Notable quotes, excerpts, and profound lines.

[Avedoir]

"Happening", so that's how they call it these days
And to avoid being called out for the hijack, lemme add some quotes.

Erm, this is not good, I can't come up with anything profound. Best I've got is "We, hedonists, take our pleasure very seriously". Don't remember which trashy novel it's from.
I must be getting old.

[GeoffC]

Unknown quote ....

If you want to know your past life,
look into your present condition;
if you want to know your future,
look into your present action.

It is not the wind that is moving;
it is not the flag that is moving;
it is mind that is moving.

There are no holy places and no holy people,
only holy moments, only moments of wisdom.

[Billi]

GeoffC, although unknown, Like it very much.

[astra]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Unknown quote ....

If you want to know your past life,
look into your present condition;
if you want to know your future,
look into your present action.

Nice.

[astra]

"Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me."

— Christina Rossetti

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by astra

"Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me."

— Christina Rossetti

that's... oddly familiar! I don't have the slightest idea about Christina Rossetti, but I've read the lines several times before... where did I read them?

[TenaciousBadger]

We do not see things as they are.
We see things as we are.

-- Anais Nin

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by TenaciousBadger

-- Anais Nin

Excellent!

[WT Sharpe]

.....I sometimes think of what future historians will say of us. A single sentence will suffice for modern man. He fornicated and read the papers. After that vigorous definition, the subject will be, if I may say so, exhausted.
..........— Albert Camus (1913–1960), French Algerian author, philosopher and journalist. The Fall [French: La Chute] (1956), page 6.

Compare this earlier line from Eliot:

.....Birth, and copulation, and death. That's all the facts when you come to brass tacks.
..........— T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), American-born British poet, critic, and dramatist. From the play Sweeney Agonistes (1926, first performed in 1934).

[astra]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

that's... oddly familiar! I don't have the slightest idea about Christina Rossetti, but I've read the lines several times before... where did I read them?

I am sorry, I don't have the faintest idea who she is.

The first time I have heard it was in April, last year, when I went to Israel for my parents golden anniversary. Dad's friend said it in Russian. He said something along the lines:
I am 37 years old (although he is 60+). I was born when I married Jackie.

I loved it. Maybe I misunderstand this quote, but that's how I interpret it.

The second time I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago when I read The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3) by Philip Pullman.
He put this quote as epigraph for one of the last chapters. When I read it I immediately remembered what dad's friend said, googled for it and added it to my favourite quotes.

The following quote precedes the next chapter in the aforementioned book and usually follows up the previous one in real life more or less closely...

"But Fate does iron wedges drive,
And always crowds itself betwixt."

— Andrew Marvell

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by astra

The second time I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago when I read The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3) by Philip Pullman

ah, that's where I read it!

[FlorenceArt]

Our Father who art in Heaven
Stay there
And we will stay on Earth
Which can be so lovely

(sorry for the crummy translation, below is the original text and the Google translation )

Notre Père qui êtes aux cieux
Restez-y
Et nous nous resterons sur la terre
Qui est quelquefois si jolie

Jacques Prévert (1900-1977), Poet

[TenaciousBadger]

It's silly to go on pretending that under the skin we are all brothers. The truth is more likely that under the skin we are all cannibals, assassins, traitors, liars, hypocrites, poltroons

--Henry Miller

*still struggling to get round to reading him*

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by TenaciousBadger

--Henry Miller

Well doesn't that make us all brothers?

[kennyc]

Can I be a poltroon?