"Traveling is a fool's paradise"
— R. W. Emerson, Essays: First Series, "Self-Reliance," p. 49.
As Dr. Johnson remarks of Christopher Smart after he was interred in mad-house: he still gets exercise in the garden — He used to get it by walking to the alehouse; however, he was always carried back.
from The Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes
"A woman is herself not inspiration."
— Tom Fields, Black Mountain Review, 1954.
I need a hundred years, or one good day with God's help, to finish this BOOK!
— James Hauck, March 16, 2001.
Re: Why teach Charles Dickens to kids?
If you have something good you put a fence around it. It's the same reason the Bible starts with Genesis and ends with Revelation. The books which are hardest to get into protect amateurs from entering. There must be some commitment/intuition to open it.
God knows, why should I bother writing; God exists (in and through other people, in uses) — I must communicate.
James Hauck, December 8, 1989.
Unless God is speaking to you — you are an idle worshipper.
(cf. Habbakuk, Ch. 2)
Even in your free-will you can't do anything that would "surprise" God — but you sure-as-Hell can disappoint Him!
(cf. Socinus' Temporalistic Theism)
Understanding is instant — acceptance takes years. (Relates to the mind's comprehension of anything.)
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The first quote here by Emerson took me by surprise. It led me to do some further reading about Emerson in Bartlett's Familiar Quotes (16th ed). Two quotes jumped out at me;
ReplyDeleteEvery natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact.
A man is a god in ruins
It also led me to think more about the traveling quote you posted. As I enjoy traveling and do not think I am a fool (or am I?). I found a quote by Samuel Johnson that illustrates my thoughts of the traveler:
As the Spanish proverb says, "He, who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him." So it is in traveling, a man must carry knowledge with him if he would bring home knowledge.
- April 17, 1778
Great insight, Chris. Certainly you are not a fool — but have you noticed how most travelers carry the very same world they left along with themselves? And worse still bring only that home again.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I did not take the comment personal. You bet I do notice the "zombie" traveler (my analogy). All of the wonderful places to travel to....even Wichita, Kansas City, Detroit, .......ANYWHERE at all....you can see beauty and learn something about yourself in the process. People in their own zone solely focused on themselves, completely blind by the wonders of their surroundings. Thanks again for all of these thought provoking quotes.......especially your original work.
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