Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.
Henry James
Leisure, Tradition, Ceremony, Tea, Agreeable, Hours
Henry James’s Quotes On Topics
Unflattering Chance | Personal Desire | Change | Grim Reality | Lost Belief | Elaboration | Unspoken | Young Ladies | Personal Offense | Transition | Heart | Goodbye | Moral Questions | Facilities | Borrowed | Summer Beauty | Gentlemen | Accountability | Unfamiliar Faces | Sarcasm | More
More Henry James Quotes
“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 Youthful Excess, Missed Opportunities, Youth, Opportunities, Missed, Excess“It had been her fortune to possess a finer mind than most of the persons among whom her lot was cast; to have a larger perception of surrounding facts and to care for knowledge that was tinged with the unfamiliar.” Henry James
Mind, Perception, Knowledge, Unfamiliar, Distinction, Insight
Henry James Mind, Perception, Knowledge, Unfamiliar, Distinction, Insight“But she had after all a better reason for coming to Rome than that she cared for it so little. Her friend easily recognized it, and with it the worth of the other’s fidelity. She had crossed the stormy ocean in midwinter because she had guessed that Isabel was sad.” Henry James
Loyal Friendship, Emotional Support, Rome Visit, Stormy Journey, Caring Fidelity, Winter Sadness
Henry James Loyal Friendship, Emotional Support, Rome Visit, Stormy Journey, Caring Fidelity, Winter Sadness“He was an awkward mixture of strong moral impulse and restless aesthetic curiosity, and yet he would have made a most ineffective reformer and a very indifferent artist. It seemed to him that the glow of happiness must be found either in action, of some immensely solid kind, on behalf of an idea, or in producing a masterpiece in one of the arts.” Henry James
Morality, Creativity, Reflection, Struggle, Art, Happiness
Henry James Morality, Creativity, Reflection, Struggle, Art, Happiness“There were several ways of understanding her: there was what she said, and there was what she meant, and there was something between the two, that was neither.” Henry James
Understanding, Communication, Complexity, Reflection, Interpretation, Expression
Henry James Understanding, Communication, Complexity, Reflection, Interpretation, Expression“The note I wanted; that of the strange and sinister embroidered on the very type of the normal and easy.” Henry James
Unexpected, Complexity, Contrast, Oddity, Intrigue, Normal
Henry James Unexpected, Complexity, Contrast, Oddity, Intrigue, Normal“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“Autobiography may be the preeminent kind of American expression.” Henry James
Narrative, Identity, Reflection, Truth, Heritage, Exploration
Henry James Narrative, Identity, Reflection, Truth, Heritage, Exploration“The strangest thing of all for Milly was perhaps the uplifted assurance and indifference with which she could simply give back the particular bland stare that appeared in such cases to mark civilisation at its highest.” Henry James
Indifference, Civilization, Society, Critique, Expression, Awareness
Henry James Indifference, Civilization, Society, Critique, Expression, Awareness“Which of my two critics was I to believe? I didn’t worry about it and very soon made up my mind they were both idiots.” Henry James
Criticism, Doubt, Reflection, Opinions, Independence, Confidence
Henry James Criticism, Doubt, Reflection, Opinions, Independence, Confidence“Let us be vulgar and have some fun, let us invite the President.” Henry James
Social Gathering, Bold Expression, Celebration, Humor, Invitation, Boldness
Henry James Social Gathering, Bold Expression, Celebration, Humor, Invitation, Boldness“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“The historian, essentially, wants more documents than he can really use; the dramatist only wants more liberties than he can really take.” Henry James
Historical Insight, Creative Liberties, Documents, Drama, Insight, Liberty
Henry James Historical Insight, Creative Liberties, Documents, Drama, Insight, Liberty“I shall always think of you; I shall never think of anyone else. I came to England simply because you are here; I couldn’t stay at home after you had gone: I hated the country because you were not in it. If I like this country at present it is only because it holds you.” Henry James
Unwavering Love, Devoted Thought, Love Journey, Presence Importance, Longing Heart, Romantic Sacrifice
Henry James Unwavering Love, Devoted Thought, Love Journey, Presence Importance, Longing Heart, Romantic Sacrifice“The church was simply the former chapel of the castle, fronting upon its grass-grown court, which, however, was of generous enough width to have given up its quaintest corner to a little graveyard.” Henry James
Historical Reflection, Serenity, Tradition, Faith, Rest, Memory
Henry James Historical Reflection, Serenity, Tradition, Faith, Rest, Memory“It all left her, as she wandered off, with the strangest of impressions – the sense, forced upon her as never yet, of an appeal, a positive confidence, from the four pairs of eyes, that was deeper than any negation and that seemed to speak on the part of each for some relation to be contrived by her, a relation with herself, which would spare the individual the danger, the actual present strain, of the relation with the others. They.” Henry James
Deep Impressions, Wandering Thoughts, Positive Confidence, Eyes Appeal, Relational Strain, Personal Connection
Henry James Deep Impressions, Wandering Thoughts, Positive Confidence, Eyes Appeal, Relational Strain, Personal Connection“She is written in a foreign tongue.” Henry James
Isolation, Identity, Expression, Experience, Culture, Language
Henry James Isolation, Identity, Expression, Experience, Culture, Language“What saved me, as I now see, was that it turned to something else altogether. It didn’t last as suspense – it was superseded by horrible proofs.” Henry James
Unexpected Turn, Mental Strain, Resolution, Transformation, Doubt, Clarity
Henry James Unexpected Turn, Mental Strain, Resolution, Transformation, Doubt, Clarity