--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is with fine sentiments that bad…" description: "\"It is with fine sentiments that bad literature is made. Descend to the bottom of the well if you wish to see the stars.\" — Andre Gide" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/andre-gide-790_books_it-is-with-fine-sentiments-that-bad-lite_1059051.png" --- # It is with fine sentiments that bad literature is made… ![“It is with fine sentiments that bad literature is made. Descend to the bottom of the well if you wish to see the stars.” quote by Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/andre-gide-790_books_it-is-with-fine-sentiments-that-bad-lite_1059051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/andre-gide-790_books_it-is-with-fine-sentiments-that-bad-lite_1059051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/andre-gide-790_books_it-is-with-fine-sentiments-that-bad-lite_1059051.png) > “It is with fine sentiments that bad literature is made. Descend to the bottom of the well if you wish to see the stars.” [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fine sentiments can mask poor literature; seeking lofty visions without substance leads to shallow work. **In simple terms:** Sentiments alone don’t make good writing. Key Takeaway Focus on depth, not just feeling. Themes literature critique artistic standards Mood reflective critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - creative writing classes - literary analysis - editing - publishing Key Concepts Aestheticism literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance emotion and craft? - What defines “bad” literature? A Different Perspective Great sentiment without substance can still produce weak work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-with-noble-sentiments-that-bad-literature-gets-written/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“A fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-fool-what-with-sheer-fright-and-fine-sentiments-is-always-safe/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Often with good sentiments we produce bad literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/often-with-good-sentiments-we-produce-bad-literature/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [I don't wish on stars, I never regret anything, I'm afraid of the future but I know it'll come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-wish-on-stars-i-never-regret-anything-i-m-afraid-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you. I wish upon the stars, that somewhere you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/late-at-night-when-all-the-world-is-sleeping-i-stay-up-and-think-of-4/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish on the stars that we shall see each other again, I bet u no matter how far we are this distance can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sweetner/i-wish-on-the-stars-that-we-shall-see-each-other-again-i-bet-u-no/) [Sweetner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sweetner/) > [“Without darkness, we couldn't wish on stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-nolin/without-darkness-we-couldn-t-wish-on-stars/) Sharon Nolin > [If I could have 3 wishes, I wouldn't wish for the stars, the moon, the riches and this life. But for 25 hours a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-i-could-have-3-wishes-i-wouldn-t-wish-for-the-stars-the-moon-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“I wish on one of the stars for divine orchestration and save the rest of them for all of the other girls in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-wish-on-one-of-the-stars-for-divine-orchestration-and-save-the-rest/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) > [“They say you can wish on the stars, and if you run out of stars, wishing on a rainbow is the next best thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-pogorzelski/they-say-you-can-wish-on-the-stars-and-if-you-run-out-of-stars/) [Susan Pogorzelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-pogorzelski/) > [“You can never read bad literature too little, nor good literature too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/you-can-never-read-bad-literature-too-little-nor-good-literature-too/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“In one sense at any rate it is more valuable to read bad literature than good literature. Good literature may tell us the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/in-one-sense-at-any-rate-it-is-more-valuable-to-read-bad-literature/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [bad literature of the sort called amusing is spiritual gin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/bad-literature-of-the-sort-called-amusing-is-spiritual-gin/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“But this lump does not absolve me, because I got it through heedlessness, not though courage. I run my tongue over my lip and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/but-this-lump-does-not-absolve-me-because-i-got-it-through/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Pornography is writing that seeks primarily, even exclusively, to bring about sexual stimulation. This can be done crudely or delicately. In the former case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-tynan/pornography-is-writing-that-seeks-primarily-even-exclusively-to-bring/) [Kenneth Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-tynan/) ## More by Andre Gide > [Without mysticism man can achieve nothing great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/without-mysticism-man-can-achieve-nothing-great/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“The things one feels are different about oneself are the things that are rare, that give each person their value - and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/the-things-one-feels-are-different-about-oneself-are-the-things-that/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [I believe that in every circumstance I have been able to see rather clearly the most advantageous course I could follow, which is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/i-believe-that-in-every-circumstance-i-have-been-able-to-see-rather/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it-is-ugly-whoever-studies/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“There is a germ of revolt lying in the spirit of inquiry and critical curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-is-a-germ-of-revolt-lying-in-the-spirit-of-inquiry-and-critical/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [God lies ahead. I convince myself and constantly repeat to myself that: He depends on us. It is through us that God is achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/god-lies-ahead-i-convince-myself-and-constantly-repeat-to-myself-that/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Welcome everything that comes to you, but do not long for anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/welcome-everything-that-comes-to-you-but-do-not-long-for-anything-else/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Envying another man's happiness is madness; you wouldn't know what to do with it if you had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/envying-another-man-s-happiness-is-madness-you-wouldn-t-know-what-to/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/so-long-as-we-live-among-men-let-us-cherish-humanity/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is one of life's laws that as soon as one door closes another opens. 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All that can be described is what prepares it, and then what destroys it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/what-would-a-narrative-of-happiness-be-like-all-that-can-be-described/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-with-noble-sentiments-that-bad-literature-gets-written/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“C'est dans l'extraordinaire que je me sens le plus naturel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/c-est-dans-l-extraordinaire-que-je-me-sens-le-plus-naturel/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) [Explore all 304 Andre Gide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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