“ Consummate politeness is not the right tonic for an emotional collapse. ”
Joseph Conrad, Victory: An Island Tale (1915). copy citation
| Author | Joseph Conrad |
|---|---|
| Source | Victory: An Island Tale |
| Topic | politeness collapse |
| Date | 1915 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6378/6378-h/6378-h.htm |
Context
“The Swede was as much distressed as Morrison; for he understood the other's feelings perfectly. No decent feeling was ever scorned by Heyst. But he was incapable of outward cordiality of manner, and he felt acutely his defect. Consummate politeness is not the right tonic for an emotional collapse. They must have had, both of them, a fairly painful time of it in the cabin of the brig. In the end Morrison, casting desperately for an idea in the blackness of his despondency, hit upon the notion of inviting Heyst to travel with him in his brig and have a share in his trading ventures up to the amount of his loan.”
source
