James Payn Quotes

Novelist

James Payn (February 28, 1830 - March 25, 1898) was a prominent British novelist known for his social realism. Payn's works often dealt with social issues, providing a deep analysis of the British society of his time.

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All Men Literature Cases Littles Mean Poverty Young Critics Feels Hands

Famous James Payn Quotes

“The fact is, if a young man is naturally indolent, the spur of necessity will drive him but a very little way, while the having enough to live upon is often the means of preserving his self-respect.”

Ifs Men Way Mean Littles Self Enough Facts Young Respect Young Man Self Respect Spurs

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“A nobler example, because a less personal one, of the pinch of poverty, is when it prevents the accomplishment of some cherished scheme for the benefit of the human race.”

Humans Race Poverty Example Benefits Human Race Accomplishment Schemes Personal Grooming

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“I never had a piece of toast particularly long and wide, But fell upon the sanded floor, And always on the buttered side.”

Long Sides Pieces Wide Toasts

Author:James Payn

“A great philosopher has stated that the worst evil of poverty is, that it makes folks ridiculous; by which, I hope, he only means that, as in the above case, it places them in incongruous positions.”

Mean Evil Poverty Cases Worst Position Folks Philosopher Ridiculous Great Philosophers

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“And what holds good of verse holds infinitely better in respect to prose.”

Prose Verses

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“A man with an invention on which he has spent his life, but has no means to get it developed for the good of humanity - or even patented for himself - must feel the pinch of poverty very acutely.”

Men Feels Mean Humanity Poverty Invention

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“As a rule, anyone who can tell a good story can write one, so there really need be no mistake about his qualification; such a man will be careful not to be wearisome, and to keep his point, or his catastrophe, well in hand.”

Men Needs Writing Wells Stories Hands Mistake Careful Be Careful Catastrophe Good Story Qualifications

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“For my part, I do not much believe in the predilections of boyhood.”

Believe Boyhood

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“In all highly civilised communities Pretence is prominent, and sooner or later invades the regions of Literature.”

Literature Community Regions Sooner Or Later Prominent Pretence Civilised

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“For my part, I do not feel that the scheme of future happiness, which ought by rights to be in preparation for me, will be at all interfered with by my not meeting again the man I have in my. mind.”

Men Feels Mind Rights He Man Ought Meetings Preparation Schemes Future Happiness Meeting Again

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“How large and varied is the educational bill of fare set before every young gentleman in Great Britain; and to judge by the mental stamina it affords him in most cases, what a waste of good food it is!”

Young Cases Judging Waste Bills Educational Gentleman Britain Stamina Great Britain Good Food Young Gentlemen

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“One forgives the critic - perhaps - but never the good-natured friend.”

Forgiving Critics

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“It is certain, indeed, that the sacred writers were apt to make great allowances for people with empty stomachs, and though I am well aware that the present profane ones think this very reprehensible, I venture to agree with the sacred writers.”

People Thinking Wells Certain Empty Agree Sacred Venture Profane Allowance

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“Nature of course is the best guide in the matter of choosing a pursuit.”

Matter Courses Guides Pursuit

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“It is better, however, for his own reputation that the story-teller should risk a few actions for libel on account of these unfortunate coincidences than that he should adopt the melancholy device of using blanks or asterisks.”

Should Stories Action Risk Accounts Reputation Devices Melancholy Unfortunate Coincidence Libel

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“To the truly benevolent mind, indeed, nothing is more satisfactory than to hear of a miser denying himself the necessaries of life a little too far and ridding us of his presence altogether.”

Mind Littles Benevolence Benevolent Misers

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“The idea of bringing young people up to Literature is doubtless calculated to raise the eyebrows almost as much as the suggestion of bringing them up to the Stage.”

People Ideas Young Literature Stage Raises Suggestions Eyebrows

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“One would think that in writing about literary men and matters there would be no difficulty in finding a title for one's essay, or that any embarrassment which might arise would be from excess of material. I find this, however, far from being the case.”

Thinking Men Writing Matter Might Would Be Cases Materials Findings Difficulty Arise Titles Excess Essays Embarrassment Finding The One

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“Cultivating literature as I do upon a little oatmeal, and driving, when in a position to be driven at all, in that humble vehicle, the 'bus, I have had, perhaps, exceptional opportunities for observing their mutual position and behaviour; and it is very peculiar.”

Littles Literature Opportunity Position Humble Driven Driving Mutual Bus Peculiar Vehicle Behaviour Exceptional Observing Cultivating Oatmeal

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“It has often struck me that the relation of two important members of the social body to one another has never been sufficiently considered, or treated of, so far as I know, either by the philosopher or the poet.”

Knows Two Important Body Social Poet Members Relation Philosopher Treated

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“Some Critics on the Hearth are not only good-natured, but have rather too high, or, if that is impossible, let us say too pronounced, an opinion of the abilities of their literary friends.”

Ifs Heart Ability Opinion Impossible Critics

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

“There are, it is true, at present no great prizes in literature such as are offered by the learned professions, but there are quite as many small ones - competences; while, on the other hand, it is not so much of a lottery.”

Hands Literature Profession Prize Competence Lottery

Book:Sammlung

Source: Sammlung

About the Author

Born: February 28, 1830
Died: March 25, 1898
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 22

Books & Sources

SammlungRelated source material

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