“I feel that the essence of dance is the expression of mankind — the landscape of the human soul.”
Martha Graham (1894–1991) American dancer and choreographer
I Am A Dancer (1952)
Source: Blood Memory
Context: I feel that the essence of dance is the expression of mankind — the landscape of the human soul. I hope that every dance I do reveals something of myself or some wonderful thing a human being can be.
“The purest way to communicate the human condition is through the beauty of music.”
Edward W. Hardy (1992) American composer, musician and producer
From an interview in “My Favorite Song: Edward W. Hardy of 'The Woodsman'” https://12e3365e-df7a-3f83-6964-dce78c2d6819.filesusr.com/ugd/118bef_84bd82e1c6e1489da21ac1822508662c.pdf NewYork.com (2016 May 13), “‘Why we joined the union’ - Edward W. Hardy” https://www.local802afm.org/allegro/articles/new-members-feb-2020-4/ Allegro Magazine - Local 802 AFM (2020 Feb 4)
“God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed it is the purest of human pleasures.”
Francis Bacon book Essays
Of Gardens
Essays (1625)
Porphyry (philosopher) (233–301) Neoplatonist philosopher
5 - 6
Auxiliaries to the Perception of Intelligible Natures
Context: Soul, indeed, is a certain medium between an impartible essence, and an essence which is divisible about bodies. But intellect is an impartible essence alone. And qualities and material forms are divisible about bodies.
Not everything which acts on another, effects that which it does effect by approximation and contact; but those natures which effect any thing by approximation and contact, use approximation accidentally.
Saadi book Gulistan of Sa'di
Alternative translation:
The children of Adam are limbs of a whole
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time afflicts one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others
You are not worthy to be called by the name of "man".
Source: Gulistan (1258), Chapter 1, story 10
Aldous Huxley book Point Counter Point
Variant: A bad book is as much of a labour to write as a good one; it comes as sincerely from the author's soul.
Source: Point Counter Point
“Sculpture is the essence of things, the essence of nature, that which is perpetually human.”
Wilhelm Lehmbruck (1881–1919) German sculptor
As quoted in Expressionism (2004) by Norbert Wolf and Uta Grosenick, p. 64
