--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On 10 August 1914, five days after war…" description: "\"“On 10 August 1914, five days after war was declared, Henry James, in a letter to a friend, expressed his revulsion at the prospect of war, and articul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/henry-james-417_henry-james_on-10-august-1914-five-days-after-war-wa_1537561.jpg" --- # On 10 August 1914, five days after war was declared, Henry… ![“On 10 August 1914, five days after war was declared, Henry James, in a letter to a friend, expressed his revulsion at the prospect of war, and articulated the illusion that had preceded it: 'Black and hideous to me is the tragedy that gathers, and I'm sick beyond cure to have lived on to see it…” quote by Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/henry-james-417_henry-james_on-10-august-1914-five-days-after-war-wa_1537561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/henry-james-417_henry-james_on-10-august-1914-five-days-after-war-wa_1537561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/henry-james-417_henry-james_on-10-august-1914-five-days-after-war-wa_1537561.jpg) > ““On 10 August 1914, five days after war was declared, Henry James, in a letter to a friend, expressed his revulsion at the prospect of war, and articulated the illusion that had preceded it: 'Black and hideous to me is the tragedy that gathers, and I'm sick beyond cure to have lived on to see it. You and I, the ornaments of our generation, should have been spared the wreck of our beliefs that through the long years we had seen civilization grow and the worst become impossible.”” [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War reveals the horror of civilization’s collapse; the tragedy feels unbearable and senseless. **In simple terms:** War is a tragic, senseless collapse. Key Takeaway Recognize the cost of conflict and seek peace. Themes war civilization tragedy illusion humanity Mood somber reflective urgent Type philosophical historical inspirational When to use this quote - political activism - peace studies - education - literary analysis - public discourse Key Concepts existentialism historical critique moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do societies justify war? - What can individuals do to prevent such tragedies? A Different Perspective War can be rationalized, obscuring its true devastation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Retrograde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retrograde/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“I shall stay here as long as I may, I don't want to think — I needn't think. 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Lothrop Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-lothrop-stoddard/) > [By the start of August 1914, it was dawning on the British that a major war was about to break out on mainland Europe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/by-the-start-of-august-1914-it-was-dawning-on-the-british-that-a/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [What an extraordinary episode in the economic progress of man was that age which came to an end in August 1914.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/what-an-extraordinary-episode-in-the-economic-progress-of-man-was/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) ## More by Henry James > [Though there are some disagreeable things in Venice there is nothing so disagreeable as the visitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/though-there-are-some-disagreeable-things-in-venice-there-is-nothing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“In literature we move through a blest world in which we know nothing except by style, but in which everything is saved by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/in-literature-we-move-through-a-blest-world-in-which-we-know-nothing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“I shall stay here as long as I may, I don't want to think — I needn't think. 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He has never done a thing in his life exept play games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-no-wonder-he-wins-every-game-he-has-never-done-a-thing-in-his/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Make (the reader) think the evil, make him think it for himself, and you are released from weak specifications. 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