“Mr. Lecky had proceeded quickly for several moments before he drew up, shocked. A few more steps and he might have stumbled on his idiot, for the stairs he had been approaching were the front stairs to the silverware department,… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
Bailey might not have great intelligence or abilities, but his whole aim, thought and study was that of the born leader--to look out for… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
The first test of ability and intelligence is to find a field of endeavor in which profits are large and risks small. — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
Real rebels are rarely anything but second rate outside their rebellion; the drain of time and temper is ruinous to any other accomplishment. — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
“Moving on, while he wondered, the dark through which Mr. Lecky's light cut grew more beautiful with scents. Particles of solid matter so minute, gases so subtle, that they filtered through stopping and sealing, hung on the unstirred air. Drawn in with Mr. Lecky's breath came impalpable dews cooked out of disintegrating coal. Distilled, chemically split and reformed, they ended… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share
“At Childerstown High School and at college he had never led his class nor taken prizes; but, without being aware that he did, he really blamed this on his failure to work hard, or any harder than he needed to. . . . What he did not know, what Paul Bonbright, among others, showed him, was that those abilities of… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share
There never could be a man so brave that he would not sometime, or in the end, turn part or all coward; or so… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
A cynic is just a man who found out when he was about ten that there wasn't any Santa Claus, and he's still upset.… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
The innocent supposition, entertained by most people, that even if they are not brilliant, they are not dumb, is correct only in a very… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share Image
“Indeed, he could not be long in discovering that people beyond a suspicion of unbalance, or not obviously coveting the moment's arrest of attention gained them by their statements, never had experience with or knowledge of the restless dead. Slowly accepting this as evidence that no such things existed, Mr. Lecky found terrors deeper, and to him more plausible, to… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share
“Mr. Lecky could see well enough to eat. He brought his chair over and sat down gratefully while he consumed, but with appetite now, the ham and biscuits which he had disdained in the morning. Even the fact that he was using to cut his ham the knife which had cut a human throat did not disturb him. He had… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share
“Descending the endless stairs for the sixth time, Mr. Lecky thought of all the goods those closed doors hid. Fantastic was the discouragement it caused him. Aware of such variety and great quantity, Mr. Lecky saw the danger of forgetting or never even imagining things which, discovered, he would want. Everlastingly midway between two equal errors, to which could he… — James Gould Cozzens Copy Share
