Saturday, July 26, 2008

Correspondence #7

Human speech is like a cracked cauldron on which we knock out tunes for dancing bears, when we wish to conjure pity from the stars.

Flaubert
Madame Bovary


Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality.

Conrad
Under Western Eyes


Only very simple things can be said without falsehood. The whole language is a machine for making falsehoods.

Iris Murdoch
Under the Net


Language is a virus from outer space.

William Burroughs

2 comments:

Will said...

Great quotes! I have notebooks filled with quotes like these, but of course they aren't grouped by your wonderful method of "correspondences" -- I'll try a similar grouping soon and maybe you can add it as a "guest post."

You've inspired me to return to Madame Bovary asap. I put it down about half-way through, distracted by other books (which most likely won't be as satisfying).

Murr said...

I'd be delighted to!

Your blog is a treasure house dedicated to obscure writers. I must read Cendrar's Moravagine Instantly!