It becomes clear at once that patriotism undoubtedly belongs to the positive realm. The very word says as much: love of fatherland.... Or is that perhaps giving too lofty an appraisal of the concept in the course of translating it? If the characteristic of true love is that it gives more than it asks, then the good patriot should examine his own sentiment. An inborn attachment to what is one's own does not of itself deserve the name of love. If the state is at peace and is as well-governed as a human community can be, then the citizen's loyalty to his country, his services to it in the forms of energy, devotion, and funds, in general coincide with his own vital interests. The fatherland repays his loyalty by giving him safety, justice, and sometimes even freedom. In fulfilling his patriotic duties he is not performing an act of love. Only when the fatherland is in danger does his giving become a sacrifice, his serving a suffering, his loyalty a love.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
All in all, the creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external worl...d by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds his contribution to the creative act. This becomes even more obvious when posterity gives its final verdict and sometimes rehabilitates forgotten artists.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of a new insight, is an act of intuition. Such intuitions give the appearance of miracul...ous flushes, or short-circuits of reasoning. In fact they may be likened to an immersed chain, of which only the beginning and the end are visible above the surface of consciousness. The diver vanishes at one end of the chain and comes up at the other end, guided by invisible links.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Life springs from death and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations.... They think that they have pacified ...Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything, think they have provided against everything; but the fools, the fools, the fools, they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Some men are born committed to action: they do not have a choice, they have been thrown on a path, at the end of that path, an act... awaits them, their act ...LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Let our hearts, as subtle masters do, Stir up their servants to an act of rage... And after seem to chide 'em. This shall make Our purpose necessary, and not envious; Which so appearing to the common eyes, We shall be called purgers, not murderers.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
When my outward action doth demonstrate The native act and figure of my heart... In compliment extern, 'tis not long after But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »