I have led too serious a life; but that perhaps, after all, preserves one’s youth. At all events, I have travelled too far, I have worked too hard, I have lived in brutal climates and associated with tiresome people. When a man has reached his fifty-second year without being, materially, the worse for wear — when he has fair health, a fair fortune, a tidy conscience and a complete exemption from embarrassing relatives — I suppose he is bound, in delicacy, to write himself happy.
~ Henry James (1843-1916) from The Diary of a Man of Fifty
Reference/Credits:
- Henry James: “The Diary of a Man of Fifty“ is FREE at Amazon for Kindles/iPads.
- Henry James was an American-born British writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
- Image and Quote Source: Brainpickings
henry james and i have very different personal measures of happiness, and yet, his acceptance and contentment with his life, are the very things that have brought him this far, and something i very much agree with.
I’ve never read anything by Henry James (nor did I know William James had a brother Henry). But I agree with this in totality.
Thanks for the book. My favorite ‘man of 50’ book is Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse…
Todd, thanks. I’ve never read Steppenwolf. I going to Amazon to add it to my wish list. Thanks for pointing me to it.
A man of letters like you? It is also in the public domain…
A man of letters. Ha! Reminds me of a quote I ran into today from a wise man by the name of Todd Lohenry:
One thing is clear to me. You can�t know everything you�d like to know. You can�t do everything you�d like to do. You can�t read everything you�d like to read. You must hold onto some things and let go of others. Learning to make that choice is one of the big lessons of this life.
~ Real Live Preacher
if Henry is happy, I am happy…………
🙂
Guilty, and I suppose on a similar path. Bravo James for giving me and alternate view.
Me too Len, me too
Good thing I don’t rate my happiness by financial wealth and position — I’d be swimmin’ with the fishes!
He is asking to pay attention and be grateful umm…
Or Omm? 🙂
Haha.
Yikes! This is happy?
Laughing…
How does one get a complete exemption from embarrassing relatives?
I’m not touching that ONE.
🙂