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“I examined the poets, and I look on them as people whose talent overawes both themselves and others, people who present themselves as wise men and are taken as such, when they are nothing of the sort.
From poets, I moved to artists. No one was more ignorant about the arts than I; no one was more convinced that artists possessed really beautiful secrets. However, I noticed that their condition was no better than that of the poets and that both of them have the same misconceptions. Because the most skillful among them excel in their specialty, they look upon themselves as the wisest of men. In my eyes, this presumption completely tarnished their knowledge. As a result, putting myself in the place of the oracle and asking myself what I would prefer to be — what I was or what they were, to know what they have learned or to know that I know nothing — I replied to myself and to the god: I wish to remain who I am.
We do not know — neither the sophists, nor the orators, nor the artists, nor I— what the True, the Good, and the Beautiful are. But there is this difference between us: although these people know nothing, they all believe they know something; whereas, I, if I know nothing, at least have no doubts about it. As a result, all this superiority in wisdom which the oracle has attributed to me reduces itself to the single point that I am strongly convinced that I am ignorant of what I do not know.”
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From poets, I moved to artists. No one was more ignorant about the arts than I; no one was more convinced that artists possessed really beautiful secrets. However, I noticed that their condition was no better than that of the poets and that both of them have the same misconceptions. Because the most skillful among them excel in their specialty, they look upon themselves as the wisest of men. In my eyes, this presumption completely tarnished their knowledge. As a result, putting myself in the place of the oracle and asking myself what I would prefer to be — what I was or what they were, to know what they have learned or to know that I know nothing — I replied to myself and to the god: I wish to remain who I am.
We do not know — neither the sophists, nor the orators, nor the artists, nor I— what the True, the Good, and the Beautiful are. But there is this difference between us: although these people know nothing, they all believe they know something; whereas, I, if I know nothing, at least have no doubts about it. As a result, all this superiority in wisdom which the oracle has attributed to me reduces itself to the single point that I am strongly convinced that I am ignorant of what I do not know.”
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“I do not understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.”
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“And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many.”
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“I must, then, repeat continually that we are forever sundered - and yet, while I breathe and think, I must love him.'
- Jane Eyre”
― Jane Eyre
- Jane Eyre”
― Jane Eyre

“You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.”
― Pride and Prejudice
― Pride and Prejudice

To reciprocate the appreciation of different artists and discuss their lives and works.

Do you read more than one book at a time? Do you have stacks of books to be read on your table? Keep buying more books when you have books you haven ...more

Whether you prefer Faulkner, O'Connor, McCullers or more recent authors of Southern Literature such as Clyde Edgerton, Tom Franklin, William Gay, or M ...more

For anyone interested in the history of art!

Did you ever have to read "Jane Eyre" in high school and just couldn't get through it? Have you ever been confused by the symbolism in "Lord of the Fl ...more
Lorie’s 2020 Year in Books
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