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M. R. James Quotes

If any of [my stories] succeed in causing their readers to feel pleasantly uncomfortable when walking along a solitary road at nightfall, or sitting over a dying fire in the small hours, my purpose in writing them will

If any of [my stories] succeed in causing their readers to feel pleasantly uncomfortable when walking along a solitary road at nightfall, or sitting over a dying fire in the small hours, my purpose in writing them will have been attained.

M. R. James
Writing, Fire, Dying
M. R. James (2011). “Collected Ghost Stories”, p.406, OUP Oxford

Do I believe in ghosts?...I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.

M. R. James
Believe, Ghost, Accepting
M. R. James (1987). “Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories”, p.15, Oxford Paperbacks

I heard one cry in the night, and I heard one laugh afterwards. If I cannot forget that, I shall not be able to sleep again.

M. R. James
Halloween, Sleep, Night
M. R. James (2011). “Collected Ghost Stories”, p.70, OUP Oxford

Yes, I definitely prefer the daylight population of the playing fields to that which comes there after dark.

M. R. James
Dark, Population, Daylight

Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from the artistic point of view I am sure it is a sound one. Reticence conduces to effect, blatancy ruins it.

M. R. James
Elderly, Views, Sound
M.r. James (2016). “Collected Ghost Stories”, p.52, M.r. James

A ghost story of which the scene is laid in the twelfth or thirteenth century may succeed in being romantic or poetical: it will never put the reader into the position of saying to himself: "If I'm not careful, something of this kind may happen to me!

M. R. James
Ghost Stories, May, Succeed
M. R. James (1987). “Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories”, p.647, Oxford Paperbacks

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