I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations that have to be honored, and a legal system which can be trusted to step in when that sense fails. Rebecca West More Quotes by Rebecca West More Quotes From Rebecca West One was kind, out of a bounty that could hardly be exhausted, to old governesses and gardeners, who could be relied upon to give thanks with proper abjection; one performed public duties, for which one was paid in full by deference; one was chaste, refusing to run away from one's husband with other men who for the most part did not ask one to do so, and who in any case had nothing better to offer than one's own home. Knowing no difficulties one was without fortitude; knowing no criteria but one's own achievements one was without taste. Rebecca West husband home running Why must you always try to be omnipotent, and shove things about? Tragic things happen sometimes that we just have to submit to. Rebecca West acceptance loss trying the reward for total abstinence from alcohol seems, illogically enough, to be the capacity for becoming intoxicated without it. Rebecca West addiction alcohol drinking [Evelyn Waugh] made drunkenness cute and chic, and then took to religion, simply to have the most expensive carpet of all to be sick on. Rebecca West sick made cute Embraces do not matter; they merely indicate the will to love and may as well be followed by defeat as victory. But disregard means that now there needs to be no straining of the eyes, no stretching forth of the hands, no pressing of the lips, because theirs is such a union that they are no longer aware of the division of their flesh. Rebecca West eye mean hands It's my profession to bring people from various outlying districts of the mind to the normal. There seems to be a general feeling it's the place where they ought to be. Sometimes I don't see the urgency myself. Rebecca West mind feelings people I had come to Yugoslavia to see what history meant in flesh and blood. Rebecca West yugoslavia flesh blood All men should have a drop of treason in their veins, if nations are not to go soft like so many sleepy pears. Rebecca West should-have sleep men Nobody likes having salt rubbed into their wounds, even if it is the salt of the earth. Rebecca West respect likes earth He is every other inch a gentleman. Rebecca West women gentleman men Journalism: an ability to meet the challenge of filling the space. Rebecca West journalism space challenges A strong hatred is the best lamp to bear in our hands as we go over the dark places of life, cutting away the dead things men tell us to revere. Rebecca West cutting hate strong A copy of the universe is not what is required of art; one of the damned things is ample. Rebecca West humor funny art Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology. Rebecca West real military funny But there are other things than dissipation that thicken the features. Tears, for example. Rebecca West tears grief example Humanity is never more sphinxlike than when it is expressing itself. Rebecca West humanity I wonder if we are all wrong about each other, if we are just composing unwritten novels about the people we meet? Rebecca West novel wonder people Mr. James Joyce is a great man who is entirely without taste. Rebecca West great-men taste men The memory, experiencing and re-experiencing, has such power over one's mere personal life, that one has merely lived. Rebecca West mere power memories There is no logical reason why the camel of great art should pass through the needle of mob intelligence. Rebecca West camels reason-why art
