George Henry Borrow (1803–81) was an English novelist, traveler, and linguist. He is recognized as one of the most imaginative prose writers of the 19th century.
Born in East Dereham, Norfolk, Borrow was an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He traveled widely, visiting St. Petersburg 1833–35, Portugal, Spain and Morocco 1835–39 and southeastern Europe 1844 and Wales 1854. He translated portions of Scripture into various little-known languages. The Bible in Spain (3 vols., 1843) became popular due to its picturesque and cheerful narrative.
Borrow’s travels also provided material for his popular gipsy narrative Lavengro (1851) and its sequel, The Romany Rye (2 vols., 1857.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by George Borrow
A losing trade, I assure you, sir: literature is a drug.
—George Borrow
Topics: Literature, Books
Youth will be served, every dog has his day, and mine has been a fine one.
—George Borrow
Topics: Youth
If you must commit suicide… always contrive to do it as decorously as possible; the decencies, whether of life or of death, should never be lost sight of.
—George Borrow
Topics: Suicide
There’s night and day, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon, and stars, brother, all sweet things; there’s likewise a wind on the heath. Life is very sweet, brother; who would wish to die?
—George Borrow
Topics: Life and Living
Next to the love of God, the love of country is the best preventive of crime.
—George Borrow
Topics: Patriotism
It has been said that idleness is the parent of mischief—which is very true; but mischief itself is merely an attempt to escape from the dreary vacuum of idleness.
—George Borrow
Topics: Idleness
I am invariably of the politics of the people at whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof I sleep.
—George Borrow
Topics: Politics, Politicians
The Germans are the most philosophic people in the world, and the greatest smokers: now I trace their philosophy to their smoking. Smoking has a sedative effect upon the nerves, and enables a man to bear the sorrows of this life (of which every one has his share) not only decently, but dignifiedly.
—George Borrow
Topics: Smoking
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