Quotes

"Literature nowadays is a trade. Putting aside men of genius, who may succeed by mere cosmic force, your successful man of letters is your skilful tradesman. He thinks first and foremost of the markets . . . " ~ New Grub Street by George Gissing "Life is a huge farce, and the advantage of possessing a sense of humour is that it enables one to defy fate with mocking laughter." ~ New Grub Street by George Gissing "I feel that there is reason lurking in you somewhere, so we will patiently grope round for it." ~ The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "There seems something more speakingly incomprehensible in the powers, the failures, the inequalities of memory, than in any other of our intelligences." ~ Mansfield Park by Jane Austen "It is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?" ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen "Nobody is healthy in London, nobody can be." ~ Emma by Jane Austen "For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?" ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance." ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen She well knew the great architectural secret of decorating her constructions, and never condescended to construct a decoration. ~ Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope Considering how much we are all given to discuss the characters of others, and discuss them often not in the strictest spirit of charity, it is singular how little we are inclined to think that others can speak ill-naturedly of us, and how angry and hurt we are when proof reaches us that they have done so. ~ Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope