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Quote by Thomas de Quincey

“The burden of the incommunicable.”

Quote by Thomas de Quincey

Author

Thomas de Quincey

Thomas de Quincey was an English essayist and critic, renowned for his personal experiences and philosophical reflections on opium. His work 'On the Use and Abuse of Opium' is one of the most famous autobiographical essays of the 19th century and has had a profound impact on literature and psychology. more

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“There is first the literature of knowledge, and secondly, the literature of power. The function of the first is--to teach; the function of the second is--to move, the first is a rudder, the second an oar or a sail. The first speaks to the mere discursive understanding; the second speaks ultimately, it may happen, to the higher understanding or reason, but always through affections of pleasure and sympathy.”

Firsts May Reason Happens Moving Literature Speak Understanding Pleasure Teach Higher Function Mere Affection Sail Oar Rudders

Book:Leaders in literature

Source: Leaders in literature

“Under our present enormous accumulation of books, I do affirm that a most miserable distraction of choice must be very generally incident to the times; that the symptoms of it are in fact very prevalent, and that one of the chief symptoms is an enormous 'gluttonism' for books.”

Book Facts Choices Enormous Chiefs Miserable Distraction Symptoms Incidents Accumulation

Book:Letters to a Young Man: And Other Papers

Source: Letters to a Young Man: And Other Papers

“Enough if every age produce two or three critics of this esoteric class, with here and there a reader to understand them.”

Ifs Two Enough Age Three Class Produce Reader Critics Here And There Esoteric

Book:The Works of Thomas De Quincey,

Source: The Works of Thomas De Quincey,

“Often one's dear friend talks something which one scruples to call rigmarole.”

Dear Dear Friend Scruples

Book:De Quincey's Writings: Historical and critical essays. 1853

Source: De Quincey's Writings: Historical and critical essays. 1853

“The whole body of the arts and sciences composes one vast machinery for the irritation and development of the human intellect.”

Humans Art Whole Body Development Intellect Machinery Art And Science Irritation

Book:De Quincey's Writings: Theological essays and other papers. 1854

Source: De Quincey's Writings: Theological essays and other papers. 1854

“All parts of knowledge have their origin in metaphysics, and finally, perhaps, revolve into it.”

Knowledge Metaphysics

Book:De Quincey's Writings: Essays on philosophical writers and other men of letters. 1854-60. [v. 14 stereotyped

Source: De Quincey's Writings: Essays on philosophical writers and other men of letters. 1854-60. [v. 14 stereotyped

“Out of the ruined lodge and forgotten mansion, bowers that are trodden under foot, and pleasure-houses that are dust, the poet calls up a palingenesis.”

Poetry House Pleasure Feet Poet Forgotten Dust Ruined Mansions Lodges

Book:Essays on the Poets: And Other English Writers

Source: Essays on the Poets: And Other English Writers

“The science of style as an organ of thought, of style in relation to the ideas and feelings, might be called the organology of style.”

Ideas Feelings Might Style Relation Organs

Book:Letters on Self-Education, with hints on style, and dialogues on political economy

Source: Letters on Self-Education, with hints on style, and dialogues on political economy

“No progressive knowledge will ever medicine that dread misgiving of a mysterious and pathless power given to words of a certain import.”

Certain Given Medicine Mysterious Progressive Dread Imports Misgivings

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Thomas De Quincey (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Thomas De Quincey (Illustrated)

“There are two ways of forming an opinion. One is the scientific method; the other, the scholastic. To the scientific mind, experimental proof is all-important, and theory is merely a convenience in description, to be junked when it no longer fits. To the academic mind, authority is everything, and facts are junked when they do not fit theory.”

Way Mind Two Important Facts Opinion Theory Fit Authority Method Proof Description Academic Convenience Two Ways Scientific Method Scholastics

Author:Robert A. Heinlein