one's self to risk the declaration) a particular kind of writing.” Henry James
Duty, Freedom, Controversy, Independence, Expression, Choice
Henry James Duty, Freedom, Controversy, Independence, Expression, Choice“People talk about the conscience, but it seems to me one must just bring it up to a certain point and leave it there. You can let your conscience alone if you’re nice to the second housemaid.” Henry James
Morality, Simplicity, Conscience, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Kindness
Henry James Morality, Simplicity, Conscience, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Kindness“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“True happiness, we are told, consists in getting out of one’s self; but the point is not only to get out – you must stay out; and to stay out you must have some absorbing errand.” Henry James
Happiness, Self, Absorption, Joy, Purpose, Fulfillment
Henry James Happiness, Self, Absorption, Joy, Purpose, Fulfillment“I mean that everything this afternoon has been too beautiful, and that perhaps everything together will never be so right again. I’m very glad therefore you’ve been a part of it.” Henry James
Beauty, Gratitude, Emotions, Connection, Moments, Memories
Henry James Beauty, Gratitude, Emotions, Connection, Moments, Memories“I've seen Rome, and I shall go to bed a wiser man than I last rose—yesterday morning.” Henry James
Historic Insight, Travel Reflection, Personal Growth, Knowledge, Wisdom, Growth
Henry James Historic Insight, Travel Reflection, Personal Growth, Knowledge, Wisdom, Growth“Little by little, even with other cares, the slowly but surely working poison of the garden-mania begins to stir in my long-sluggish veins.” Henry James
Garden Obsession, Growing Passion, Poison, Obsession, Passion, Garden
Henry James Garden Obsession, Growing Passion, Poison, Obsession, Passion, Garden“Most English talk is a quadrille in a sentry-box.” Henry James
English, Tradition, Constraint, Quadrille, Sentry-box, Talk
Henry James English, Tradition, Constraint, Quadrille, Sentry-box, Talk“Instead of leading to the high places of happiness, from which the world would seem to lie below one, so that one could look down with a sense of exaltation and advantage, and judge and choose and pity, it led rather downward and earthward, into realms of restriction and depression, where the sound of other lives, easier and freer, was heard as from above, and served to deepen the feeling of failure.” Henry James
Failure, Happiness, Depression, Restriction, Contrast, Judgment
Henry James Failure, Happiness, Depression, Restriction, Contrast, Judgment“But it was as if I had been looking at him for years and had known him always.” Henry James
Time, Familiarity, Knowing, Presence, Perception, Observation
Henry James Time, Familiarity, Knowing, Presence, Perception, Observation“But for a nice girl you do attract the most unnatural people.” Henry James
Relationships, Perception, Unconventional, Interaction, Curiosity, Complexity
Henry James Relationships, Perception, Unconventional, Interaction, Curiosity, Complexity“They might in short have represented any mystery they would; the point being predominantly that the key to the mystery, the key that could wind and unwind it without a snap of the spring, was there in her pocket – or rather, no doubt, clasped at this crisis in her hand and pressed, as she walked back and forth, to her breast.” Henry James
Enigmatic Power, Hidden Depth, Mystery, Control, Clarity
Henry James Enigmatic Power, Hidden Depth, Mystery, Control, Clarity“It was the way the autumn day looked into the high windows as it waned; the way the red light, breaking at the close from under a low sombre sky, reached out in a long shaft and played over old wainscots, old tapestry, old gold, old colour.” Henry James
Observation, Atmosphere, Emotion, Reflection, Aesthetics, Tranquility
Henry James Observation, Atmosphere, Emotion, Reflection, Aesthetics, Tranquility“So far had Douglas presented his picture when someone put a question. “And what did the former governess die of? – of so much respectability?”” Henry James
Irony, Curiosity, Criticism, Gossip, Society, Humor
Henry James Irony, Curiosity, Criticism, Gossip, Society, Humor“All these people – the people of the English mother’s side – had been of condition more or less eminent; yet with oddities and disparities that had often since made Maria, thinking them over, wonder what they really quite rhymed to.” Henry James
Family Oddities, English Heritage, Reflective Thought, Social Disparities, Personal Wonder, Lineage Reflection
Henry James Family Oddities, English Heritage, Reflective Thought, Social Disparities, Personal Wonder, Lineage Reflection“The vice in the air, otherwise, was too much like the breath of fate.” Henry James
Airborne Vice, Fateful Breath, Vice, Breath, Fateful, Airborne
Henry James Airborne Vice, Fateful Breath, Vice, Breath, Fateful, Airborne“I find that I really hang back; but I must take my horrid plunge.” Henry James
Hesitation, Courage, Fear, Decision, Risk, Determination
Henry James Hesitation, Courage, Fear, Decision, Risk, Determination“If you’re ever bored, take my advice and get married. Your wife, indeed, may bore you in that case, but you’ll never bore yourself.” Henry James
Marriage, Boredom, Companionship, Advice, Relationship, Self-awareness
Henry James Marriage, Boredom, Companionship, Advice, Relationship, Self-awareness“To gaze into the depths of blue of the child’s eyes and pronounce their loveliness a trick of premature cunning was to be guilty of a cynicism in preference to which I naturally preferred to abjure my judgment and, so far as might be, my agitation.” Henry James
Innocence, Beauty, Perception, Skepticism, Subtlety, Sensitivity
Henry James Innocence, Beauty, Perception, Skepticism, Subtlety, Sensitivity