quotations about illusion
Women, more than all, are the element and kingdom of illusion. Being fascinated, they fascinate.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"Illusions", The Conduct of Life
Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion.
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
The Glass Menagerie
All problems are illusions of the mind.
ECKHART TOLLE
Practicing the Power of Now
Life consists in molting our illusions. We form creeds today only to throw them away tomorrow. The eagle molts a feather because he is growing a better one.
ELBERT HUBBARD
The American Bible
I have learned that miracles are only called miracles because they are often witnessed by only those who can can see through all of life's illusions.
SUZY KASSEM
Rise Up and Salute the Sun
The best way to dispel an illusion is, to show that what has been regarded as supernatural can be accounted for by causes purely natural.
A. C. BAIRD
attributed, Day's Collacon
One of the greatest bores in life is a too knowing fellow, who sees through all delusions, and will never let you enjoy any of them, not even your favorite ones, no matter how agreeable they may be, but must be always waking you out of some delicious dream, only to tell you, "My dear sir, you are dreaming;" as if it were not both proper and natural to dream. He forgets that many things are pleasant only while the delusions which make them so last.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE, Intuitions and Summaries of Thought
An illusion threatens no one with harm. Neither can it be dispelled by armed force.
JANNY WURTS
The Curse of the Mistwraith
Dream delivers us to dream, and there is no end to illusion. Life is a train of moods like a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many-colored lenses which paint the world their own hue.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"Experience", Essays: Second Series
We must select the illusion which appeals to our temperament, and embrace it with passion, if we want to be happy.
CYRIL CONNOLLY
The Unquiet Grave
People are so ridiculous with their illusions, carrying their fool's caps unawares, thinking their own lies opaque while everybody else's are transparent, making themselves exceptions to everything, as if when all the world looked yellow under a lamp they alone are rosy.
GEORGE ELIOT
Middlemarch
The whole thing's illusion ... and there's nothing wrong with that. It's what people want from us. It's what they expect.
SARA GRUEN
Water for Elephants
Why, if it was an illusion, not praise the catastrophe, whatever it was, that destroyed illusion and put truth in it's place?
VIRGINIA WOOLF
A Room of One's Own
An illusion is sometimes an enemy that must be subdued.
E. P. DAY
attributed, Day's Collacon
The most dangerous of our calculations are those we call illusions.
GEORGES BERNANOS
Dialogue des Carmélites
There is illusion that shall deceive even the performer of the miracle.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"Illusions", The Conduct of Life
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
ALBERT EINSTEIN
What is life? An illusion, a shadow, a story. And the greatest good is little enough: for all life is a dream, and dreams themselves are only dreams.
PEDRO CALDERÓN DE LA BARCA
Life Is a Dream
A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.
SAUL BELLOW
To Jerusalem and Back
In this kingdom of illusions we grope eagerly for stays and foundations.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"Illusions", The Conduct of Life