Art Quote by George Eliot
“I think the effective use of quotation is an important point in the art of writing. Given sparingly, quotations serve admirably as a climax or as a corroboration, but when they are long and frequent, they seriously weaken the effect of a book. We lose sight of the writer - he scatters our sympathy among others than himself - and the ideas which he himself advances are not knit together with our impression of his personality.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Writing, 1860
Overusing quotations dilutes the author's voice, making the text feel scattered and less cohesive.
In simple terms: Too many quotes weaken the writer's voice.
Key Takeaway
Use quotes sparingly to maintain authorial presence.
Themes
writing
literature
voice
Mood
analytical
instructive
Type
educational
literary
When to use this quote
- academic papers
- novels
- journalism
- blog posts
Key Concepts
narrative structure
authorship
Questions to Reflect On
- When is a quotation essential to your argument?
- How can you integrate quotes without losing your voice?
A Different Perspective
Risk of underutilizing valuable supporting evidence.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
