Friday, October 31, 2008

Two aphorisms in search of their authors

I've quoted these so often, and I can't find the source: any ideas?

"The sentimentalist is he who would enjoy without incurring responsibility for the thing enjoyed" (This comes from somewhere in Joyce, but for some reason I believe it originates with Meredith).

"Nowadays events no longer occur: the clichés operate spontaneously" (I believe this is from Karl Krauss. I used to use it as a definition of structuralism, but it applies to almost any late 20th century thought)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Sentimentalists," says The Pilgrim's Scrip, "are they who seek to enjoy without incurring the Immense Debtorship for a thing done."

-Ordeal of Richard Feverel by George Meredith, p. 186.

Sean Cubitt said...

many thanks: any indication which edition you're referencing?

sean

Anonymous said...

Ah, I should have been more specific. The full title is The Ordeal of Richard Feverel: A History of a Father and Son. Written by George Meredith and published in London, by Constable & Company Ltd in 1919.

And I've given you the wrong page number - I realised the quote is in fact on p. 178 - mustn't have had my glasses on - apologies!