advice

America

American

boredom

catastrophe

Chicago

civilization

community

democracy

heroism

history

identity politics

lecture

love

minority

poet

practicality

problem

public opinion

punishment

school

soliloquy

soul

taste

truth

umbrella

woman

writing

youth

occupation / innovator as

journalist

nationality

is a country not made for us who happened to get here first.

"America was not made for us who happened to get here first. We were in great luck, but we have no right to exclude others from an opportunity to get a breath of the air of freedom." (OWH 4/17/92: 10)

"That any day seems dull is a confession of personal limitation." (Star Wagon, Chapter 16)

 never comes without giving to someone a chance for a good act.

"No great catastrophe ever comes without giving to someone a chance for a good act. The more horrible the catastrophe the greater the opportunity for heroism." (7/16/96: 6)

is a place with only one poetic thing and that is the lake.

"There is only one poetic thing about Chicago and that is the lake." (OWH 1/7/96: 8)

is, on the whole, kinder to those who were born and have grown up here than to those who have come in..

"Perhaps, on the whole, the community is kinder to those who were born and have grown up here than to those who have come in." (OWH 5/4/96: 8)

, by an amusing paradox, has made aristocrats of us all.

"By an amusing paradox, democracy has made aristocrats of us all." (OWH 1/17/92)

is a moment, one which does not come to everyone.

"It does not come to every one to have a heroic moment. Most women have to live quiet and monotonous lives." ( 8/11/94: 3)

is an absurdity and illogical when it functions as the belief that women should 'stand together' as if they were a separate party, or sect, or tribe. As women demand impartiality, they must exercise it.

"There is an idea among some women nowadays, who believe that women should 'stand together' as if they were a separate party, or sect, or tribe, that advanced women should employ only women physicians. This is absurd and illogical. As women demand impartiality, they must exercise it. . . . . There should be no question of sex in the professions, or, the arts. Individual merit should win its regard. Sex should not be taken into consideration." (OWH 4/11/96: 8)

is dreadfully boring and good for only one thing - to give a certain education to the persons who write the lectures.

"What solemn bores most lecturers are, anyway. The only good lecturers do—or very nearly the only good—is to give a certain education to the persons who write the lectures." (OWH 1/20/96: 8)

is, of course, an illusion - all the really important things are.

"Love is, of course, an illusion—all the really important things are." ("One's Self": Harper's Bazaar: July 1910)

is a word a man uses when he wishes to be particularly unfair.

"I have noticed that when a man wishes to be particularly unfair that he calls it being practical." (OWH 11/20/92: 13)

 sometimes holds down what is best in us, making afraid the spirit and servile the habits.

"Public opinion sometimes holds down what is best in us, making afraid the spirit and servile the habits. Domestic tyrants abound, and, with coarse and cruel arrogance, choke the sweetness out of timid and delicate spirits." (OWH 3/12/96: 8)

is inherently unjust in society insofar as it often consists of permitting twigs to start crooked and then punishing them when they are grown up because they are not straight trees.

"It is really so amazing that we would permit so many twigs to start crooked, and then punish them when they are grown up, because they are not straight trees."

is a cheap subterfuge at best. It is a way of showing to an audience those things which a writer has not the ability or industry to embody in the action of a play.

"Soliloquy is a cheap subterfuge at best. It is a way of showing to an audience those things which a writer has not the ability or industry to embody in the action of a play." (OWH 3/13/92: 9)

is a curious thing. It is present at birth. Nothing ever really alters it.

"The essence of souls is a curious thing. It is present at birth. Nothing ever really alters it."

is impossible to conceal. Like water it flows through the tiniest cracks.

"There is never any use in trying to conceal the truth. Truth is like water and flows through the tiniest cracks." (OWH 24 June 1894: 11)

is a distinct snare to the traveler. They torment the spirit more than a scolding husband, get lost oftener than a baby, and are always where they should not be and never where they should.

"Carry no umbrellas. Umbrellas are an illusion and a distinct snare to the traveler. They torment the spirit more than a scolding husband, get lost oftener than a baby, and are always where they should not be and never where they should." (OWH 12/28/90)

is desirous of independence, but not the independence of men; merely independence, and independence is not a matter of sex.

"There is a mistake in supposing that women wish to acquire the independence of the other sex. It is merely independence they wish to acquire—and independence is not a matter of sex." (OWH 4/30/96: 8)

is like a cat in one wy. She likes to have a corner.

"In one way a woman is like a cat. She likes to have a corner." (OWH, 12/5/94: 2)

 has a way of throbbing without much provocation.

"Youth has a way of throbbing without much provocation. I was always expecting something wonderful to happen." (Star Wagon, Chapter 3)

Elia Peattie

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Elia Peattie