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The Time Is Ripe, And Rotten-ripe, For Change; Then Let It Come: I Have No Dread Of What Is Called For By The Instinct Of Mankind. Nor Think I That God's World Would Fall Apart Because We Tear A Parchment More Or Less. Truth Is Eternal, But Her Effluence, With Endless Change, Is Fitted To The Hour; Her Mirror Is Turned Forward, To Reflect The Promise Of The Future, Not The Past. I Do Not Fear To Follow Out The Truth.
-James Russell Lowell
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The Time Is Ripe,

James Russell Lowell
The Time Is Ripe, And Rotten-ripe, For Change; Then Let It Come: I Have No Dread Of What Is Called For By The Instinct Of Mankind. Nor Think I That God's World Would Fall Apart Because We Tear A Parchment More Or Less. Truth Is Eternal, But Her Effluence, With Endless Change, Is Fitted To The Hour; Her Mirror Is Turned Forward, To Reflect The Promise Of The Future, Not The Past. I Do Not Fear To Follow Out The Truth.
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Thinking
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A Word Once Vulgarized Can Never Be Rehabilitated.
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We Kind O' Thought Christ Went Agin War An' Pillage.
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They Enslave Their Children's Children Who Make Compromise With Sin.
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My Gran'ther's Rule Was Safer 'n 't Is To Crow: Don't Never Prophesy - Onless Ye Know.
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The One Thing Finished In This Hasty World.
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The Quiet Tenderness Of Chaucer, Where You Almost Seem To Hear The Hot Tears Falling, And The Simple Choking Words Sobbed Out.
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A Poet Must Need Be Before His Own Age, To Be Even With Posterity
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Truth Always Has A Bewitching Savor Of Newness In It, And Novelty At The First Taste Recalls That Original Sweetness To The Tongue; But Alas For Him Who Would Make The One A Substitute For The Other.
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The Surest Plan To Make A Man Is, Think Him So.
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Be Noble! And The Nobleness That Liesin Other Men, Sleeping, But Never Dead,will Rise In Majesty To Meet Thine Own.
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If The Devil Take A Less Hateful Shape To Us Than To Our Fathers, He Is As Busy With Us As With Them.
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Ef You Want Peace, The Thing You've Gut To Du Is Jes' To Show You're Up To Fightin', Tu.
Peace
Want
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Onward And Upward
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O Visionary World, Condition Strange, Where Naught Abiding Is But Only Change.
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Abiding
Visionaries
Communism Means Barbarism.
Mean
Communism
Barbarism
To Have Greatly Dreamed Precludes Low Ends.
Ends
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Memories
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Heaven Is Neither Here Nor There To Me. Everywhere And Nowhere. Just Not In Between, But I Believe In Heaven.
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Heaven
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Onward And Upward
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Teach
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Memories
Attention
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Brother
Heart
Equality
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Summer
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Lying
Good Luck Is The Willing Handmaid Of Upright, Energetic Character, And Conscientious Observance Of Duty.
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Good Luck
Best Of Luck
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Life Seems A Jest Of Fate's Contriving.
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God Is Not Dumb, That He Should Speak No More; If Thou Hast Wanderings In The Wilderness And Find'st Not Sinai, 'tis Thy Soul Is Poor.
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I Tell Ye Wut, My Judgment Is You're Pooty Sure To Fail, Ez Long 'z The Head Keeps Turnin' Back For Counsel To The The Tail.
Failure
Long
Tails
Life Is The Jailer, Death The Angel Sent To Draw The Unwilling Bolts And Set Us Free.
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Dying
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Planets
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Wisdom
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Longing
Silent
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Reading
Eye
Voice
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Education
Destiny
America
Safe In The Hallowed Quiets Of The Past.
Past
Memorial
Safe
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Zion
America
Church
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Heart
Soul
Genius
It Is Good To Lengthen To The Last A Sunny Mood.
Lasts
Sunny
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Simplicity
Ridiculous
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Ocean
Sea
Pirate
It Is Not Without Reason That Fame Is Awarded Only After Death. The Cloud-dust Of Notoriety Which Follows And Envelops The Men Who Drive With The Wind Bewilders Contemporary Judgment.
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Clouds
Dust
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Heaven
Asking
May
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Failing
Intellect
Conscience
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Ease
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Quality
Endurance
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Weakness
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Mirrors
Promise
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Grief
Sorrow
Great Idea
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Weather
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Beautiful
Alive
Tradition
Have You Ever Rightly Considered What The Mere Ability To Read Means? That It Is The Key Which Admits Us To The Whole World Of Thought And Fancy And Imagination? To The Company Of Saint And Sage, Of The Wisest And The Wittiest At Their Wisest And Wittiest Moment? That It Enables Us To See With The Keenest Eyes, Hear With The Finest Ears, And Listen To The Sweetest Voices Of All Time? More Than That, It Annihilates Time And Space For Us.
Reading
Mean
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And What They Dare To Dream Of, Date To Do.
Dream
Dare To Dream
Daring
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Kings
Heart
Blessing
In General Those Who Nothing Have To Say Contrive To Spend The Longest Time In Doing It.
Speech
There Is Something Magnificent In Having A Country To Love.
Country
4th Of July
Cinco De Mayo
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Boston
Rooms
Newspapers
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Kings
Men
Soul
Winds Wanders, And Dews Drip Earthward; Rains Fall, Suns Rise And Set; Earth Whirls, And All But To Prosper A Poor Little Violet.
Rain
Fall
Wind
But Life Is Sweet, Though All That Makes It Sweet. Lessen Like Sound Of Friends Departing Feet; And Death Is Beautiful As Feet Of Friend. Coming With Welcome At Our Journey's End.
Beautiful
Death
Sweet
And Blessed Are The Horny Hands Of Toil.
Blessed
Hands
Horny
The Material Of Thought Re-acts Upon The Thought Itself.
Materials
Year By Year, More And More Of The World Gets Disenchanted. Even The Icy Privacy Of The Arctic And Antarctic Circles Is Invaded. We Have Played Jack Horner With Our Earth, Till There Is Never A Plum Left In It.
Circles
Years
Earth
A Stray Hair, By Its Continued Irritation, May Give More Annoyance Than A Smart Blow.
Smart
Blow
Irritation
Old Events Have Modern Meanings; Only That Survives Of Past History Which Finds Kindred In All Hearts And Lives.
Heart
Past
History
Folks Never Understand The Folks They Hate.
Life
Happiness
Success
Time Makes Ancient Good Uncouth.
Onward And Upward
Ancient
Uncouth
The Future Works Out Great Men's Destinies; The Present Is Enough For Common Souls, Who, Never Looking Forward, Are Indeed Mere Clay Wherein The Footprints Of Their Age Are Petrified Forever.
Destiny
Men
Work Out
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Sweet
Hero
Men
That Cause Is Strong Which Has, Not A Multitude, But One Strong Man Behind It.
Strength
Strong
Men
What A Sense Of Security In An Old Book Which Time Has Criticized For Us!
Time
Book
Reading
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Bravery
Literature
Weak
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Faith
Color
Weather
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Thieves
Rust
Literature
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Funny
Truth
Agreement
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Spring
Real
Wind
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Death
Wise
Country
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Two
Flesh
Spirit
Fastidiousness Is Only Another Word For Egotism; And All Men Who Know Not Where To Look For Truth Save In The Narrow Well Of Self Will Find Their Own Image At The Bottom, And Mistake It For What They Are Seeking.
Mistake
Men
Self
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Christmas
Sweet
Mean
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Inspirational
Loneliness
Character
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Sacrifice
Reality
Men
Let Us Be Of Good Cheer, However, Remembering That The Misfortunes Hardest To Bear Are Those Which Never Come.
Inspirational
Life
Success
The Stiff Rails Were Softened To Swan's-down, And Still Fluttered Down The Snow.
Winter
Swans
Snow
Fools, When Their Roof-tree Falls, Think It Doomsday.
Fall
Thinking
Tree
If We See Light At The End Of The Tunnel, It's The Light Of The Oncoming Train.
Funny
Humor
Tunnels
A Wise Skepticism Is The First Attribute Of A Good Critic.
Wise
Wisdom
Criticism
Incredulity Robs Us Of Many Pleasures, And Gives Us Nothing In Return.
Giving
Literature
Return
A Great Part Of Human Suffering Has Its Root In The Nature Of Man, And Not In That Of His Institutions.
Men
Roots
Suffering
In Vain We Call Old Notions Fudge, And Bend Our Conscience To Our Dealing; The Ten Commandments Will Not Budge, And Stealing Will Continue Stealing.
Fudge
Stealing
Vain
What Men Prize Most Is A Privilege, Even If It Be That Of Chief Mourner At A Funeral.
Pride
Men
Funeral
That Pernicious Sentiment, "our Country, Right Or Wrong."
Country
Sentiments
Pernicious
Borrowed Garments Never Keep One Warm.
Plagiarism
Garments
Borrowed
Tis As Easy To Be Heroes As To Sit The Idle Slaves.
Hero
Slave
Easy
Poetry Is Something To Make Us Wiser And Better, By Continually Revealing Those Types Of Beauty And Truth, Which God Has Set In All Men's Souls.
Beauty
Men
Soul
Humbleness Is Always Grace; Always Dignity
Humility
Grace
Dignity
Wut 's Words To Them Whose Faith An' Truth On War's Red Techstone Rang True Metal; Who Ventered Life An' Love An' Youth For The Gret Prize O' Death In Battle?
Life
Truth
War
The New World's Sons From England's Breast We Drew Such Milk As Bids Remember Whence We Came, Proud Of Her Past Wherefrom Our Future Grew, This Window We Inscribe With Raleigh's Fame.
Son
Past
World
Children Are God's Apostles, Sent Forth, Day By Day, To Preach Of Love, And Hope, And Peace.
Love
Peace
Children
Freedom Is The Only Law Which Genius Knows.
Freedom
Law
Atheism
No Mud Can Soil Us But The Mud We Throw.
Mud
Soil
Reading Chaucer Is Like Brushing Through The Dewy Grass At Sunrise.
Reading
Sunrise
Grass
Wealth May Be An Excellent Thing, For It Means Power, And It Means Leisure, It Means Liberty.
Mean
Liberty
May
'tis Sorrow Builds The Shining Ladder Up, Whose Golden Rounds Are Our Calamities, Whereon Our Firm Feet Planting, Nearer God The Spirit Climbs, And Hath Its Eyes Unsealed. True It Is That Death's Face Seems Stern And Cold When He Is Sent To Summon Those We Love; But All God's Angels Come To Us Disguised; Sorrow And Sickness, Poverty And Death, One After Another, Lift Their Frowning Masks, And We Behold The Seraph's Face Beneath, All Radiant With The Glory And The Calm Of Having Looked Upon The Front Of God.
Love
Eye
Angel
He Who Is Firmly Seated In Authority Soon Learns To Think Security, And Not Progress, The Highest Lesson In Statecraft.
Thinking
Progress
Literature
Endurance Is The Crowning Quality, And Patience All The Passion Of Great Hearts.
Patience
Passion
Heart
Fanaticism, Or, To Call It By Its Milder Name, Enthusiasm, Is Only Powerful And Active So Long As It Is Aggressive. Establish It Firmly In Power, And It Becomes Conservatism, Whether It Will Or No.
Powerful
Names
Long
Certainly It Is No Shame To A Man That He Should Be As Nice About His Country As His Sweetheart, Yet It Would Not Be Wise To Hold Everyone An Enemy Who Could Not See Her With Our Own Enchanted Eyes.
Wise
Country
Peace
It Is Only The Intellect That Can Be Thoroughly And Hideously Wicked. It Can Forget Everything In The Attainment Of Its Ends. The Heart Recoils; In Its Retired Some Drops Of Childhood's Dew Still Linger, Defying Manhood's Fiery Noon.
Heart
Forget Everything
Childhood
The Pressure Of Public Opinion Is Like The Pressure Of The Atmosphere; You Can't See It - But All The Same, It Is Sixteen Pounds To The Square Inch.
Squares
Atmosphere
Sixteen
Imagination, Where It Is Truly Creative, Is A Faculty, And Not A Quality; It Looks Before And After, It Gives The Form That Makes All The Parts Work Together Harmoniously Toward A Given End, Its Seat Is In The Higher Reason, And It Is Efficient Only As A Servant Of The Will. Imagination, As It Is Too Often Misunderstood, Is Mere Fantasy, The Image-making Power, Common To All Who Have The Gift Of Dreams.
Dream
Giving
Imagination
There Are Two Kinds Of Weakness, That Which Breaks And That Which Bends.
Destiny
Two
Weakness
Compromise Makes A Good Umbrella, But A Poor Roof.
Compromise
Poor
Umbrella
Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.


2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.


2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.


2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.


3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.


3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.


3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.



4. Proper Usage of Quotes


4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.


4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.


4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).


5. Common Mistakes to Avoid


5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.


5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.


5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.



6. Quotes in Different Contexts


6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.


6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.


6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.



7. Punctuation and Formatting


Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:


Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.


Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.


Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.



8. Ethical Considerations


Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes


Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.



Conclusion


Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.


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