T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)

Thomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, essayist and playwright. He was a leading figure in English-language Modernist poetry where he reinvigorated the art through his use of language, writing style, and verse structure. He is also noted for his critical essays, which often re-evaluated long-held cultural beliefs.

Quotes

Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things.
In a minute there is time for decision and revisions that a minute will reverse.
Humankind cannot stand very much reality.

Reality
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.
We shall not cease from our exploration
And at the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time
We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

Exploration
Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want, be sure that is what you want; whatever you feel, be sure that is what you feel.
Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them.
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
We shall never cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Human kind cannot bear much reality.
It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no one needs to be good.
I take as metaphysical poetry that in which what is ordinarily apprehensible only by thought is brought within the grasp of feeling, or that in which what is ordinarily only felt is transformed into thought without ceasing to be feeling.
We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started-- and know the place for the first time.
We shall not cease from our exploration, and at the end of all our exploring, we shall arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.