"The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man."
T S Eliot
I found this quotation in the May issue of Singapore's Tanglin Club magazine in an article about a questionnaire on the club library.
I had to read the quotation twice. I was confused by '... that we may yet have.' I am trying to put this idea more clearly (easy to understand) and succinctly (shortly - in few words) and positively.
The very existence - why not just the existence. Affords - why not gives. the best evidence - just evidence will do. We may yet - too namby pamby. I've been on several writing courses where we writers aspiring to improve our writing have been told to cut the word very and to say that something is the case rather than may be the case, to provide a firmer statement or conclusion.
"Libraries provide overwhelming evidence that mankind's future is a world of millions of exciting facts and glorious possibilities."
Writing the blurb for this post I came up with a sentence which was longer but included more and better ideas:
"Libraries allow and encourage the ordinary person, and the extraordinary person. to meet the geniuses of the past and present, to be inspired and motivated to explore new places, enjoy worldwide art, develop new products and plan beautiful cities to create a better world for everybody to enjoy."
I shall try to condense this into a succinct and memorable sentence:
Libraries introduce every reader to the world's geniuses, so we can co-operate to create a better world.
Angela Lansbury, author
T S Eliot
I found this quotation in the May issue of Singapore's Tanglin Club magazine in an article about a questionnaire on the club library.
I had to read the quotation twice. I was confused by '... that we may yet have.' I am trying to put this idea more clearly (easy to understand) and succinctly (shortly - in few words) and positively.
The very existence - why not just the existence. Affords - why not gives. the best evidence - just evidence will do. We may yet - too namby pamby. I've been on several writing courses where we writers aspiring to improve our writing have been told to cut the word very and to say that something is the case rather than may be the case, to provide a firmer statement or conclusion.
"Libraries provide overwhelming evidence that mankind's future is a world of millions of exciting facts and glorious possibilities."
Writing the blurb for this post I came up with a sentence which was longer but included more and better ideas:
"Libraries allow and encourage the ordinary person, and the extraordinary person. to meet the geniuses of the past and present, to be inspired and motivated to explore new places, enjoy worldwide art, develop new products and plan beautiful cities to create a better world for everybody to enjoy."
I shall try to condense this into a succinct and memorable sentence:
Libraries introduce every reader to the world's geniuses, so we can co-operate to create a better world.
Angela Lansbury, author
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