Precarious Quotes

“I think one who thrives on death may be defeated by life.Elswyth, from A Precarious Journey Into Magic”

“Your brother is a sensitive person. Aesthetically, ethically, and intellectually he is in fact hypersensitive. As a result, it would seem that he was born only to torture himself. He has none of that saving dullness of intelligence which sees little difference between A and B. To him it must be either A or B. And if it is to be A, its shape, degree, and shade of color must precisely match his own conception of it; otherwise he will not accept it. Your brother, being sensitive, is all his life walking on a line he has chosen—a line as precarious as a tight rope. At the same time he impatiently demands that others also tread an equally precarious rope, without missing their footing. It would be a mistake, though, to think that this stems from selfishness. Imagine a world which could react exactly the way your brother expects; that world would undoubtedly be far more advanced than the world as it is now. Consequently, he detests the world which is—aesthetically, intellectually, and ethically—not as advanced as he is himself. That's why it's different from mere selfishness, I think.”

“Living by proxy is always a precarious expedient.”

“Any order is a balancing act of extreme precariousness.”

“Anybody who has had a great treasure has always led a precarious existence.”

“The very precariousness of weather excites a large amount of earnest prayer.”

“My father followed, during most of his life, the precarious occupation of a country school teacher.”

“My dear, I'm seldom sure of anything. Life at best is a precarious business...”

“It's precarious to hang onto the veracity of memory because its edges are smoothed by the river of time.”