"When steam first began to pump and wheels go round at so many revolutions per minute, what are called business habits were intended to make the life of man run in harmony with the steam engine, and his movement rival the train in punctuality."
George William Russell
Poet, Writer
George William Russell was an Irish writer and artist known for his mystical poetry and exploration of spirituality, particularly in his work 'The Avatars of the Mind.'
- Born
- April 10, 1867
- Died
- July 17, 1935
- Quotes
- 20
- Rank
- #3046
About George William Russell
George William Russell — Life and Legacy
George William Russell, also known as AE, was a prominent Irish writer, poet, and artist whose work delved deeply into themes of imagination and spirituality. His notable work, 'The Avatars of the Mind,' reflects his belief in the profound connection between creativity and the natural world. Russell's core philosophy centered on the idea that imagination is not merely a tool for artistic expression but a gateway to understanding the universe itself. He famously stated, 'The imagination is the key to the universe,' highlighting his conviction that creative thought can unveil deeper truths about existence. In his writings, Russell often challenged the materialistic views of his time, advocating for a perspective that embraced the mystical and the unseen. His poetry frequently depicted nature as a living entity, imbued with spiritual significance. By asserting that 'the beauty of the world is a reflection of the divine,' he invited readers to perceive nature as a source of inspiration and enlightenment. Today, Russell's quotes and ideas continue to resonate, encouraging individuals to explore their own creativity and connection to the world around them. His emphasis on imagination as a transformative force remains relevant, inspiring new generations to seek deeper meaning through artistic expression.
Quote collection
George William Russell quotes
20 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"You cannot evoke great spirits and eat plums at the same time."
"Any relations in a social order will endure if there is infused into them some of that spirit of human sympathy, which qualifies life for immortality."
"In the lost boyhood of Judas, Christ was betrayed."
"We may fight against what is wrong, but if we allow ourselves to hate, that is to insure our spiritual defeat and our likeness to what we hate."
"Forgive me, Spirit of my spirit, for this, that I have found it easier to read the mystery told in tears and understood Thee better in sorrow than in joy."
"Twilight, a timid, fawn, went glimmering by, and Night, the dark-blue hunter, followed fast."
"A young man who had been troubling society with impalpable doctrines of a new civilization which he called "the Kingdom of Heaven" had been put out of the way; and I can imagine that believer in material power murmuring as he went homeward, "it will all blow over now." Yes. The wind from the Kingdom of Heaven has blown over the world, and shall blow for centuries yet."
"There is a law in human nature which draws us to like what we passionately condemn."
"After the spiritual powers, there is no thing in the world more unconquerable than the spirit of nationality. ... The spirit of nationality in Ireland will persist even though the mightiest of material powers be its neighbor."
"Ah, to think how thin the veil that lies Between the pain of hell and Paradise."
"Reason, alas, does not remove mountains. It only tries to walk around them, and see what is on the other side."
"Seek on earth what you have found in heaven."
"In ancient shadows and twilightsWhere childhood had strayed,The world's great sorrows were bornAnd its heroes were made.In the lost boyhood of JudasChrist was betrayed."
"People tell me that the countryside must always be stupid and backward, and I get angry, as if it were said that only townspeople had immortal souls, and that it was only in the city that the flame of divinity breathed into the first men had an unobscured glow."
"We are tired who follow after fantasy and truth that flies: You with only look and laughter stain our hearts with richest dyes."
"Whiskey: a torchligh procession marching down your throat."
"A literary movement: five or six people who live in the same town and hate each other."
"No leader, however great a personality he may be, is as important to a people as their own intellectual development."
"We must pass like smoke or live within the spirit's fire; For we can no more than smoke unto the flame return If our thought has changed to dream, our will unto desire, As smoke we vanish though the fire may burn."