In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest. Henry Miller on age
An artist is always alone - if he is an artist. No, what the artist needs is loneliness. Henry Miller on alone
An artist is always alone - if he is an artist. No, what the artist needs is loneliness. Henry Miller on art
The waking mind is the least serviceable in the arts. Henry Miller on art
Art is only a means to life, to the life more abundant. It is not in itself the life more abundant. It merely points the way, something which is overlooked not only by the public, but very often by the artist himself. In becoming an end it defeats itself. Henry Miller on art
When one is trying to do something beyond his known powers it is useless to seek the approval of friends. Friends are at their best in moments of defeat. Henry Miller on best
The great work must inevitably be obscure, except to the very few, to those who like the author himself are initiated into the mysteries. Communication then is secondary: it is perpetuation which is important. For this only one good reader is necessary. Henry Miller on communication
In the attempt to defeat death man has been inevitably obliged to defeat life, for the two are inextricably related. Life moves on to death, and to deny one is to deny the other. Henry Miller on death
The Teutons have been singing the swan song ever since they entered the ranks of history. They have always confounded truth with death. Henry Miller on death
All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without benefit of experience. Henry Miller on experience
No matter how vast, how total, the failure of man here on earth, the work of man will be resumed elsewhere. War leaders talk of resuming operations on this front and that, but man's front embraces the whole universe. Henry Miller on failure
Back of every creation, supporting it like an arch, is faith. Enthusiasm is nothing: it comes and goes. But if one believes, then miracles occur. Henry Miller on faith
Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves. Henry Miller on fear
There is nothing strange about fear: no matter in what guise it presents itself it is something with which we are all so familiar that when a man appears who is without it we are at once enslaved by him. Henry Miller on fear
Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him. Henry Miller on future
Los Angeles gives one the feeling of the future more strongly than any city I know of. A bad future, too, like something out of Fritz Lang's feeble imagination. Henry Miller on future
Imagination is the voice of daring. If there is anything Godlike about God it is that. He dared to imagine everything. Henry Miller on god
No man is great enough or wise enough for any of us to surrender our destiny to. The only way in which anyone can lead us is to restore to us the belief in our own guidance. Henry Miller on great
The Teutons have been singing the swan song ever since they entered the ranks of history. They have always confounded truth with death. Henry Miller on history
Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves. Henry Miller on hope