“ Don't mind anything any one tells you about any one else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself. ”
Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1881). copy citation
| Author | Henry James |
|---|---|
| Source | The Portrait of a Lady |
| Topic | opinion judgement gossip |
| Date | 1881 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2833/2833-h/2833-h.htm |
Context
“The more information one has about one's dangers the better.»
«I don't agree to that—it may make them dangers. We know too much about people in these days; we hear too much. Our ears, our minds, our mouths, are stuffed with personalities. Don't mind anything any one tells you about any one else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.»
«That's what I try to do,» said Isabel «but when you do that people call you conceited.»
«You're not to mind them—that's precisely my argument; not to mind what they say about yourself any more than what they say about your friend or your enemy.»” source
«I don't agree to that—it may make them dangers. We know too much about people in these days; we hear too much. Our ears, our minds, our mouths, are stuffed with personalities. Don't mind anything any one tells you about any one else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.»
«That's what I try to do,» said Isabel «but when you do that people call you conceited.»
«You're not to mind them—that's precisely my argument; not to mind what they say about yourself any more than what they say about your friend or your enemy.»” source
Meaning and analysis
