“To write for others,’ she thought, ‘it seems one must be a spy—or a teller of tales.”
Samuel R. Delany book Neveryóna
Source: Neveryóna (1983), Chapter 11, “Of Family Gatherings, Grammatology, More Models, and More Mysteries” (p. 313)
“The Watchman falls "into" the trap of looking. The "spy" is a different person.... The spy must be ready to "move", must be aware of his entrances and exits. The watchman leaves his job & takes away no information. The spy must remember & must remember himself & his remembering. The spy designs himself to be overlooked. The watchman "serves" as a warning. Will the spy & the watchman ever meet? In a painting named SPY, will he be present? The spy stations himself to observe the watchman. If the spy is a foreign object, why is the eye not irritated? Is he invisible? When the spy irritates, we try to remove him. "Not spying, just looking"”
Watchman. Somewhere here, there is the question of "seeing clearly". Seeing what? According to what?
Book A (sketchbook), c 1965: as quoted in Jasper Johns, Writings, sketchbook Notes, Interviews, ed. Kirk Varnedoe, Moma New York, 1996, p. 60
1960s
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American artist 1930Related quotes
“Trump should be happy that the FBI was SPYING on his campaign”
James Clapper (1941) US government official
Misquoted in a tweet by Donald Trump, of an interview Clapper gave on the television show The View
[Qiu, Linda, Trump Incorrectly Quotes James Clapper to Falsely Claim F.B.I. Spied on Campaign, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/us/politics/fact-check-trump-clapper-campaign-spy.html, 27 July 2018, The New York Times]
Misattributed
Michael Kurland book Ten Little Wizards
He turned to Lord Peter with a sudden realization. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to imply—”
”That’s all right, Your Highness,” Lord Peter said. “It’s a common reaction. Their spies are dirty, filthy scum, not fit to wipe your boots on, while our spies are noble gentlemen doing dangerous work for the love of King and Country. Would that it were so, Your Highness, but I’m afraid that sometimes the desired image is at fault—in both directions.”
Source: Ten Little Wizards (1988), Chapter 4 (p. 33)
Ally Carter (1974) American writer
Source: United We Spy
“We can't spy on them if they aren't spying on us, now can we?" Warped logic, but okay.”
Gena Showalter (1975) American writer
Source: Alice in Zombieland
“I got nothing. Even the spies I’m spying on who are spying on other spies got nothing.”
Kresley Cole American writer
Source: Shadow's Claim
“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011 film)”
John le Carré (1931) British novelist and spy
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“Since knowledge is but sorrow's spy,
It is not safe to know.”
William Davenant (1606–1668) English poet and playwright
The Just Italian (licensed Oct. 2, 1629; printed 1630), Act v. Sc. 1.
Compare: "From ignorance our comfort flows", Matthew Prior, To the Hon. Charles Montague; "Where ignorance is bliss, ’T is folly to be wise", Thomas Gray, Eton College, Stanza 10.
“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979 TV series)”
John le Carré (1931) British novelist and spy
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