The deepest quality of a work of art will always be the quality of the mind of the producer...No good novel will ever proceed from a superficial mind.
Henry JamesRead
I don't want everyone to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of self-worth over the desire for universal acceptance.
Henry James's quote conveys the idea that seeking approval from everyone can diminish one’s self-respect. It suggests that if one is liked by all, it may indicate a lack of depth or integrity in their character, and instead one should prioritize authenticity and self-regard over the superficial approval of others.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a motivational speech about self-acceptance.
The deepest quality of a work of art will always be the quality of the mind of the producer...No good novel will ever proceed from a superficial mind.
What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character?
Never say you know the last word about any human heart.
I adore adverbs; they are the only qualifications I really much respect.
We care what happens to people only in proportion as we know what people are.
A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.
Let every step you take upon the earth be as a prayer.
I'm not sure I understand how responsibility for our choices makes sense if they are not determined.
Never have ideas about children, and never have ideas for them.
The multiplication of our kind borders on the obscene; the duty to love them, on the preposterous.
No man is rich enough to buy back his past.
Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should therefore be slaves. Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion or infanticide.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.