Rebecca West Quotes

Top 100 wise famous quotes and sayings by Rebecca West

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Rebecca West Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Rebecca West on Wise Famous Quotes.

Rebecca West quotes: His smile bore the same relation to a real smile as false teeth do to real teeth ... His smile bore the same relation to a real smile as false teeth do to real teeth ...
Rebecca West quotes: Nobody ever wrote a good book simply by collecting a number of accurate facts and valid ideas. Nobody ever wrote a good book simply by collecting a number of accurate facts and valid ideas.
Rebecca West quotes: International relationships are preordained to be clumsy gestures based on imperfect knowledge. International relationships are preordained to be clumsy gestures based on imperfect knowledge.
Rebecca West quotes: To make laws is a human instinct that arises as soon as food and shelter have been ensured, among all peoples, everywhere. To make laws is a human instinct that arises as soon as food and shelter have been ensured, among all peoples, everywhere.
Rebecca West quotes: It is sometimes very hard to tell the difference between history and the smell of skunk. It is sometimes very hard to tell the difference between history and the smell of skunk.
Rebecca West quotes: To be afraid of sorrow is to be afraid of joy also. To be afraid of sorrow is to be afraid of joy also.
Rebecca West quotes: The trouble about man is twofold. He cannot learn truths which are too complicated; he forgets truths which are too simple. The trouble about man is twofold. He cannot learn truths which are too complicated; he forgets truths which are too simple.
Rebecca West quotes: There was a golden heaviness about her face, to look on it was like watching honey drop slowly from a spoon. There was a golden heaviness about her face, to look on it was like watching honey drop slowly from a spoon.
Rebecca West quotes: Submission to poverty is the unpardonable sin against the body. Submission to unhappiness is the unpardonable sin against the spirit. Submission to poverty is the unpardonable sin against the body. Submission to unhappiness is the unpardonable sin against the spirit.
Rebecca West quotes: For the sake of my country, and perhaps a little for the sake of my soul, I have given up the deep peace of being in opposition. For the sake of my country, and perhaps a little for the sake of my soul, I have given up the deep peace of being in opposition.
Rebecca West quotes: It is astonishing how the human animal survives its misfortunes. It is astonishing how the human animal survives its misfortunes.
Rebecca West quotes: The aged are terrible - mere heaps of cinders on the grass from which none can tell how tall the flames once were or what company gathered round them. The aged are terrible - mere heaps of cinders on the grass from which none can tell how tall the flames once were or what company gathered round them.
Rebecca West quotes: You must always believe that life is as extraordinary as music says it is. You must always believe that life is as extraordinary as music says it is.
Rebecca West quotes: Unhappy people are dangerous. Unhappy people are dangerous.
Rebecca West quotes: Writing has nothing to do with communication between person and person, only with communication between different parts of a person's mind. Writing has nothing to do with communication between person and person, only with communication between different parts of a person's mind.
Rebecca West quotes: The unsuccessful bully can always become the father of a family. The unsuccessful bully can always become the father of a family.
Rebecca West quotes: I believe if people are looking for the truth, the truth of the Christian religion will come out and meet them. I believe if people are looking for the truth, the truth of the Christian religion will come out and meet them.
Rebecca West quotes: A copy of the universe is not what is required of art; one of the damned things is ample. A copy of the universe is not what is required of art; one of the damned things is ample.
Rebecca West quotes: There are two kinds of imperialists - imperialists and bloody imperialists. There are two kinds of imperialists - imperialists and bloody imperialists.
Rebecca West quotes: ...[A] rebel who is inaccurate and mad is a traitor. ...[A] rebel who is inaccurate and mad is a traitor.
Rebecca West quotes: The redemptive power of divine grace no longer seemed credible, nor very respectable in the arbitrary performance that was claimed for it. The redemptive power of divine grace no longer seemed credible, nor very respectable in the arbitrary performance that was claimed for it.
Rebecca West quotes: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.
Rebecca West quotes: That shows how impossible it is to be a woman. One's whole life depends on one's looks but one mayn't speak of one's own beauty That shows how impossible it is to be a woman. One's whole life depends on one's looks but one mayn't speak of one's own beauty
Rebecca West quotes: Women know the damnation of charity because the habit of civilization has always been to throw them cheap alms rather than give them good wages. Women know the damnation of charity because the habit of civilization has always been to throw them cheap alms rather than give them good wages.
Rebecca West quotes: To those who fall and hurt themselves one runs with comfort; by those who lie dangerously stricken by a disease one sits and waits. To those who fall and hurt themselves one runs with comfort; by those who lie dangerously stricken by a disease one sits and waits.
Rebecca West quotes: The day was so delightful that I wished one could live slowly as one can play music slowly. The day was so delightful that I wished one could live slowly as one can play music slowly.
Rebecca West quotes: Christianity must be regarded not as a final revelation but as a phase of revelation. Christianity must be regarded not as a final revelation but as a phase of revelation.
Rebecca West quotes: I really write to find out what I know about something and what is to be known about something. I really write to find out what I know about something and what is to be known about something.
Rebecca West quotes: There is no escape from mystery. It is the character of our being. There is no escape from mystery. It is the character of our being.
Rebecca West quotes: All men should have a drop of treason in their veins, if nations are not to go soft like so many sleepy pears. All men should have a drop of treason in their veins, if nations are not to go soft like so many sleepy pears.
Rebecca West quotes: When anything important has to be written ... I think your hand concentrates for you. When anything important has to be written ... I think your hand concentrates for you.
Rebecca West quotes: She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she was wonderful at catching the ball of her own mood in mid-air. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she was wonderful at catching the ball of her own mood in mid-air.
Rebecca West quotes: Unfortunately, all gatherings convened for the betterment of the human lot show a tendency to gas themselves, and not with laughing-gas either. Unfortunately, all gatherings convened for the betterment of the human lot show a tendency to gas themselves, and not with laughing-gas either.
Rebecca West quotes: It is always one's virtues and not one's vices that precipitate one into disaster. It is always one's virtues and not one's vices that precipitate one into disaster.
Rebecca West quotes: Birds sat on the telegraph wires that spanned the river as the black notes sit on a staff of music. Birds sat on the telegraph wires that spanned the river as the black notes sit on a staff of music.
Rebecca West quotes: Getting a divorce is nearly always as cheerful and useful an occupation as breaking valuable china. Getting a divorce is nearly always as cheerful and useful an occupation as breaking valuable china.
Rebecca West quotes: The world had gone too far in its enthusiasm for moderation and the thing had to be stopped The world had gone too far in its enthusiasm for moderation and the thing had to be stopped
Rebecca West quotes: Mr. James Joyce is a great man who is entirely without taste. Mr. James Joyce is a great man who is entirely without taste.
Rebecca West quotes: It's the soul's duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion. It's the soul's duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.
Rebecca West quotes: I wonder if we are all wrong about each other, if we are just composing unwritten novels about the people we meet? I wonder if we are all wrong about each other, if we are just composing unwritten novels about the people we meet?
Rebecca West quotes: It isn't only living people who die, it is great stretches of living, which can die even when the people who lived there still exist. It isn't only living people who die, it is great stretches of living, which can die even when the people who lived there still exist.
Rebecca West quotes: If it be ungentlemanly to kiss and tell, it is still further from gentlemanliness to pray and tell. If it be ungentlemanly to kiss and tell, it is still further from gentlemanliness to pray and tell.
Rebecca West quotes: The bad is more easily perceived than the good. A fresh lobster does not give such pleasure to the consumer as a stale one will give him pain. The bad is more easily perceived than the good. A fresh lobster does not give such pleasure to the consumer as a stale one will give him pain.
Rebecca West quotes: The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy. The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy.
Rebecca West quotes: Bad art is maintained by the neurotic, who is deadly afraid of authentic art because it inspires him to go on living, and he is terrified of life. Bad art is maintained by the neurotic, who is deadly afraid of authentic art because it inspires him to go on living, and he is terrified of life.
Rebecca West quotes: The reward for total abstinence from alcohol seems, illogically enough, to be the capacity for becoming intoxicated without it. The reward for total abstinence from alcohol seems, illogically enough, to be the capacity for becoming intoxicated without it.
Rebecca West quotes: If the poor ever feel poor as the rich do, we will have a most bloody revolution. If the poor ever feel poor as the rich do, we will have a most bloody revolution.
Rebecca West quotes: Every human activity, whether it be love, philosophy, art, or revolution, is carried on with a special intensity in Paris. Every human activity, whether it be love, philosophy, art, or revolution, is carried on with a special intensity in Paris.
Rebecca West quotes: There is nothing more frightening than the faces of people whom one does not know but who seem to know one, and be amused by one. There is nothing more frightening than the faces of people whom one does not know but who seem to know one, and be amused by one.
Rebecca West quotes: I cannot see that art is anything less than a way of making joys perpetual. I cannot see that art is anything less than a way of making joys perpetual.
Rebecca West quotes: Where there is real love one wants to go to church first. Where there is real love one wants to go to church first.
Rebecca West quotes: Fiction and poetry are the only way one can stop time and give an account of an experience and nail it down so that it lasts for ever. Fiction and poetry are the only way one can stop time and give an account of an experience and nail it down so that it lasts for ever.
Rebecca West quotes: I cannot think that espionage can be recommended as a technique for building an impressive civilization. It's a lout's game. I cannot think that espionage can be recommended as a technique for building an impressive civilization. It's a lout's game.
Rebecca West quotes: I've never been able to do just one draft. That seems a wonderful thing. Do you know anyone who can? I've never been able to do just one draft. That seems a wonderful thing. Do you know anyone who can?
Rebecca West quotes: Idiocy is the female defect ... It is no worse than the male defect, which is lunacy ... Idiocy is the female defect ... It is no worse than the male defect, which is lunacy ...
Rebecca West quotes: Journalism: an ability to meet the challenge of filling the space. Journalism: an ability to meet the challenge of filling the space.
Rebecca West quotes: The Portrait of a Lady is entirely successful in giving one the sense of having met somebody far too radiantly good for this world. The Portrait of a Lady is entirely successful in giving one the sense of having met somebody far too radiantly good for this world.
Rebecca West quotes: A great many quite good plays could be performed with rhythmic howls in the place of dialogue and lose almost nothing by the change. A great many quite good plays could be performed with rhythmic howls in the place of dialogue and lose almost nothing by the change.
Rebecca West quotes: It seemed a good idea at the time. It seemed a good idea at the time.
Rebecca West quotes: God forbid that any book should be banned. The practice is as indefensible as infanticide. God forbid that any book should be banned. The practice is as indefensible as infanticide.
Rebecca West quotes: Whatever happens, never forget that people would rather be led to perdition by a man, than to victory by a woman. Whatever happens, never forget that people would rather be led to perdition by a man, than to victory by a woman.
Rebecca West quotes: A strong hatred is the best lamp to bear in our hands as we go over the dark places of life, cutting away the dead things men tell us to A strong hatred is the best lamp to bear in our hands as we go over the dark places of life, cutting away the dead things men tell us to revere.
Rebecca West quotes: Human beings are mercifully so constituted as to be able to conceal from themselves what they intend to do until they are well into the doing of it. Human beings are mercifully so constituted as to be able to conceal from themselves what they intend to do until they are well into the doing of it.
Rebecca West quotes: Man is a hating rather than a loving animal. Man is a hating rather than a loving animal.
Rebecca West quotes: There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are intersecting monologues, that is all. There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are intersecting monologues, that is all.
Rebecca West quotes: There is no wider gulf in the universe than yawns between those on the hither and thither side of vital experience. There is no wider gulf in the universe than yawns between those on the hither and thither side of vital experience.
Rebecca West quotes: History sometimes acts as madly as heredity, and her most unpredictable performances are often her most glorious. History sometimes acts as madly as heredity, and her most unpredictable performances are often her most glorious.
Rebecca West quotes: We all drew on the comfort which is given out by the major works of Mozart, which is as real and material as the warmth given up by a glass We all drew on the comfort which is given out by the major works of Mozart, which is as real and material as the warmth given up by a glass of brandy.
Rebecca West quotes: What is art? It is not decoration. It is the re-living of experience. What is art? It is not decoration. It is the re-living of experience.
Rebecca West quotes: There is in every one of us an unending see-saw between the will to live and the will to die. There is in every one of us an unending see-saw between the will to live and the will to die.
Rebecca West quotes: Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever
Rebecca West quotes: Their faces were clay-coloured and featureless, yet not stupid; they might have been shrewd turnips. Their faces were clay-coloured and featureless, yet not stupid; they might have been shrewd turnips.
Rebecca West quotes: Why must you always try to be omnipotent, and shove things about? Tragic things happen sometimes that we just have to submit to. Why must you always try to be omnipotent, and shove things about? Tragic things happen sometimes that we just have to submit to.
Rebecca West quotes: Sex, which ought to be an incident of life, is the obsession of the well-fed world. Sex, which ought to be an incident of life, is the obsession of the well-fed world.
Rebecca West quotes: Existence in itself, taken at its least miraculous, is a miracle. Existence in itself, taken at its least miraculous, is a miracle.
Rebecca West quotes: I had come to Yugoslavia to see what history meant in flesh and blood. I had come to Yugoslavia to see what history meant in flesh and blood.
Rebecca West quotes: I hate the corpses of empires, they stink as nothing else. They stink so badly that I cannot believe that even in life they were healthy. I hate the corpses of empires, they stink as nothing else. They stink so badly that I cannot believe that even in life they were healthy.
Rebecca West quotes: People call me a feminist whenever I express statements that distinguish me from a doormat. People call me a feminist whenever I express statements that distinguish me from a doormat.
Rebecca West quotes: It matters not what natural endowment a race may have if it prostitutes itself to the service of death. It matters not what natural endowment a race may have if it prostitutes itself to the service of death.
Rebecca West quotes: The earth itself is slightly resistant to routine. The earth itself is slightly resistant to routine.
Rebecca West quotes: The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.
Rebecca West quotes: Reason's a thing we dimly see in sleep. Reason's a thing we dimly see in sleep.
Rebecca West quotes: The choice between law and justice is an easy one for courageous minds. The choice between law and justice is an easy one for courageous minds.
Rebecca West quotes: [N]obody likes having salt rubbed into their wounds, even if it is the salt of the earth. [N]obody likes having salt rubbed into their wounds, even if it is the salt of the earth.
Rebecca West quotes: A child is an adult temporarily enduring conditions which exclude the possibility of happiness. A child is an adult temporarily enduring conditions which exclude the possibility of happiness.
Rebecca West quotes: The general tendency [is] to be censorious of the vices to which one has not been tempted. The general tendency [is] to be censorious of the vices to which one has not been tempted.
Rebecca West quotes: He is every other inch a gentleman. He is every other inch a gentleman.
Rebecca West quotes: The stumbling weighty hostility of bears, the incorporated rapacity of wolves.. The stumbling weighty hostility of bears, the incorporated rapacity of wolves..
Rebecca West quotes: There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time. There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time.
Rebecca West quotes: There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano. There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano.
Rebecca West quotes: Music is a missionary effort to colonize earth for imperialistic heaven. Music is a missionary effort to colonize earth for imperialistic heaven.
Rebecca West quotes: I always have beauty around me, for I have but to go to my piano, and trace one of the million designs that have been made by my masters. I always have beauty around me, for I have but to go to my piano, and trace one of the million designs that have been made by my masters.
Rebecca West quotes: Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology. Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology.
Rebecca West quotes: Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul. Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul.
Rebecca West quotes: She repaid us by giving life the quality that but for her was only to be found in music She repaid us by giving life the quality that but for her was only to be found in music
Rebecca West quotes: Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity. Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity.
Rebecca West quotes: A good cause has to be careful of the company it keeps. A good cause has to be careful of the company it keeps.
Rebecca West quotes: But there are other things than dissipation that thicken the features. Tears, for example. But there are other things than dissipation that thicken the features. Tears, for example.
Rebecca West quotes: Economists are like Aeolian harps, and the sounds that issue from them are determined by the winds that blow. Economists are like Aeolian harps, and the sounds that issue from them are determined by the winds that blow.
Rebecca West quotes: Here lies the real terror in the international war of ideologies; that a city knows not whom it entertains. Here lies the real terror in the international war of ideologies; that a city knows not whom it entertains.

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