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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

It’s not what people do to you, but what they mean, that hurts.
E. M. FORSTER

Hurt Mean People
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
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
But it struck him that people are not really dead until they are felt to be dead. As long as there is some misunderstanding about them, they possess a sort of immortality.
E. M. FORSTER

Dead Fel Long Misunderstanding Possess Really Some Sort Stuck
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
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
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
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
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
The armour of falsehood is subtly wrought out of darkness, and hides a man not only from others, but from his own soul.
E. M. FORSTER

Armour Darkness Falsehood Hide Man Only Other Soul Subtly Wrought
… there are shadows because there are hills.
E. M. FORSTER

Hill Shadow
Railway termini are our gates to the glorious and the unknown
E. M. FORSTER

Gate Glorious Railway Terminal Unknown
When you come back you will not be you. And I may not be I.
E. M. FORSTER

Back Come May You
Nonsense and beauty have close connections.
E. M. FORSTER

Beauty Close Connection Nonsense
We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand.
E. M. FORSTER

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

Death Destroy Idea Man Save
Unless we remember we cannot understand.
E. M. FORSTER

Understand Unless Remember
But the body is deeper than the soul and its secrets inscrutable.
E. M. FORSTER

Body Deeper Inscrutable Secret Soul
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
I won’t be protected. I will choose for myself what is ladylike and right. To shield me is an insult.
E. M. FORSTER

Choose Insult Lady Myself Protect Right Shield
One has two duties – to be worried and not to be worried.
E. M. FORSTER

City One Two Worried Worry
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
I distrust Great Men. They produce a desert of uniformity around them and often a pool of blood too, and I always feel a little man’s pleasure when they come a cropper.
E. M. FORSTER

Around Blood Disturb Great Men Often Produce Uniformity
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

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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