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At night, when the curtains are drawn and the fire flickers, my books attain a collective dignity.

E. M. Forster

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
Adventures do occur, but not punctually.
E. M. FORSTER

Adventure Occur Punctually
The emotions may be endless. The more we express them, the more we may have to express.
E. M. FORSTER

Emotion Endless Express May More Way
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
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
We move between two darknesses.
E. M. FORSTER

Between Darknesses Move Two
People have their own deaths as well as their own lives, and even if there is nothing beyond death, we shall differ in our nothingness.
E. M. FORSTER

Beyond Death Differ Live Nothing Nothingness Own People Shall
Have you ever noticed that there are people who do things which are most indelicate, and yet at the same time – beautiful?
E. M. FORSTER

Beautiful Indelicate Most Notice People Same Thing Time Yet
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
Life never gives us what we want at the moment that we consider appropriate.
E. M. FORSTER

Appropriate Consider Give Life Movement never Us Want
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
When you come back you will not be you. And I may not be I.
E. M. FORSTER

Back Come May You
Only a writer who has the sense of evil can make goodness readable.
E. M. FORSTER

Evil Makem Goodness Readable Sense Writer
Life is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.
E. M. FORSTER

Go Instrument Learn Life Long Must Performance Public Violin
She had been so wicked that in all her life she had done only one good deed-given an onion to a beggar. So she went to hell. As she lay in torment she saw the onion, lowered down from heaven by an angel. She caught hold of it. He began to pull her up.
E. M. FORSTER

Been Beggar Dep Done Given Good Hell Lofe Onion Went Wick
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

At night, when the curtains are drawn and the fire flickers, my books attain a collective dignity.

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At night, when the curtains are drawn and the fire flickers, my books attain a collective dignity.

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Popular Authors

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