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Just as we are often moved to merriment for no other reason than that the occasion calls for seriousness, so we are correspondingly serious when invited too freely to be amused.

Agnes Repplier

When the contemplative mind is a French mind, it is content, for the most part, to contemplate France. When the contemplative mind is an English mind, it is liable to be seized at any moment by an importunate desire to contemplate Morocco or Labrador.
AGNES REPPLIER

Contemplate Contemplative Country Desire English French Important Mind Movement Travel
The perfectly natural thing to do with an unreadable book is to give it away; and the publication, for more than a quarter of a century, of volumes which fulfilled this one purpose and no other is a pleasant proof, if proof were needed, of the business principles which underlay the enlightened activity of publishers.
AGNES REPPLIER

Book Giving More Natural Principle Publication Unreadable
If everybody floated with the tide of talk, placidity would soon end in stagnation. It is the strong backward stroke which stirs the ripples, and gives animation and variety.
AGNES REPPLIER

Backward Giving Pacidity Soon Stagnation Stron Strong Tide
Diaries tell their little tales with a directness, a candor, conscious or unconscious, a closeness of outlook, which gratifies our sense of security. Reading them is like gazing through a small clear pane of glass. We may not see far and wide, but we see very distinctly that which comes within our field of vision.
AGNES REPPLIER

Candor Conscious Glasses Outlook Reading Tale Unconscious Vision
Humor hardens the heart, at least to the point of sanity.
AGNES REPPLIER

Harden Heart Humor Sanity
The earliest voice listened to by the nations in their infancy was the voice of the storyteller.
AGNES REPPLIER

Earliest Infancy Storytelling Voice
It is because of our unassailable enthusiasm, our profound reverence for education, that we habitually demand of it the impossible. The teacher is expected to perform a choice and varied series of miracles.
AGNES REPPLIER

Choices Demand Education Enthusiasm Habitually Profound Reverence Teacher Unassailable
The pessimist is seldom an agitating individual. His creed breeds indifference to others, and he does not trouble himself to thrust his views upon the unconvinced.
AGNES REPPLIER

Agitating Doe Indifference Pessimist Sedom Trouble View
To be brave in misfortune is to be worthy of manhood; to be wise in misfortune is to conquer fate.
AGNES REPPLIER

Brave Fate Manhood Misfortune Wise
Wit is a pleasure-giving thing, largely because it eludes reason; but in the apprehension of an absurdity through the working of the comic spirit there is a foundation of reason, and an impetus to human companionship.
AGNES REPPLIER

Absurdity Apprehension Elude Foundation Giving Largely Pleasure Reason
The necessity of knowing a little about a great many things is the most grievous burden of our day. It deprives us of leisure on the one hand, and of scholarship on the other.
AGNES REPPLIER

Burden Grievous Hand Knowing Knowledge Little
A kitten is the most irresistible comedian in the world. Its wide-open eyes gleam with wonder and mirth. It darts madly at nothing at all, and then, as though suddenly checked in the pursuit, prances sideways on its hind legs with ridiculous agility and zeal.
AGNES REPPLIER

Animal Cat Eye Irresistible Kitten Mirth Open Wide World Wounder
Letters form a by-path of literature, a charming, but occasional, retreat for people of cultivated leisure.
AGNES REPPLIER

Charming Cultivated Leisure Letter Literature People Retreat
Woman is quick to revere genius, but in her secret soul she seldom loves it.
AGNES REPPLIER

Genius Love Quick Reverse Secret Seldom Soul Women
People who pin their faith to a catchword never feel the necessity of understanding anything.
AGNES REPPLIER

Anything Catchword Faith Necessity People Pin Understanding
Innovations to which we are not committed are illuminating things.
AGNES REPPLIER

Committed Illuminating Innovation Thing

Just as we are often moved to merriment for no other reason than that the occasion calls for seriousness, so we are correspondingly serious when invited too freely to be amused.

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Just as we are often moved to merriment for no other reason than that the occasion calls for seriousness, so we are correspondingly serious when invited too freely to be amused.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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