All Henry James Quotes
The only success worth one's powder was success in the line of one's idiosyncrasy... what was talent but the art of being completely whatever one happened to be?
Henry James
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The only reason for the existence of a novel is that it does attempt to represent life.
Henry James
50% of people like this quote
The face of nature and civilization in this our country is to a certain point a very sufficient literary field. But it will yield its secrets only to a really grasping imagination. To write well and worthily of American things one need even more than elsewhere to be a master.
Henry James
50% of people like this quote
People talk about the conscience, but it seems to me one must just bring it up to a certain point and leave it there. You can let your conscience alone if you're nice to the second housemaid.
Henry James
50% of people like this quote
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. If you haven't had that what have you had?
Henry James
50% of people like this quote
An Englishman's never so natural as when he's holding his tongue.
Henry James
48% of people like this quote
If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in America, I would know no other land.
Henry James
47% of people like this quote
I hate American simplicity. I glory in the piling up of complications of every sort. If I could pronounce the name James in any different or more elaborate way I should be in favor of doing it.
Henry James
47% of people like this quote
Cats and monkeys; monkeys and cats; all human life is there.
Henry James
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I think I don't regret a single 'excess' of my responsive youth - I only regret, in my chilled age, certain occasions and possibilities I didn't embrace.
Henry James
47% of people like this quote
It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.
Henry James
46% of people like this quote
The right time is any time that one is still so lucky as to have.
Henry James
25% of people like this quote
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