Thomas Hardy Quotes

The world is always ready to receive talent with open arms. Very often it does not know what to do with genius.

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.

When everyone is somebody, then no one's anybody.

It's no good being great in something that goes straight to video.

Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered--either by themselves or by others.

Defenders don't really get any sort of notoriety or anything like that.

I've always known I was a genius. But I never thought I was a star.

Does anybody like being recognized? I understand that it's my job. I'm grateful about people who are moved enough by the work to want to say something. But I mourn the loss of anonymity.

How many people, though, do I meet that I think have talent? Well actually a lot. That's what drives my enthusiasm in the conversation about diversity.

I've never wished for people to recognise me or anything.

Everyone always gets a little irritated by imitators, but mostly I'm flattered. What if you never did anything anyone wanted to copy?

I'm not a celebrity, I'm a person, and when fans call me Diego, it's easier to remember that I'm no better than anyone else.

Taking on music that's not played very much is a contribution I can give. There's so much I feel that needs more attention.

High reputation beats high similarity.

Nobody gives a crap if we're great musicians.

Even if you're the best singer in the world, there's a good chance no one will ever hear you.

It is hard to overstate the debt we owe to the men and women of genius.

Genius requires an audience.

Talent warms-up the given (as they say in cookery) and makes it apparent; genius brings something new. But our time lets talent pass for genius. They want to abolish the genius, deify the genius, and let talent forge ahead.

I'd swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. I wouldn't even want them to clap for me. People always clap for the wrong things. If I were a piano player, I'd play it in the goddam closet.

I will not go so far as to say, with a living poet, that the world knows nothing of its greatest men; but there are forms of greatness, or at least of excellence, which "die and make no sign"; there are martyrs that miss the palm, but not the stake; heroes without the laurel, and conquerors without the triumph.

Your talent sets you apart: if you were a toad or a tarantula, even then, people would respect you, for to talent all things are forgiven.

Ah, a German and a genius ! A prodigy, admit him !

The imitator dooms himself to hopeless mediocrity. The inventor did it because it was natural to him, and so in him it has a charm. In the imitator something else is natural, and he bereaves himself of his own beauty, to come short of another man's.

If everyone is exceptional, nobody is exceptional.