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A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

E. M. Forster

Science is better than sympathy, if only it is science.
E. M. FORSTER

Better Only Science Sympathy
It was pleasant to wake up in Florence, to open the eyes upon a bright bare room, with a floor of red tiles which look clean though they are not; with a painted ceiling whereon pink griffins and blue amorini sport in a forest of yellow violins and bassoons.
E. M. FORSTER

Barem Toom Bright Clean Country Floor Paint People Person Pleasant Tile Wake
Books have to be read it is the only way of discovering what they contain.
E. M. FORSTER

Book Contain Discover Only Read Way
You told me once that we shall be judged by our intentions, not by our accomplishments. I thought it a grand remark. But we must intend to accomplish – not sit intending on a chair.
E. M. FORSTER

Accomplishment Intention Judge Once Shall Told
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
Let yourself go. Pull out from the depths those thoughts that you do not understand, and spread them out in the sunlight and know the meaning of them.
E. M. FORSTER

Depth Let Meaning Pull Sunlight Thought Understand Yourself
I have only got down on to paper, really, three types of people: the person I think I am, the people who irritate me, and the people I’d like to be.
E. M. FORSTER

Down Irritate Like Paper People Person Think Three Type
Don’t begin with proportion. Only prigs do that. Let proportion come in as a last resource, when the better things have failed.
E. M. FORSTER

Better Come Fail Last Proportion Resource Thing
One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.
E. M. FORSTER

Better Interest Our People Prsonmapssion
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
School was the unhappiest time of my life and the worst trick it ever played on me was to pretend that it was the world in miniature. For it hindered me from discovering how lovely and delightful and kind the world can be, and how much of it is intelligible.
E. M. FORSTER

Life Miniature Play Pretend School Time Trick Unhappiest World Worst
Give, do not lend; after death who will thank you?
E. M. FORSTER

After Death Give Tend Thank You
I can only do what’s easy. I can only entice and be enticed. I can’t, and won’t, attempt difficult relations. If I marry it will either be a man who’s strong enough to boss me or whom I’m strong enough to boss.
E. M. FORSTER

Attempt Can Difficult Easy Entice Only Relation
She stopped and leant her elbows against the parapet of the embankment. He did likewise. There is at times a magic in identity of position; it is one of the things that have suggested to us eternal comradeship.
E. M. FORSTER

Against Elbow Embankment Identity Learn Likewise Magic Parapet Position Stop Times
When you come back you will not be you. And I may not be I.
E. M. FORSTER

Back Come May You

A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

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A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

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Popular Authors

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