Meandering on . . .

Today is the birthday of Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899 - October 1, 1985), writer. He is best known as the author of children's books Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little and as the co-author of the writing guide The Elements of Style. In 1978, E. B. White received an honorary Pulitzer Prize for his work.

"I am pessimistic about the human race because it is too ingenious for its own good. Our approach to nature is to beat it into submission. We would stand a better chance of survival if we accommodated ourselves to this planet and viewed it appreciatively instead of skeptically and dictatorially." - E. B. White

"As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the one thing left to us in a bad time." - E. B. White

"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority." - E. B. White

"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E. B. White

"Once in everyone's life there is apt to be a period when he is fully awake, instead of half asleep." - E. B. White

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