NOVEL, n. A short story padded. A species of composition bearing the same relation to literature that the panorama bears to art. As it is too long to be read at a sitting the impressions made by its successive parts are successively effaced, as in the panorama. Unity, totality of effect, is impossible for besides the few pages last read all that is carried in mind is the mere plot of what has gone before. To the romance the novel is what photography is to painting. Its distinguishing principle, probability, corresponds to the literal actuality of the photograph and puts it distinctly into the category of reporting whereas the free wing of the romancer enables him to mount to such altitudes of imagination as he may be fitted to attain and the first three essentials of the literary art are imagination, imagination and imagination. The art of writing novels, such as it was, is long dead everywhere except in Russia, where it is new. Peace to its ashes some of which have a large sale.
More Quotes from Ambrose Bierce:
POCKET, n. The cradle of motive and the grave of conscience. In woman this organ is lacking so she acts without motive, and her conscience, denied burial, remains ever alive, confessing the sins of others.Ambrose Bierce
We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.
Ambrose Bierce
KINDNESS, n. A brief preface to ten volumes of exaction.
Ambrose Bierce
ART, n. This word has no definition. Its origin is related by the ingenious Father Gassalasca Jape as 'One day a wag what would the wretch be at Shifted a letter of the cipher RAT, And said it was a god's name ...'
Ambrose Bierce
IMPROVIDENCE, n. Provision for the needs of to-day from the revenues of to-morrow.
Ambrose Bierce
FIB, n. A lie that has not cut its teeth. An habitual liar's nearest approach to truth the perigee of his eccentric orbit.
Ambrose Bierce
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Based on Topics: Art Quotes, Chance Quotes, Drawing & Painting Quotes, Imagination & Visualization Quotes, Mind Quotes, Photography Quotes, Principle Quotes, Romantic Love Quotes, Unity Quotes, War & Peace Quotes, Writing QuotesBased on Keywords: actuality, altitudes, corresponds, effaced, padded, panorama, romancer, successively
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