--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the…" description: "\"“Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the visitors, as one exhibiting strange beasts. 'Beetle reads an ass called Brownin', and M'Turk reads an ass called R..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/rudyard-kipling-527_art_mad-quite-mad-said-stalky-to-the-visitor_2625994.png" --- # Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the visitors, as one… ![“Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the visitors, as one exhibiting strange beasts. 'Beetle reads an ass called Brownin', and M'Turk reads an ass called Ruskin; and-' 'Ruskin isn't an ass,' said M'Turk. 'He's almost as good as the Opium-Eater. He says we're "children of noble races, trained by…” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/rudyard-kipling-527_art_mad-quite-mad-said-stalky-to-the-visitor_2625994.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/rudyard-kipling-527_art_mad-quite-mad-said-stalky-to-the-visitor_2625994.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/rudyard-kipling-527_art_mad-quite-mad-said-stalky-to-the-visitor_2625994.png) > ““Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the visitors, as one exhibiting strange beasts. 'Beetle reads an ass called Brownin', and M'Turk reads an ass called Ruskin; and-' 'Ruskin isn't an ass,' said M'Turk. 'He's almost as good as the Opium-Eater. He says we're "children of noble races, trained by surrounding art." That means me, and the way I decorated the study when you two badgers would have stuck up brackets and Christmas cards. Child of a noble race, trained by surrounding art, stop reading or I'll shove a pilchard down your neck!”” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critique of pretentious intellectualism and the absurdity of self‑importance in artistic circles. **In simple terms:** Beware pretentiousness. Key Takeaway Question true expertise. Themes pretension art intellect Mood wry critical Type satirical humorous When to use this quote - literary analysis - academic discourse - creative writing Key Concepts satire social critique Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from art? - When does critique become mockery? A Different Perspective Might dismiss genuine insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Christmas card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-card/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [I just love a girl with a flat ass said no one ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-love-a-girl-with-a-flat-ass-said-no-one-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fuck you in the ass,” said Skip. Looking for his trunks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kellerman/fuck-you-in-the-ass-said-skip-looking-for-his-trunks/) [Jonathan Kellerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kellerman/) > [ “\[...\] he had his hand on your -" He put his hand at waist level behind me, without touching me. "He had his hand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/he-had-his-hand-on-your-he-put-his-hand-at-waist-level-behind-me/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“Just don’t stare at my ass, Landemere,” he added. “I wasn’t staring at your ass,” Arranulf, who had been staring at his ass, said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/just-don-t-stare-at-my-ass-landemere-he-added-i-wasn-t-staring-at/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“A second later the door opened and Murphy glared up at me, blue eyes bright and cold. "Get more away. I've been fighting this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/a-second-later-the-door-opened-and-murphy-glared-up-at-me-blue-eyes/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [The Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/the-lord-opened-the-mouth-of-the-ass-and-she-said-unto-balaam-what/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“You make me sound like an arrogant ass," he said. "Are you?" "No! I'm just me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast/you-make-me-sound-like-an-arrogant-ass-he-said-are-you-no-i-m-just-me/) [P.C. Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast/) > [“You’ve got a great ass,” he said, never taking his eyes from mine as we walked, oblivious to anyone watching us. “Your screams when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-hutchins/you-ve-got-a-great-ass-he-said-never-taking-his-eyes-from-mine-as-we/) [Amelia Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-hutchins/) > [“When I saw my backside, I gasped. “I have no ass!” I said aloud. “They have left me no ass!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/when-i-saw-my-backside-i-gasped-i-have-no-ass-i-said-aloud-they-have/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“This cigarette tastes like ass," she said. I wasn't sure what ass tasted like, but she looked like she would know, so I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/this-cigarette-tastes-like-ass-she-said-i-wasn-t-sure-what-ass-tasted/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“You’re mad,” he said in a low voice, “if you think I would leave you now. I’ll see you safe and well no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/you-re-mad-he-said-in-a-low-voice-if-you-think-i-would-leave-you-now/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > ['Totally mad,' he said, 'utter nonsense. But we'll do it because it's brilliant nonsense.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/totally-mad-he-said-utter-nonsense-but-we-ll-do-it-because-it-s/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice "You must be," said the cat, "or you wouldn't have come here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/how-do-you-know-i-m-mad-said-alice-you-must-be-said-the-cat-or-you/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [You never get mad,” she said when their server left the table. “Except at me.” “That’s not true,” he said tightly. “Torie can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/you-never-get-mad-she-said-when-their-server-left-the-table-except-at/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > ['But I dont want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked. 'Oh, you cant help that,' said the Cat. 'Were all mad here. Im…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/but-i-dont-want-to-go-among-mad-people-alice-remarked-oh-you-cant/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Mad! Quite mad!' said Stalky to the visitors, as one exhibiting strange beasts. 'Beetle reads an ass called Brownin', and M'Turk reads an ass called Ruskin; and-' 'Ruskin isn't an ass,' said M'Turk. 'He's almost as good as the Opium-Eater. He says we're \"children of noble races, trained by surrounding art.\" That means me, and the way I decorated the study when you two badgers would have stuck up brackets and Christmas cards. 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