Henry James, The Art of Fiction (1884); originally published in Longman's Magazine (1884-09-04) and reprinted in Partial Portraits (1888).
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If we pretend to respect the artist at all we must allow him his freedom of choice, in the face, in particular cases, of innumerable presumptions that the choice will not fructify.
— Henry James on Presumptions
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "If we pretend to respect the artist at all we must allow him his freedom of choice, in the face, in particular cases, of innumerable presumptions that the choice will not fructify." in the context of "Henry James, The Art of Fiction (1884); originally published in Longman's Magazine (1884-09-04) and reprinted in Partial Portraits (1888)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Presumptions" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Henry James
Henry James, OM (15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916) was an American author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of renowned philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
About Henry James
Henry James, OM (15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916) was an American author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of renowned philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
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