E. M. Forster Quotes - Page 15

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All that is observable in a man-that is to say his actions and such of his spiritual existence as can be deduced from his actions-falls into the domain of history.

E. M. Forster

Spiritual, Fall, Men

E. M. Forster (2010). “Aspects of the Novel”, p.73, RosettaBooks

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A critic has no right to the narrowness which is the frequent prerogative of the creative artist.

E. M. Forster

Artist, Creative, Criticism

E. M. Forster (2010). “Aspects of the Novel”, p.19, RosettaBooks

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It is the function of the novelist to reveal the hidden life at its source: to tell us more about Queen Victoria than could be known, and thus to produce a character who is not the Queen Victoria of history.

E. M. Forster

Queens, Character, Novelists

E. M. Forster (2010). “Aspects of the Novel”, p.72, RosettaBooks

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But this time I'm not to blame; I want you to believe that. I simply slipped into those violets. No, I want to be really truthful. I am a little to blame. The sky, you know, was gold, and the ground all blue, and for a moment he looked like some one in a book.

E. M. Forster

Believe, Book, Blue

E. M. Forster (2013). “Delphi Collected Works of E. M. Forster (Illustrated)”, p.407, Delphi Classics

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A novel is based on evidence, + or -x, the unknown quantity being the temperament of the novelist, and the unknown quantity always modifies the effect of the evidence, and sometimes transforms it entirely.

E. M. Forster

Novelists, Fiction, Sometimes

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I hated the idleness, the stupidity, the respectability, the petty unselfishness.

E. M. Forster

Hate, Stupidity, Petty

E. M. Forster (2014). “Great Novels of E. M. Forster: Where Angels Fear to Tread, The Longest Journey, A Room with a View, Howards End”, p.71, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

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It is easy to face Death and Fate, and the things that sound so dreadful. It is on my muddles that I look back with horror--on thethings that I might have avoided.

E. M. Forster

Fate, Sound, Looks

E. M. Forster (2014). “Great Novels of E. M. Forster: Where Angels Fear to Tread, The Longest Journey, A Room with a View, Howards End”, p.656, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

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He stretched out his hands as he sang, sadly, because all beauty is sad…The poem had done no ‘good’ to anyone, but it was a passing reminder, a breath from the divine lips of beauty, a nightingale between two worlds of dust. Less explicit than the call to Krishna, it voiced our loneliness nevertheless, our isolation, our need for the Friend who never comes yet is not entirely disproved.

E. M. Forster

Loneliness, Dust, Hands

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Even a fellow with a camera has his favourite subjects, as we can see looking through the Kodak-albums of our friends. One amateur prefers the family group, another bathing scenes, another cows upon an alp, or kittens held upside down in the arms of a black-faced child. The tendency to choose one subject rather than another indicates the photographer's temperament. Nevertheless, his passion is for photography rather than for selection, a kitten will serve when no cows are available.

E. M. Forster

Photography, Children, Passion

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Italy is such a delightful place to live in if you happen to be a man. There one may enjoy that exquisite luxury of Socialism--that true Socialism which is based not on equality of income or character, but on the equality of manners. In the democracy of the caffè or the street the great question of our life has been solved, and the brotherhood of man is a reality. But it is accomplished at the expense of the sisterhood of women.

E. M. Forster

Character, Reality, Sisterhood

E. M. Forster (2016). “Where Angels Fear to Tread: England Literature”, p.31, 谷月社

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Truth is a flower in whose neighbourhood others must wither.

E. M. Forster

Flower, Truth Is, Neighbourhoods

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Logic! Good gracious! What rubbish!

E. M. Forster

Rubbish, Literature, Logic

E. M. Forster (2010). “Aspects of the Novel”, p.152, RosettaBooks

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I don't know what to think until I see what I've said.

E. M. Forster

Thinking, Said, Knows

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Lucy was suffering from the most grievous wrong which this world has yet discovered: diplomatic advantage had been taken of her sincerity, of her craving for sympathy and love. Such a wrong is not easily forgotten. Never again did she expose herself without due consideration and precaution against rebuff. And such a wrong may react disastrously upon the soul.

E. M. Forster

Love, Taken, Soul

E.M. Forster (2012). “A Room with a View”, p.63, Courier Corporation

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Some reviews give pain. This is regrettable, but no author has the right to whine. He was not obliged to be an author. He invited publicity, and he must take the publicity that comes along.

E. M. Forster

Pain, Giving, Publicity

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Ulysses ... is a dogged attempt to cover the universe with mud, an inverted Victorianism, an attempt to make crossness and dirt succeed where sweetness and light failed, a simplification of the human character in the interests of Hell.

E. M. Forster

Dog, Character, Light

'Aspects of the Novel' (1927) ch. 6 (on James Joyce's 'Ulysses')

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How do I know what I have to say wntil I see what I have said?

E. M. Forster

Said, Knows

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Belfastas uncivilised as ever--savage black mothers in houses of dark red brick, friendly manufacturers too drunk to entertain you when you arrive. It amuses me till I get tired.

E. M. Forster

Mother, Tired, Dark

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The so called white races are really pinko-grey.

E. M. Forster

White, Race, Grey

A Passage to India ch. 7 (1924)

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In the light of her son's comment she reconsidered the scene at the mosque, to see whose impression was correct. Yes it could be worked into quite an unpleasant scene. The doctor had begun by bullying her, had said Mrs Callendar was nice, and then - finding the ground safe - had changed; he had alternately whined over his grievances and patronized her, had run a dozen ways in a single sentence, had been unreliable, inquisitive, vain. Yes, it was all true, but how false as a summary of the man; the essential life of him had been slain.

E. M. Forster

Running, Bullying, Nice

"A Passage to India".

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I'm a holy man minus the holiness. Hand that on to your three spies, and tell them to put it in their pipes.

E. M. Forster

Men, Hands, Spy

E. M. Forster (2010). “A Passage to India”, p.121, RosettaBooks

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Growing old is an emotion which comes over us at almost any age; I had it myself between the ages of 25 and 30.

E. M. Forster

Age, Growing, Emotion

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Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair.

E. M. Forster

Book, Want, Language

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It so happened that Lucy, who found daily life rather chaotic, entered a more solid world when she opened the piano. She was then no longer either deferential or patronizing; no longer either a rebel or a slave.

E. M. Forster

Piano, Rebel, World

E. M. Forster (2013). “Delphi Collected Works of E. M. Forster (Illustrated)”, p.373, Delphi Classics

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But I have seen my obstacles: trivialities, learning and poetry. This last needs explaining: the old artist's readiness to dissolve characters into a haze. Characters cannot come alive and fight and guide the world unless the novelist wants them to remain characters.

E. M. Forster

Character, Fighting, Artist

E. M. Forster (1987). “Commonplace Book”, p.151, Stanford University Press

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Born: January 1, 1879
Died: June 7, 1970
Occupation: Novelist
Cite this Page: Citation

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