“The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; and, after an era of darkness, new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again, and yet live on, still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men’s hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead.

And even the books that do not last long, penetrate their own times at least, sailing farther than Ulysses even dreamed of, like ships on the seas. It is the author’s part to call into being their cargoes and passengers,—living thoughts and rich bales of study and jeweled ideas. And as for the publishers, it is they who build the fleet, plan the voyage, and sail on, facing wreck, till they find every possible harbor that will value their burden.”

—  Clarence Day

The Story of the Yale University Press Told by a Friend (1920), pp. 7–8.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nati…" by Clarence Day?
Clarence Day photo
Clarence Day 6
American writer 1874–1935

Related quotes

Oscar Wilde photo

“In old days books were written by men of letters and read by the public. Nowadays books are written by the public and read by nobody.”

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish writer and poet

A Few Maxims for the Instruction of the Over-Educated (1894)

Edith Sitwell photo
Yann Martel photo
Mark Steyn photo
Alberto Manguel photo
Terry Pratchett photo

“Most books on witchcraft will tell you that witches work naked. This is because most books on witchcraft are written by men.”

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author

Source: Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Tsunetomo Yamamoto photo
Northrop Frye photo

“The soul is an immaculate virgin…Then it goes out and gets fucked by the world all day long & staggers back a baggy-eyed old whore, still hoping that after a sleep the Moment of purification will come again.”

Northrop Frye (1912–1991) Canadian literary critic and literary theorist

Source: "Quotes", Notebooks and Lectures on the Bible and Other Religious Texts (2003), p. 27

Edward Young photo

Related topics