Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell KCwas an English Liberal Party politician, who was Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916. In this post, he was praised for enabling tenant farmers to own their property, and for extending university education for Catholics. But he was criticised for failing to take action against the rebels before the Easter Rising, and resigned. A barrister by training, he was also an author, noted for humorous essays...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth19 January 1850
blood perfection poetry
Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme glory, to do either is enduring fame.
matter worship mass
It is the Mass the matters.
book men years
Given Pounds and five years, and an ordinary man can in the ordinary course, without any undue haste or putting any pressure upon his taste, surround himself with books, all in his own language, and thence forward have at least one place in the world.
education mother steps
Milton calls the university A stony-hearted step-mother.
anger men angry
Few men can afford to be angry.
philosophy history pageant
History is a pageant and not a philosophy.
inspirational clever
Is this true or only clever?
dust history
That great dust-heap called 'history'.
believe men library
The man who has a library of his own collection is able to contemplate himself objectively, and is justified in believing in his own existence.
ideas action birth
It is pleasant to be admitted into the birth-chamber of a great idea destined to be translated into action.
book charm
Great is bookishness and the charm of books.
wise perfect soul
A poet's soul must contain the perfect shape of all things good, wise and just. His body must be spotless and without blemish, his life pure, his thoughts high, his studies intense.
wise views style
The true historian, therefore, seeking to compose a true picture of the thing acted, must collect facts and combine facts. Methods will differ, styles will differ. Nobody ever does anything like anybody else; but the end in view is generally the same, and the historian's end is truthful narration. Maxims he will have, if he is wise, never a one; and as for a moral, if he tell his story well, it will need none; if he tell it ill, it will deserve none.
giving pleasure
It can never be wrong to give pleasure.