The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence T. S. Eliot More Quotes by T. S. Eliot More Quotes From T. S. Eliot I must tell you that I should really like to think there's something wrong with me- Because, if there isn't, then there's something wrong with the world itself-and that's much more frightening! That would be terrible. So I'd rather believe there is something wrong with me, that could be put right. T. S. Eliot would-bebelievethinking Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present All time is unredeemable. T. S. Eliot quartetstimepast One thing you cannot know: The sudden extinction of every alternative, The unexpected crash of the iron cataract. You do not know what hope is, until you have lost it. You only know what it is not to hope: You do not know what it is to have hope taken from you Or to fling it away, to join the legion of the hopeless Unrecognized by other men, though sometimes by each other. T. S. Eliot takenhopemen A people without history T. S. Eliot patternstimepeople My greatest trouble is getting the curtain up and down. T. S. Eliot up-and-downcurtainstrouble The circle of our understanding is a very restricted area. T. S. Eliot areascirclesunderstanding When oxygen and sulphur dioxide are mixed in the presence of a filiament of platinum, they form sulphurous acid. This combination takes place only if the platinum is present; nevertheless the newly formed acid contains no trace of platinum, and the platinum itself is apparently unaffected: has remained inert, neutral, and unchanged. The mind of the poet is the shred of platinum. T. S. Eliot oxygenpoetryart We learn what poetry is - if we ever learn - by reading it. T. S. Eliot poetry-isreadingifs When forced to work within a strict framework, the imagination is taxed to its utmost and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom, the work is likely to sprawl. T. S. Eliot frameworkimaginationideas What is this self-inside us, this silent observer, severe and speechless critic, who can terrorize us, and urge us onto futile activity, and in the end, judge us still more severely for the errors into which his own reproaches drove us? T. S. Eliot errorsjudgingself Poetry is not an assertion of truth, but the making of that truth more fully real to us. T. S. Eliot assertionpoetry-isreal If you will not have God (and He is a jealous God), you should pay your respects to Hitler or Stalin. T. S. Eliot jealousshouldpay Home is where one starts from. T. S. Eliot sweet-homeeducationalhome He who was living is now dead We who were living are now dying With a little patience. T. S. Eliot dyinglittlespatience Love compels cruelty To those who do not understand love. T. S. Eliot crueltylove As things are, and as fundamentally they must always be, poetry is not a career, but a mug's game. No honest poet can ever feel quite sure of the permanent value of what he has written: He may have wasted his time and messed up his life for nothing. T. S. Eliot careersgamesmay Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them. T. S. Eliot inspirationalmeanpeople The sense of wellbeing! Its often with us When we are young, but then it's not noticed; And by the time one has grown to consciousness It comes less often. T. S. Eliot consciousnesshealthyoung A thousand policemen directing traffic cannot tell you why you come or where you go. T. S. Eliot urbantrafficplanning No place of grace for those who avoid the Face. No time to rejoice for those who walk among noise and deny the Voice. T. S. Eliot voiceinspirationfaith
