--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One might enumerate the items of high…" description: "\"One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it exists in other countries, which are absent from the texture of American life, until it shoul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg" --- # One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it… ![“One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it exists in other countries, which are absent from the texture of American life, until it should become a wonder to know what was left.” quote by Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg) > “One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it exists in other countries, which are absent from the texture of American life, until it should become a wonder to know what was left.” [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. He notes the lack of refined cultural elements in America compared to other nations, urging awareness of what’s missing. **In simple terms:** America lacks certain cultural refinements. Key Takeaway Recognize and cultivate missing virtues. Themes culture civilization comparison Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - cultural exchange - policy making Key Concepts cultural capital national identity social critique Questions to Reflect On - What cultural aspects are missing? - How can we develop them locally? A Different Perspective Idealizing foreign cultures can overlook domestic strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) [American life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-life/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-exists-1559074/) [Countries Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countries-absent-4321767/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Exists Countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exists-countries-4321768/) [High Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-civilization-979222/) [Items](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/items/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Texture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texture/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [A high civilization is a pyramid: it can stand only on a broad base; its primary prerequisite is a strong and soundly consolidated mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/a-high-civilization-is-a-pyramid-it-can-stand-only-on-a-broad-base/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“They knew that their anarchism was the product of a very high civilization, of a complex diversified culture, of a stable economy and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-knew-that-their-anarchism-was-the-product-of-a-very-high/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“In spite of the land's natural drawbacks, they turned Sumer into a veritable Garden of Eden and developed what was probably the first high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-noah-kramer/in-spite-of-the-land-s-natural-drawbacks-they-turned-sumer-into-a/) [Samuel Noah Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-noah-kramer/) > [A period of high civilization is one in which thoughts fly freely from mind to mind, from one country to another-yes, from the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-highet/a-period-of-high-civilization-is-one-in-which-thoughts-fly-freely/) [Gilbert Highet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-highet/) > [There can be no high civilization where there is not ample leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-can-be-no-high-civilization-where-there-is-not-ample-leisure/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I don't believe that it's inconsistent to be suspicious of people and also be totally comfortable with deploying the technology, because you know its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-wilson/i-don-t-believe-that-it-s-inconsistent-to-be-suspicious-of-people-and/) [Cody Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-wilson/) > [“Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/civilization-exists-by-geologic-consent-subject-to-change-without/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/civilization-exists-by-geological-consent-subject-to-change-without/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“Perhaps the novel is a more perfect life and reality, which God creates through us. Perhaps we live only to create it. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/perhaps-the-novel-is-a-more-perfect-life-and-reality-which-god/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Civilization exists precisely so that there may be no masses but rather men alert enough never to constitute masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bernanos/civilization-exists-precisely-so-that-there-may-be-no-masses-but/) [Georges Bernanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bernanos/) > [Wherever an altar is found, there civilization exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/wherever-an-altar-is-found-there-civilization-exists/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [Senator Allen has long been a leader on competitiveness issues in the Senate and as governor of Virginia. His announcement of the Competitiveness Caucus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/senator-allen-has-long-been-a-leader-on-competitiveness-issues-in-the/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [No sovereign, no court, no personal loyalty, no aristocracy, no church, no clergy, no army, no diplomatic service, no country gentlemen, no palaces, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/no-sovereign-no-court-no-personal-loyalty-no-aristocracy-no-church-no/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [“As we look over the list of the early leaders of the republic, Washington, John Adams, Hamilton, and others, we discern that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/as-we-look-over-the-list-of-the-early-leaders-of-the-republic/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) ## 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. I don't care for anything but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-shall-stay-here-as-long-as-i-may-i-don-t-want-to-think-i-needn-t/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“...It often seemed to her that she thought too much about herself, you could have made her blush any day of the year, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-often-seemed-to-her-that-she-thought-too-much-about-herself-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“I reflected acutely that the sense of such differences, such superiorities of quality, always, on the part of the majority—which could include even stupid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-reflected-acutely-that-the-sense-of-such-differences-such/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She had had a real fright but had fallen back to earth. The odd thing was that in her fall her fear too had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-had-a-real-fright-but-had-fallen-back-to-earth-the-odd-thing/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [I ought to tell you I'm probably your cousin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-ought-to-tell-you-i-m-probably-your-cousin/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She had never met a woman who had less of that fault which is the principal obstacle to friendship - the air of reproducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-never-met-a-woman-who-had-less-of-that-fault-which-is-the/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [London is on the whole the most possible form of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/london-is-on-the-whole-the-most-possible-form-of-life/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [If you have work to do, don't wait to feel like it; set to work and you will feel like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-have-work-to-do-don-t-wait-to-feel-like-it-set-to-work-and-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“She answered that she liked standing up and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-answered-that-she-liked-standing-up-and/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [It is no wonder he wins every game. 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. My values are positively all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/make-the-reader-think-the-evil-make-him-think-it-for-himself-and-you/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“It was the air she wanted and the world she would now exclusively choose; the quiet chambers, nobly overwhelming, rich but slightly veiled, opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-was-the-air-she-wanted-and-the-world-she-would-now-exclusively/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [The time-honored bread-sauce of the happy ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-time-honored-bread-sauce-of-the-happy-ending/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) [Explore all 571 Henry James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) ## More Absent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [They are enthusiasts, devotees. Addicts. Something about the circus stirs their souls, and they ache for it when it is absent. They seek each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/they-are-enthusiasts-devotees-addicts-something-about-the-circus/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [The interesting thing about an absent father is, for a child, you don't know he's absent. You just think he's... tardy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-majors/the-interesting-thing-about-an-absent-father-is-for-a-child-you-don-t/) [Jonathan Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-majors/) > [For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-my-own-part-i-would-rather-be-in-company-with-a-dead-man-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“You may not appreciate the presence of good health, but you will definitely regret the absence of good health, because health is happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-may-not-appreciate-the-presence-of-good-health-but-you-will/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [It's Simon, he's missing." Ahh." said Magnus delicately "Missing what exactly?" Missing!" Jace repeated "As in gone, absent, notable for his lack of presence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-s-simon-he-s-missing-ahh-said-magnus-delicately-missing-what/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Religion has always been a matter of community building; a matter of building precisely those relations of compassion, fellow feeling and - I dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/religion-has-always-been-a-matter-of-community-building-a-matter-of/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [A FRIEND IS A PERSON . . . With whom you can be sincere. . . . To whom you never need to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/a-friend-is-a-person-with-whom-you-can-be-sincere-to-whom-you-never/) [Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) [Browse all 490 Absent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it exists in other countries, which are absent from the texture of American life, until it should become a wonder to know what was left.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-civilization-as-it-exists-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-civilization-as-it-exists-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5c/henry-james-417_absent_one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-ci_509575.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One might enumerate the items of high civilization, as it exists in other countries, which are absent from…” — Henry James", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One might enumerate the items of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-civilization-as-it-exists-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/one-might-enumerate-the-items-of-high-civilization-as-it-exists-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```