--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The future of English fiction may rest…" description: "\"The future of English fiction may rest with this Unknown Public - a reading public of three millions which lies right out of the pale of true literary ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/wilkie-collins-2078_book_the-future-of-english-fiction-may-rest-w_2726077.png" --- # The future of English fiction may rest with this Unknown… ![“The future of English fiction may rest with this Unknown Public - a reading public of three millions which lies right out of the pale of true literary civilization - which is now waiting to be taught the difference between a good book and a bad.” quote by Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/wilkie-collins-2078_book_the-future-of-english-fiction-may-rest-w_2726077.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/wilkie-collins-2078_book_the-future-of-english-fiction-may-rest-w_2726077.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/wilkie-collins-2078_book_the-future-of-english-fiction-may-rest-w_2726077.png) > “The future of English fiction may rest with this Unknown Public - a reading public of three millions which lies right out of the pale of true literary civilization - which is now waiting to be taught the difference between a good book and a bad.” [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. English fiction’s future lies with a massive, uneducated reading public that needs guidance to distinguish quality literature. **In simple terms:** Mass literacy requires literary education. Key Takeaway Educate readers to discern good books. Themes education literacy culture Mood concerned hopeful Type critical historical When to use this quote - public libraries - school curricula - reading programs Key Concepts publishing social class Questions to Reflect On - How can we teach literary standards? - What role should authors play? A Different Perspective Educating masses is a massive undertaking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [There is a note in the front of the volume saying that no public reading may be given without first getting the author's permission.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/there-is-a-note-in-the-front-of-the-volume-saying-that-no-public/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [So often in English fiction, people are either upper-class twits, or else they're knockabouts, less than human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/so-often-in-english-fiction-people-are-either-upper-class-twits-or/) [Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/) > [“This then was English fiction, this was English criticism, and farce, after all, was but an ill-played tragedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/this-then-was-english-fiction-this-was-english-criticism-and-farce/) [Arthur Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [English fiction was something I loved growing up, and it changed my life - it changed the trajectory of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/english-fiction-was-something-i-loved-growing-up-and-it-changed-my/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I'm in favor of any technology that makes my work available to the reading public at a reasonable price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-jon-williams/i-m-in-favor-of-any-technology-that-makes-my-work-available-to-the/) [Walter Jon Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-jon-williams/) > [The reading public is intellectually adolescent at best, and it is obvious that what is called ''significant literature'' will only be sold to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-reading-public-is-intellectually-adolescent-at-best-and-it-is/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [I tend not to think about the reading public at all, or the business, when I'm writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/i-tend-not-to-think-about-the-reading-public-at-all-or-the-business/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [When I left Iowa, I definitely never wanted to stand in front of a group of academics again and see if they approved of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/when-i-left-iowa-i-definitely-never-wanted-to-stand-in-front-of-a/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [The reading public isn't born that doesn't think foreigners are either funny or faintly sinister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-reading-public-isn-t-born-that-doesn-t-think-foreigners-are/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Reading about myself on public platforms makes me uncomfortable. 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Solomon in all his glory was Solomon with the elements of the contemptible lurking in every fold of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/there-is-nothing-serious-in-mortality-solomon-in-all-his-glory-was/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Let Lady Glyde's maid come in, Louis. Stop! Do her shoes creak?" I was obliged to ask the question. 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My own impression, however, is, that I am right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/it-is-quite-possible-that-i-may-be-altogether-wrong-in-this-idea-my/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. Nature's only idea seems to be to make them machines for the production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-sadly-want-a-reform-in-the-construction-of-children-nature-s-only/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [Habits of literary composition are perfectly familiar to me. 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I had silk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/the-dress-of-virtue-in-our-parts-was-cotton-print-i-had-silk/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“It is not for you to say - you Englishmen, who have conquered your freedom so long ago, that you have conveniently forgotten what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/it-is-not-for-you-to-say-you-englishmen-who-have-conquered-your/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Tell him next, that crimes cause their own detection. There's another bit of copy-book morality for you, Fosco. Crimes cause their own detection. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/tell-him-next-that-crimes-cause-their-own-detection-there-s-another/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Shall I confess it, Mr. Hartright? I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. 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