Definitions HQ

An Idea (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠becomes an individual becomes more than it should — and in becoming more, it becomes less: it ceases to be the idea.

The Idea (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the third between two people — the true, the good, the God-relationship; it cools the too-passionate and appeases the too-resentful, and without it every relation between men becomes false.

An Idea (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a harder mistress than any girl: no beauty calculates so exactly, no girl's disapproval weighs like the idea's displeasure.

An Idea (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the most reliable yardstick in the world: whoever uses it consistently makes a fool of anyone who would deceive him.

An Idea (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the poet's true mistress: when it calls he leaves everything — or rather, he has nothing to leave, and disappoints no one.