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24 Henry James Quotes That Will Give You Glimmer Of Hope

Famous As: British Author Who is Regarded as a Key Transitional Figure Between Literary Realism and Literary Modernism
Born On: April 15, 1843
Died On: February 28, 1916
Born In: New York, New York City, United States
Died At Age: 72
Henry James was a prolific American author. He is considered to be a key transitional figure between the literary modernism and literary realism. He is regarded as one of the most illustrious novelists in the English language. He gained recognition for novels that dealt with martial and social interplay between English people, continental Europeans, and émigré Americans. His well-known works include ‘The Wings of The Dove,’ ‘The Portrait of a Lady,’ ‘A London Life and Other Tales,’ ‘The Ambassadors,’ ‘The Figure in The Carpet,’ ‘A Tragedy of Error,’ and various others. We bring to you a compilation of noteworthy and quotable thoughts and quotes by Henry James.
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A tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it.

A tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it.

Henry James
Art requires, above all things, a suppression of self, a subordination of one's self to an idea.

Art requires, above all things, a suppression of self, a subordination of one's self to an idea.

Henry James
Art is nothing more than the shadow of humanity.

Art is nothing more than the shadow of humanity.

Henry James
Art is a point of view, and a genius way of looking at things.

Art is a point of view, and a genius way of looking at things.

Henry James
Art does not lie in copying nature.- Nature furnishes the material by means of which is to express a beauty still unexpressed in nature.-The artist beholds in nature more than she herself is conscious of.

Art does not lie in copying nature.- Nature furnishes the material by means of which is to express a beauty still unexpressed in nature.-The artist beholds in nature more than she herself is conscious of.

Henry James
Art derives a considerable part of its beneficial exercise from flying in the face of presumptions.

Art derives a considerable part of its beneficial exercise from flying in the face of presumptions.

Henry James
And remember this, that if you've been hated, you've also been loved.

And remember this, that if you've been hated, you've also been loved.

Henry James
An Englishman's never so natural as when he's holding his tongue.

An Englishman's never so natural as when he's holding his tongue.

Henry James
Americans will eat garbage provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup.

Americans will eat garbage provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup.

Henry James
Always keep a window in the attic open; not just cracked: open.

Always keep a window in the attic open; not just cracked: open.

Henry James
All roads lead to Rome, and there were times when it might have struck us that almost every branch of study or subject of conversation skirted forbidden ground.

All roads lead to Rome, and there were times when it might have struck us that almost every branch of study or subject of conversation skirted forbidden ground.

Henry James
All intimacies are based on differences.

All intimacies are based on differences.

Henry James
Adjectives are the sugar of literature and adverbs the salt.

Adjectives are the sugar of literature and adverbs the salt.

Henry James
A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.

A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.

Henry James
A solitary maple on a woodside flames in single scarlet, recalls nothing so much as the daughter of a noble house dressed for a fancy ball, with the whole family gathered around to admire her before she goes.

A solitary maple on a woodside flames in single scarlet, recalls nothing so much as the daughter of a noble house dressed for a fancy ball, with the whole family gathered around to admire her before she goes.

Henry James
A man who pretends to understand women is bad manners. For him to really to understand them is bad morals.

A man who pretends to understand women is bad manners. For him to really to understand them is bad morals.

Henry James
..her smile, which was her pretty feature, was never so pretty as when her sprightly phrase had a scratch lurking in it.

..her smile, which was her pretty feature, was never so pretty as when her sprightly phrase had a scratch lurking in it.

Henry James
...The peculiar air of Oxford-the air of liberty to care for the things of the mind assured and secured by machinery which is in itself a satisfaction to sense.

...The peculiar air of Oxford-the air of liberty to care for the things of the mind assured and secured by machinery which is in itself a satisfaction to sense.

Henry James
...the great merit of the place is that one can arrange one's life here exactly as one pleases...there are facilities for every kind of habit and taste, and everything is accepted and understood.

...the great merit of the place is that one can arrange one's life here exactly as one pleases...there are facilities for every kind of habit and taste, and everything is accepted and understood.

Henry James
...he had long decided that abundant laughter should be the embellishment of the remainder of his days.

...he had long decided that abundant laughter should be the embellishment of the remainder of his days.

Henry James
...and the great advantage of being a literary woman, was that you could go everywhere and do everything.

...and the great advantage of being a literary woman, was that you could go everywhere and do everything.

Henry James
... since she might not be splendid, she would at least be immaculate.

... since she might not be splendid, she would at least be immaculate.

Henry James

All the same don't forget that you're young — blessedly young; be glad of it on the contrary and live up to it. Live all you can; it's a mistake not to. It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life.

Henry James

Any point of view is interesting that is a direct impression of life. You each have an impression colored by your individual conditions; make that into a picture, a picture framed by your own personal wisdom, your glimpse of the American world.

Henry James