William Lyon Phelps quotes

William Lyon Phelps was a renowned American author, critic, and professor. Born on January 2, 1865, he effortlessly blended literature, education, and philosophy. With a strong focus on classical literature, Phelps believed in the power of words to shape society. As a professor of English literature at Yale University, he inspired countless students with his insightful teachings. Phelps authored numerous books, including "Essays on Modern Novelists" and "The Advance of English Poetry in the Twentieth Century." His eloquent writing style and thought-provoking ideas earned him accolades and recognition throughout his career. Discover more about William Lyon Phelps, his literary contributions, and his influence on generations of readers and scholars.

This is the first test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible value to him.

- William Lyon Phelps

The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.

- William Lyon Phelps

Music is essentially the manly art... In the entire history of music, in all times and countries, there had never been a woman able to write first-rate music.

- William Lyon Phelps

If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

- William Lyon Phelps

At a certain age, people's minds close up and they live off their intellectual fat.

- William Lyon Phelps

A cat pours his body on the floor like water. It is restful just to see him.

- William Lyon Phelps

You can be deprived of your money, your job and your home by someone else, but remember that no one can ever take away your honor.

- William Lyon Phelps

One of the secrets of life is to keep our intellectual curiosity acute.

- William Lyon Phelps

A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view halfway up is better than the view from the base, and it steadily becomes finer as the horizon expands.

- William Lyon Phelps

The happiest people in this world are those who have the most interesting thoughts.

- William Lyon Phelps

Nature makes boys and girls lovely to look upon so they can be tolerated until they acquire some sense.

- William Lyon Phelps

The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts, and we grow happier as we grow older.

- William Lyon Phelps

A student never forgets an encouraging private word, when it is given with sincere respect and admiration.

- William Lyon Phelps

I divide all readers into two classes: those who read to remember and those who read to forget.

- William Lyon Phelps

If happiness truly consisted in physical ease and freedom from care, then the happiest individual would not be either a man or a woman; it would be, I think, an American cow.

- William Lyon Phelps

The fear of life is the favorite disease of the 20th century.

- William Lyon Phelps

You can learn more about human nature by reading the Bible than by living in New York.

- William Lyon Phelps

In a start-up company, you basically throw out all assumptions every three weeks.

- William Lyon Phelps

If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.

- William Lyon Phelps

God speaks to me not through the thunder and the earthquake, nor through the ocean and the stars, but through the Son of Man, and speaks in a language adapted to my imperfect sight and hearing.

- William Lyon Phelps

If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

- William Lyon Phelps

Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company, good conversation - what are they? They are the happiest people in the world.

- William Lyon Phelps

If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens.

- William Lyon Phelps

This is the final test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him.

- William Lyon Phelps

There is a strange reluctance on the part of most people to admit they enjoy life.

- William Lyon Phelps

If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to get wet.

- William Lyon Phelps

A bibliophile of little means is likely to suffer often. Books don't slip from his hands but fly past him through the air, high as birds, high as prices.

- William Lyon Phelps

Whenever it is possible, a boy should choose some occupation which he should do even if he did not need the money.

- William Lyon Phelps