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We live as we dream – alone.

Joseph Conrad

To be busy with material affairs is the best preservative against reflection, fears, doubts, all these things which stand in the way of achievement. I suppose a fellow proposing to cut his throat would experience a sort of relief while occupied in stropping his razor carefully.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Achievement Affair Busy Doubt Experience Fear Material Reflection
The sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human restlessness.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Friendship Human Man Nature Support
We live in the flicker — may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Darkness Earth Live Long Old Past
I have wrestled with death. It is the most unexciting contest you can imagine.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Death Excitement Imagination Yourself
It would take too long to explain the intimate alliance of contradictions in human nature which makes love itself wear at times the desperate shape of betrayal. And perhaps there is no possible explanation.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Betrayal Desperate Explanation Human Love Nature Possible Time
Reality, as usual, beats fiction out of sight.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Fiction One Liner Reality
Any work that aspires, however humbly, to the condition of art should carry its justification in every line.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Art Aspiration Carry Condition Humble Justice Work
All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Ambition Exception Kind Law Man
It is respectable to have no illusions, and safe, and profitable and dull.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Illusion Profit Respect Safety
You know I hate, detest, and can’t bear a lie, not because I am straighter than the rest of us, but simply because it appals me. There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies – which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world – what I want to forget.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Death Forget Hate Mortal Myself Simplicity World
I am afraid that if you want to go down into history you’ll have to do something for it.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Afraid History Inspirational Myself Work Yourself
The discovery of America was the occasion of the greatest outburst of cruelty and reckless greed known in history.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Cruelty Discover Greatness Greedy History Occasion
Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Myself Power Right Word World
I slipped the book into my pocket. I assure you to leave off reading was like tearing myself away from the shelter of an old and solid friendship.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Books Friendship Leaving Old Pocket Solid
If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t make anything .
JOSEPH CONRAD

Defeat Failure Inspirational Mistake Perspective Yourself
Your strength is just an accident owed to the weakness of others.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Accident Strength Weakness Yourself

We live as we dream – alone.

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We live as we dream – alone.

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