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One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.

E. M. Forster

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

Equipped Impressive Inconsistency Pity Proud Same
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
Life is sometimes life and sometimes only a drama, and one must learn to distinguish t’other from which . . .
E. M. FORSTER

Distinguish Drama Learn Life Something
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
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
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
For it is a serious thing to have been watched. We all radiate something curiously intimate when we believe ourselves to be alone.
E. M. FORSTER

Alone Been Believe Curiously Intimate Ourselves Radiate Serious Something Thing Watch
Adventures do occur, but not punctually.
E. M. FORSTER

Adventure Occur Punctually
Inside its cocoon of work or social obligation, the human spirit slumbers for the most part, registering the distinction between pleasure and pain, but not nearly as alert as we pretend.
E. M. FORSTER

Again Happen Nearly Nothing Period Pleasure Pretend Register Thrill
… there are shadows because there are hills.
E. M. FORSTER

Hill Shadow
The people I respect most behave as if they were immortal and as if society was eternal.
E. M. FORSTER

Behave Eternal Immortal Most People Respect Society
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
There are periods in the most thrilling day during which nothing happens, and though we continue to exclaim, “I do enjoy myself”, or , “I am horrified,” we are insincere.
E. M. FORSTER

Happen Horrified Human Insincere Myself Nothing Period Slumber Thrill
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
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
We move between two darknesses.
E. M. FORSTER

Between Darknesses Move Two

One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.

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One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.

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