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Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is a pity that Man cannot be at the same time impressive and truthful.

E. M. Forster

Death destroys a man, but the idea of death saves him.
E. M. FORSTER

Death Destroy Idea Man Save
Love is a great force in private life; it is indeed the greatest of all things; but love in public affairs does not work.
E. M. FORSTER

Affair Force Great Greatest Indeed Love Private Public Thing Work
I believe in teaching people to be individuals, and to understand other individuals.
E. M. FORSTER

Believe Individual People Teach Understand
Most of life is so dull that there is nothing to be said about it, and the books and talks that would describe it as interesting are obliged to exaggerate, in the hope of justifying their own existence.
E. M. FORSTER

Book Describe Dull Exaggerate Interesting Life Most Nothing Obliged Talk
The other damned saw what was happening and caught hold of it too. She was indignant and cried, “Let go-it’s my onion,” and as soon as she said, “my onion,” the stalk broke and she fell back into the flames.
E. M. FORSTER

Back Caught Cry Dammed Fell Flame Happen Hold Indignant Other Saw
Works of art, in my opinion, are the only objects in the material universe to possess internal order, and that is why, though I don’t believe that only art matters, I do believe in Art for Art’s sake.
E. M. FORSTER

Art Believe Internal Material Object Only Opinion Order Posses Universe Work
One has two duties – to be worried and not to be worried.
E. M. FORSTER

City One Two Worried Worry
The only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little farther down our particular path than we have yet got ourselves.
E. M. FORSTER

Book Down Farther Gone Got Influence Little Only Ourselves Particular Read
The kingdom of music is not the kingdom of this world; it will accept those whom breeding and intellect and culture have alike rejected.
E. M. FORSTER

Accept Alike Breed Culture Intelect Kingdom Music Reject
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
E. M. FORSTER

Happen Happiness Nbox Turn
What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?
E. M. FORSTER

Daily Enter Good Live Star Sunrise Tree Wind
If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.
E. M. FORSTER

Betraying Between Chosen Country Friend Gut Hope
The four characteristics of humanism are curiosity, a free mind, belief in good taste, and belief in the human race.
E. M. FORSTER

Belief Characteristics Curiosity Food Good Human Humanism Mind Race Taste
But the body is deeper than the soul and its secrets inscrutable.
E. M. FORSTER

Body Deeper Inscrutable Secret Soul
My conviction gains infinitely the moment another soul will believe in it.
E. M. FORSTER

Another Believe Conviction Gain Infinitely Moment Soul
It is easy to sympathize at a distance,’ said an old gentleman with a beard. ‘I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear.
E. M. FORSTER

Beard Distance Ear Gentlemen Kind More Old Say Spoken Sympathize Value
Adventures do occur, but not punctually.
E. M. FORSTER

Adventure Occur Punctually
But Humanity, in its desire for comfort, had over-reached itself. It had exploited the riches of nature too far. Quietly and complacently, it was sinking into decadence, and progress had come to mean the progress of the Machine.
E. M. FORSTER

Comfort Desire Humanity Itself Over Reach
There are moments when the inner life actually ‘pays,’ when years of self-scrutiny, conducted for no ulterior motive, are suddenly of practical use.
E. M. FORSTER

Actual Conduct Inner Life Moment Motive Pay Scrutiny Self Suddenly Use Year
Human relations are impossible. When they are real they are uncomfortable, and when they are comfortable they are unreal. It was for the journey into solitude that the human soul was created.
E. M. FORSTER

Human Impossible Ral Relation Uncomfortable Unreal
We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand, and it is no good moving from place to place to save things; because the shadow always follows. Choose a place where you won’t do harm – yes, choose a place where you won’t do very much harm, and stand in it for all you are worth, facing the sunshine.
E. M. FORSTER

Cast Follow Good Move Place Save Shadow Something Stand Thing
One always tends to overpraise a long book, because one has got through it.
E. M. FORSTER

Always Book Got Long One Overpraise Tend Though
The sort of poetry I seek only resides in objects Man can’t touch – like England ‘s grass network of lanes 100 years ago, but today he can destroy them and only Lord Farrer keeps him from doing it.
E. M. FORSTER

Ago Country Destroy Grass Hundred Lane Man Network Object Poetry Reason Seek Sort Them Today Touch Year
Creative writers are always greater than the causes that they represent.
E. M. FORSTER

Always Cause Creative Greater Represent Writer
The historian records, but the novelist creates.
E. M. FORSTER

Crate Historian Novelist Record
So I shan’t ever marry, for there aren’t such men. And Heaven help any one whom I do marry, for I shall certainly run away from him before you can say ‘Jack Robinson.
E. M. FORSTER

Away Certainty Country Men People Person Run Shall
You confuse what’s important with what’s impressive.
E. M. FORSTER

Confuse Important Impressive

Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is a pity that Man cannot be at the same time impressive and truthful.

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Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is a pity that Man cannot be at the same time impressive and truthful.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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