Robert Wilson Lynd


Full Name and Common Aliases


Robert Wilson Lynd was born on November 8, 1879, in Belfast, Ireland (now Northern Ireland). He is often referred to as R.W. Lynd.

Birth and Death Dates


November 8, 1879 - June 4, 1949

Nationality and Profession(s)


Lynd was a British author, journalist, and critic of the early 20th century. His nationality is often debated among scholars due to his birthplace in Ireland and later residence in England.

Early Life and Background


Growing up in Belfast, Lynd developed an interest in literature and writing at a young age. He was educated at the Royal Academy in Dublin and later moved to London to pursue a career as a writer. During this period, he became closely associated with the Fabian Society, an intellectual movement that emphasized social reform.

Major Accomplishments


Lynd's notable works include his essays on literature and society, which were widely published in magazines such as _The Nation_ and _The New Republic_. He was also a respected critic of contemporary literature, offering insightful reviews of authors like George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf. Lynd's writing often emphasized the importance of social justice and equality.

Notable Works or Actions


Some of Lynd's most notable works include:

"Feminism" (1905): A thought-provoking essay on women's rights, exploring themes of suffrage and social reform.
"Crisis in Journalism" (1914): An influential critique of the media industry, highlighting its shortcomings and advocating for a more responsible approach to reporting.

Impact and Legacy


Lynd's writing had a significant impact on intellectual discourse during his lifetime. His critiques of contemporary literature and society helped shape public opinion and inspire social change. Today, Lynd is remembered as a pioneering figure in the development of modern literary criticism.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Robert Wilson Lynd is widely quoted for his insightful commentary on social issues and literary trends. His writing continues to be studied by scholars and readers interested in the intellectual and cultural history of the early 20th century.

Quotes by Robert Wilson Lynd

Robert Wilson Lynd's insights on:

This is woman’s great benevolence, that she will become a martyr for beauty, so that the world may have pleasure.
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This is woman’s great benevolence, that she will become a martyr for beauty, so that the world may have pleasure.
There are two sorts of curiosity – the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance on the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows on beneath the surface of things.
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There are two sorts of curiosity – the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance on the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows on beneath the surface of things.
Most human beings are quite likable if you don’t see too much of them.
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Most human beings are quite likable if you don’t see too much of them.
When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing and scraping and in speaking of one’s employer as “the master.” What the rich mean by the good manners of the poor is usually not civility, but servility.
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When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing and scraping and in speaking of one’s employer as “the master.” What the rich mean by the good manners of the poor is usually not civility, but servility.
The mirror that Strindberg held up to Nature was a cracked one. It was cracked in a double sense – it was crazy. It gave back broken images of a world which it made look like the chaos of a lunatic dream.
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The mirror that Strindberg held up to Nature was a cracked one. It was cracked in a double sense – it was crazy. It gave back broken images of a world which it made look like the chaos of a lunatic dream.
Dostoevsky’s visible world was a world of sensationalism. He may in the last analysis be a great mystic or a great psychologist; but he almost always reveals his genius on a stage crowded with people who behave like the men and women one reads about in the police news.
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Dostoevsky’s visible world was a world of sensationalism. He may in the last analysis be a great mystic or a great psychologist; but he almost always reveals his genius on a stage crowded with people who behave like the men and women one reads about in the police news.
A cat is only technically an animal, being divine.
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A cat is only technically an animal, being divine.
Mr. Shaw came for a short time recently to be regarded less as an author than as an incident in the European War. In the opinion of many people it seemed as if the Allies were fighting against a combination composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Mr. Shaw.
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Mr. Shaw came for a short time recently to be regarded less as an author than as an incident in the European War. In the opinion of many people it seemed as if the Allies were fighting against a combination composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Mr. Shaw.
We forget that Socrates was famed for wisdom not because he was omniscient but because he realized at the age of seventy that he still knew nothing.
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We forget that Socrates was famed for wisdom not because he was omniscient but because he realized at the age of seventy that he still knew nothing.
When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing and scraping and in speaking of one's employer as "the master." What the rich mean by the good manners of the poor is usually not civility, but servility.
"
When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing and scraping and in speaking of one's employer as "the master." What the rich mean by the good manners of the poor is usually not civility, but servility.
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