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Quote by William Empson

“It seems unpleasantly refined to put things off till someone knows.”

Quote by William Empson

Book:The Complete Poems

Work

The Complete Poems

This volume encompasses a wide array of poems, showcasing the poet's entire body of work, including various styles and themes. more

Author

William Empson was a British literary critic born on September 27, 1906, and died on April 15, 1984. His work is known for its unique literary analysis and profound philosophical insights. more

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“Law makes long spokes of the short stakes of men.”

Men Long Law Spokes Stakes

Author:William Empson

“Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills.”

Whole Effort Blood Waste Remains Streams Poison Tire

Author:William Empson

“Proust has listed a great many reasons why it is impossible to be happy, but, in the course of being happy, one finds it difficult to remember them.”

Reason Remember Courses Difficult Impossible Reason Why Great Men Proust

Book:Seven Types of Ambiguity

Source: Seven Types of Ambiguity

“Poetry contains nothing haphazard.”

Author:William Empson

“Right now, half the world is depressed and they need to be entertained.”

World Needs Half Right Now

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“The central function of imaginative literature is to make you realize that other people act on moral convictions different from your own.”

People Different Literature Realizing Moral Function Conviction Imaginative

Book:The royal beasts and other works

Source: The royal beasts and other works

“Waiting for the end, boys, waiting for the end. What is there to be or do? What's become of me or you? Are we kind or are we true? Sitting two and two, boys, waiting for the end.”

Kind Two Ends Waiting Boys Sitting

Author:William Empson

“This world is good enough for me, if only I can be good enough for it.”

Ifs World I Can Enough This World Be Good Good Enough

Author:William Empson

“I take it that 'gentleman' is a term that only describes a person in his relation to others; but when we speak of him as 'a man,' we consider him not merely with regard to his fellow-men, but in relation to himself,--to life--to time--to eternity.”

Men Persons Speak Term Eternity Relation Regard Fellows Gentleman Fellow Man North And South

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)

“Really it is very wholesome exercise, this trying to make one's words represent one's thoughts, instead of merely looking to their effect on others.”

Trying Effects Exercise

Book:The Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (20+ Books)

Source: The Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (20+ Books)