William Morris Quotes - Page 3

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Art Design Earth Eyes Flowers Gardens Giving

So long as the system of competition in the production and exchange of the means of life goes on, the degradation of the arts will go on; and if that system is to last for ever, then art is doomed, and will surely die; that is to say, civilization will die.

William Morris

Art, Mean, Civilization

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.172, Cambridge University Press

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I love art, and I love history, but it is living art and living history that I love. It is in the interest of living art and living history that I oppose so-called restoration. What history can there be in a building bedaubed with ornament, which cannot at the best be anything but a hopeless and lifeless imitation of the hope and vigor of the earlier world?

William Morris

Art, Ornaments, Restoration

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.233, Cambridge University Press

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Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement; a sanded floor and whitewashed walls and the green trees, and flowery meads, and living waters outside; or a grimy palace amid the same with a regiment of housemaids always working to smear the dirt together so that it may be unnoticed; which, think you, is the most refined, the most fit for a gentleman of those two dwellings?

William Morris

Wall, Thinking, Two

William Morris (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of William Morris (Illustrated)”, p.6494, Delphi Classics

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As to the garden, it seems to me its chief fruit is-blackbirds.

William Morris

Garden, Fruit, Chiefs

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.21, Cambridge University Press

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There was a knight came riding by
In early spring, when the roads were dry;
And he heard that lady sing at the noon,
Two red roses across the moon.

William Morris

Spring, Flower, Moon

William Morris (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of William Morris (Illustrated)”, p.2676, Delphi Classics

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When Socialism comes, it may be in such a form that we won't like it.

William Morris

Wisdom, May, Politics

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Ornamental pattern work, to be raised above the contempt of reasonable men, must possess three qualities: beauty, imagination and order.

William Morris

Men, Order, Imagination

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.179, Cambridge University Press

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Another thing much too commonly seen, is an aberration of the human mind which otherwise I should have been ashamed to warn you of. It is technically called carpet-gardening. Need I explain it further? I had rather not, for when I think of it, even when I am quite alone, I blush with shame at the thought.

William Morris

Flower, Thinking, Should Have

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.90, Cambridge University Press

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Architecture would lead us to all the arts, as it did with earlier mean: but if we despise it and take no note of how we are housed, the other arts will have a hard time of it indeed.

William Morris

Art, Mean, Hard Times

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So I say, if you cannot learn to love real art; at least learn to hate sham art and reject it. It is not because the wretched thing is so ugly and silly and useless that I ask you to cast it from you; it is much more because these are but the outward symbols of the poison that lies within them; look through them and see all that has gone to their fashioning, and you will see how vain labour, and sorrow, and disgrace have been their companions from the first-and all this for trifles that no man really needs!

William Morris

Art, Lying, Hate

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.150, Cambridge University Press

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If a chap can't compose an epic poem while he's weaving tapestry, he had better shut up, he'll never do any good at all.

William Morris

Epic, Weaving, Shut Up

William Morris (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of William Morris (Illustrated)”, p.6723, Delphi Classics

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Forsooth, brethren, fellowship is heaven and lack of fellowship is hell; fellowship is life and lack of fellowship is death; and the deeds that ye do upon the earth, it is for fellowship's sake that ye do them.

William Morris

Friendship, Heaven, Earth

'A Dream of John Ball' (1888) ch. 4

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And the deeds that ye do upon this earth, it is for fellowship's sake that ye do them.

William Morris

Earth, Deeds, Fellowship

'A Dream of John Ball' (1888) ch. 4

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So with this Earthly Paradise it is, If ye will read aright, and pardon me, Who strive to build a shadowy isle of bliss Midmost the beating of the steely sea.

William Morris

Forgiveness, Sea, Paradise

William Morris (1871). “The Earthly Paradise: A Poem”, p.2

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I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name.

William Morris

Fighting, Men, Names

A Dream of John Ball ch. 4 (1888)

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O thrush, your song is passing sweet,
But never a song that you have sung
Is half so sweet as thrushes sang
When my dear love and I were young.

William Morris

Song, Sweet, Dear Love

"Other Days". "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations", 10th edition, 1919.

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If we feel the least degradation in being amorous, or merry or hungry, or sleepy, we are so far bad animals & miserable men.

William Morris

Animal, Men, Degradation

May Morris, William Morris, Bernard Shaw (1936). “William Morris: Morris as a socialist. William Morris as I knew him, by Bernard Shaw”

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Earth, left silent by the wind of night,Seems shrunken 'neath the gray unmeasured height.

William Morris

Night, Wind, Height

William Morris (1871). “The Earthly Paradise: A Poem”, p.2

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Slayer of the winter, art thou here again? O welcome, thou that bring'st the summer nigh! The bitter wind makes not the victory vain. Nor will we mock thee for thy faint blue sky.

William Morris

Summer, Art, Winter

William Morris, May Morris (2012). “The Collected Works of William Morris: With Introductions by His Daughter May Morris”, p.82, Cambridge University Press

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Forgetfulness of grief I yet may gain;In some wise may come ending to my pain;It may be yet the Gods will have me glad!Yet, Love, I would that thee and pain I had!

William Morris

Wise, Pain, Grief

William Morris (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of William Morris (Illustrated)”, p.3387, Delphi Classics

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Death have we hated, knowing not what it meant; Life we have loved, through green leaf and through sere, Though still the less we knew of its intent.

William Morris

Life, Knowing, Green

William Morris (1871). “September: The death of Paris; The land east of the sun and west of the moon. October: The story of Accontius and Cydippe; The man who never laughed again. November: The story of Rhodope; The lovers of Gudrun”, p.400

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I think the thing that impressed me is (AT&T CEO Michael) Armstrong's strategic vision and the fact that he's got John Malone (TCI's chairman) to go along. There's a real commitment to build a new AT&T.

William Morris

Real, Commitment, Thinking

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Between complete socialism and communism there is no difference whatever in my mind.Communism is in fact the completion of socialism; when that ceases to be militant and becomes triumphant, it will be communism.

William Morris

Differences, Mind, Facts

William Morris (1984). “Political writings of William Morris”, Lawrence & Wishart Ltd

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The wind is not helpless for any man's need, Nor falleth the rain but for thistle and weed.

William Morris

Weed, Rain, Men

William Morris (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of William Morris (Illustrated)”, p.3989, Delphi Classics

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There is no single policy to which one can point and say - this built the Morris business. I should think I must have made not less than one thousand decisions in each of the last ten years. The success of a business is the result of the proportion of right decisions by the executive in charge.

William Morris

Thinking, Years, Decision

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Born: March 24, 1834
Died: October 3, 1896
Occupation: Artist
Cite this Page: Citation

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