--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals…" description: "\"Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined immortal works by quoting the life out of them. \"How far our literature may in future suffer from t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg" --- # Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined… ![“Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined immortal works by quoting the life out of them. "How far our literature may in future suffer from these blighting swarms, will best be conceived by a glance at what they have already withered and blasted of the favourite productions of our most…” quote by Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg) > “Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined immortal works by quoting the life out of them. "How far our literature may in future suffer from these blighting swarms, will best be conceived by a glance at what they have already withered and blasted of the favourite productions of our most popular poets." Shakespeare, Milton, and Dryden, scissored, patched, and frayed.” [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that over‑quoting and fragmenting classic works erodes their original power, turning them into mere fragments. **In simple terms:** Over‑quoting destroys literary integrity. Key Takeaway Preserve works in full, not just snippets. Themes literature preservation culture Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - academic curricula - publishing - media excerpts - education - archiving Key Concepts textual integrity fragmentation cultural decay Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance accessibility with integrity? - What role does modern media play in preserving classics? A Different Perspective Some excerpts can spark interest and preserve relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Vandals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vandals/) ## Related quotes > [Subtract from many modern poets all that may be found in Shakespeare, and trash will remain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/subtract-from-many-modern-poets-all-that-may-be-found-in-shakespeare/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I don't want to be immortal through my works. I want to be immortal by not dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-don-t-want-to-be-immortal-through-my-works-i-want-to-be-immortal-by/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [The definition of genius is that it acts unconsciously, and those who have produced immortal works have done so without knowing how or why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-definition-of-genius-is-that-it-acts-unconsciously-and-those-who/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [If people destroy something replaceable made by mankind, they are called vandals; if they destroy something irreplaceable made by God, they are called developers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/if-people-destroy-something-replaceable-made-by-mankind-they-are/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [Human relationships with predators have always been thorny. Predators are the first creatures our kind purposely eradicates. Too often, people feel humans are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/human-relationships-with-predators-have-always-been-thorny-predators/) [Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/) > [My favorite villain was maybe Batman. I think Vandal Savage is really cool 'cause he has the ability not to die and he's smart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casper-crump/my-favorite-villain-was-maybe-batman-i-think-vandal-savage-is-really/) [Casper Crump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casper-crump/) > [“New Rome will be destroyed By the attacks of new vandals. God always remains silent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/new-rome-will-be-destroyed-by-the-attacks-of-new-vandals-god-always/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [While the vandals are on the street corners, the Tea Party conservatives, they're working state houses, the governorships, the mayorships, the Senate, the House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santelli/while-the-vandals-are-on-the-street-corners-the-tea-party/) [Rick Santelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santelli/) > [The Vandals aren't a full-time job; we play gigs here and there. It's more of a labor of love that I do for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/the-vandals-aren-t-a-full-time-job-we-play-gigs-here-and-there-it-s/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [The newspaper is under fire for refusing to kowtow to left-wing word police and militant propagandists who demand unfettered illegal immigration. Last week, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/the-newspaper-is-under-fire-for-refusing-to-kowtow-to-left-wing-word/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [It liberates the vandal to travel-you never saw a bigoted, opinionated, stubborn, narrow-minded, self-conceited, almighty mean man in your life but he had stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-liberates-the-vandal-to-travel-you-never-saw-a-bigoted-opinionated/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“That’s how summer is: no past or future but all present tense, long twilights like vandals, breaking into new days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/that-s-how-summer-is-no-past-or-future-but-all-present-tense-long/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [Ordinary people aren't going to give up emotions and inspiration just because science sniffs at subjectivity. Science shouldn't be so edgy and defensive. Vandals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/ordinary-people-aren-t-going-to-give-up-emotions-and-inspiration-just/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The vandals listened, but only when others were stronger. If vandals are equal or stronger, their word is the last word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/the-vandals-listened-but-only-when-others-were-stronger-if-vandals/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Wars--and what is war except crime on a mass scale?--destroy rather than produce. The vandal that destroys a window causes not only the owner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-young/wars-and-what-is-war-except-crime-on-a-mass-scale-destroy-rather-than/) [Adam Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-young/) ## More by Willis Regier > [Quotations cause all kinds of trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/quotations-cause-all-kinds-of-trouble/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Flattery works like a drug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/flattery-works-like-a-drug/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Say what you want without saying it yourself: quote. Very useful, this, sometimes lovely, and versatile, too: big thoughts in small pieces, neatly wrapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/say-what-you-want-without-saying-it-yourself-quote-very-useful-this/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Quotation lovers love rare words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/quotation-lovers-love-rare-words/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Cunning authors cut to be quoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/cunning-authors-cut-to-be-quoted/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Flattery… gets its kicks by flirting with insult and ridicule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/flattery-gets-its-kicks-by-flirting-with-insult-and-ridicule/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [At its best, flattery is truth well dressed, and it is best dressed with fine see-through fabrics. Honest flattery can caress a lover, cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/at-its-best-flattery-is-truth-well-dressed-and-it-is-best-dressed/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [In phrases as brief as a breath worldly wisdom concentrates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/in-phrases-as-brief-as-a-breath-worldly-wisdom-concentrates/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Flatter yourself critically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/flatter-yourself-critically/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Quotations calcify into clichés.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/quotations-calcify-into-clich-s/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Excellent flatterers welcome attentive audiences; mighty potentates enjoy public praise. In the most pleasing situation, a flatterer would genuinely admire the flatteree, please that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/excellent-flatterers-welcome-attentive-audiences-mighty-potentates/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [A little flattery, like a warm bath and soft towel, will let you get along with yourself, lie down with yourself, and sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/a-little-flattery-like-a-warm-bath-and-soft-towel-will-let-you-get/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [ \[D\]ifferent people have different quotational gravity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/d-ifferent-people-have-different-quotational-gravity/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Care for yourself enough to listen carefully to what you say to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/care-for-yourself-enough-to-listen-carefully-to-what-you-say-to/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Great quotation collections glean the millennia, distill essences, and battle for bragging rights about who’s bigger, who’s smarter, who’s best. Who-knows-who-said-what has a market,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/great-quotation-collections-glean-the-millennia-distill-essences-and/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) [Explore all 22 Willis Regier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) ## More Favourite quotes > [Fans are my favourite thing in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/fans-are-my-favourite-thing-in-the-world/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [I'm a fan of supersymmetry, largely because it seems to be the only route by which gravity can be brought into the scheme. 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I'm a proper fan and I've probably seen him in concert about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/my-favourite-song-of-elton-s-is-it-s-a-tricky-one-for-me-i-m-a-proper/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [When the Batman TV series was taken to the silver screen, one of America's favourite sweethearts would don the mask and claws of Catwoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/when-the-batman-tv-series-was-taken-to-the-silver-screen-one-of/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [ The game \[football\] has moved on a lot but still, ask most players and they will tell you that pre-season isn't their favourite time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-kazim-richards/the-game-football-has-moved-on-a-lot-but-still-ask-most-players-and/) [Colin Kazim-Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-kazim-richards/) > [Picking your favourite look is like picking your favourite child! I get so emotionally attached to each one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/picking-your-favourite-look-is-like-picking-your-favourite-child-i/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [Now my favourite pastime is to take a bath with my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/now-my-favourite-pastime-is-to-take-a-bath-with-my-son/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [Well, for me, my favourite 'Indiana Jones' is 'The Last Crusade,' because you get tears in your eyes when you see the old guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/well-for-me-my-favourite-indiana-jones-is-the-last-crusade-because/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [My favourite event was the 200m, so as I won the 100m, I thought it was possible I'd win the 200m](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-cuthbert/my-favourite-event-was-the-200m-so-as-i-won-the-100m-i-thought-it-was/) [Betty Cuthbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-cuthbert/) > [My favourite words are possibilities, opportunities and curiosity,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-testino/my-favourite-words-are-possibilities-opportunities-and-curiosity/) [Mario Testino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-testino/) Browse all 1,034 Favourite quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined immortal works by quoting the life out of them. \"How far our literature may in future suffer from these blighting swarms, will best be conceived by a glance at what they have already withered and blasted of the favourite productions of our most popular poets.\" Shakespeare, Milton, and Dryden, scissored, patched, and frayed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willis Regier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals-who-ruined-immortal-works-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Favourite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals-who-ruined-immortal-works-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/willis-regier-25917_favourite_maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals_1228386.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who ruined immortal works by quoting the life out of them. \"How far…” — Willis Regier", "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": "Willis Regier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Maria Edgeworth grumbled against vandals who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals-who-ruined-immortal-works-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/maria-edgeworth-grumbled-against-vandals-who-ruined-immortal-works-by/#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 } } ] } ```