Author: A. E. Housman

Quotes

Nature, not content with denying him the ability to think, has endowed him with the ability to write.

Nature, not content with denying him the ability to think, has endowed him with the ability to write.

- A. E. Housman

I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat.

I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat.

- A. E. Housman

And malt does more than Milton can to justify God's ways to man.

And malt does more than Milton can to justify God's ways to man.

- A. E. Housman

The laws of God, the laws of man he may keep that will and can; not I: let God and man decree laws for themselves and not for me.

The laws of God, the laws of man he may keep that will and can; not I: let God and man decree laws for themselves and not for me.

- A. E. Housman

If a line of poetry strays into my memory, my skin bristles so that the razor ceases to act.

If a line of poetry strays into my memory, my skin bristles so that the razor ceases to act.

- A. E. Housman

Even when poetry has a meaning, as it usually has, it may be inadvisable to draw it out... Perfect understanding will sometimes almost extinguish pleasure.

Even when poetry has a meaning, as it usually has, it may be inadvisable to draw it out... Perfect understanding will sometimes almost extinguish pleasure.

- A. E. Housman

Here dead lie we because we did not choose to live and shame the land from which we sprung. Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose; but young men think it is, and we were young.

Here dead lie we because we did not choose to live and shame the land from which we sprung. Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose; but young men think it is, and we were young.

- A. E. Housman

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