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It’s extraordinary how we go through life with eyes half shut, with dull ears, with dormant thoughts. Perhaps it’s just as well; and it may be that it is this very dullness that makes life to the incalculable majority so supportable and so welcome.

Joseph Conrad

A certain simplicity of thought is common to serene souls at both ends of the social scale.
JOSEPH CONRAD

End Serene Simplicity Social Soul
It would take too long to explain the intimate alliance of contradictions in human nature which makes love itself wear at times the desperate shape of betrayal. And perhaps there is no possible explanation.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Betrayal Desperate Explanation Human Love Nature Possible Time
There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Charm Life Sea
The mind of man is capable of anything.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Capability Man Mindset
It is my belief no man ever understands quite his own artful dodges to escape from the grim shadow of self knowledge.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Art Belief Escape Knowledge Man Quite Shadow Understand
All a man can betray is his conscience.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Betrayal Conscience Himself Rule
History repeats itself, but the special call of an art which has passed away is never reproduced. It is as utterly gone out of the world as the song of a destroyed wild bird.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Art Bird Destroy History Repeat Reproduction Song Wild World
The question is not how to get cured, but how to live.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Cure Live Question
You can’t, in sound morals, condemn a man for taking care of his own integrity. It is his clear duty.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Clear Integrity Man Moral Responsibility Sound
You shall judge a man by his foes as well as by his friends.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Enemy Friendship Judgement Man
The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Alone Belief Evil Man Necessary Quite Source Wickedness
The scrupulous and the just, the noble, humane, and devoted natures; the unselfish and the intelligent may begin a movement – but it passes away from them. They are not the leaders of a revolution. They are its victims.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Devotion Human Leadership Nature Noble Revolution Selfish Victim
Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Carry Fools Man Time Wisdom
My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel–it is, before all, to make you see.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Achievement Feeling Myself Power See Try Word Writing Yourself
All creative art is magic, is evocation of the unseen in forms persuasive, enlightening, familiar and surprising.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Art Creative Magic Surprise
They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force–nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.
JOSEPH CONRAD

Brutal Force Strength Weakness Yourself

It’s extraordinary how we go through life with eyes half shut, with dull ears, with dormant thoughts. Perhaps it’s just as well; and it may be that it is this very dullness that makes life to the incalculable majority so supportable and so welcome.

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It’s extraordinary how we go through life with eyes half shut, with dull ears, with dormant thoughts. Perhaps it’s just as well; and it may be that it is this very dullness that makes life to the incalculable majority so supportable and so welcome.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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