James Stephens
James Stephens
James Stephenswas an Irish novelist and poet...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth2 February 1882
CountryIreland
land independence movement
My three-thousand mile walk through Ireland convinced me of one thing - the possibility of organising a proper movement for the independence of my native land.
wise asking-questions shells
We get wise by asking questions, and even if these are not answered we get wise, for a well-packed question carries its answer on its back as a snail carries its shell.
poet lyrical duty
The duty of a lyrical poet is not to express or explain, it is to intensify life.
alone-in-love
It is by love alone that we understand anything
irish-poet
A sword, a spade, and a thought should never be allowed to rust.
beginning quietness silent stars
Quietness is the beginning of virtue. To be silent is to be beautiful. Stars do not make a noise.
carelessly curiosity death either experience honest life next runs stage towards
Life runs to death as its goal, and we should go towards that next stage of experience either carelessly as to what must be, or with a good, honest curiosity as to what may be.
domestic economy entire half men muddle political understood women
If men understood domestic economy half as well as women do, then their political economy and their entire consequent statecraft would not be the futil muddle which it is.
believing either follow happening higher knowledge magic possible quite seeing
Knowledge, may it be said, is higher than magic and is more to be sought. It is quite possible to see what is happening and yet not know what is forward, for while seeing is believing, it does not follow that either seeing or believing is knowing.
attainment barren finality happen hate hopelessly nor tragedy woeful
There is no tragedy more woeful than the victory of hate, nor any attainment so hopelessly barren as the sterility of that achievement; for hate is finality, and finality is the greatest evil which can happen in a world of movement.
A secret is a weapon and a friend.
compulsion death hasten health inexorable joyous joys life logical towards wish woes
The inexorable compulsion of all things is towards health or destruction, life or death, and we hasten our joys or our woes to the logical extreme. It is urgent, therefore, that we be joyous if we wish to live.
becomes faulty shall trouble
The trouble of the king becomes the trouble of the subject, for how shall we live if judgement is withheld, or if faulty decisions are promulgated?
aggressor call die evil fall fat might slumber wide
In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its onslaughts and depredations humanity might fall to a fat slumber upon its cornsacks and die snoring.