# Quote — George Orwell, Keep the Aspidistra Flying

> Of all types of human being, only the artist takes it upon himself to say that he 'cannot' work. But it is quite true; there ARE times when one cannot work. Money again, always money! Lack of money means discomfort, means squalid worries, means shortage of tobacco, means ever-present consciousness of failure - above all, it means loneliness. How can you be anything but lonely on two quid a week? And in loneliness no decent book was ever written.

- Author: [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md)
- Book: [Keep the Aspidistra Flying](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/keep-the-aspidistra-flying.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Orwell#Keep_the_Aspidistra_Flying_(1936)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/keep-the-aspidistra-flying/of-all-types

## More from this book

> He had reached the age when the future ceases to be a rosy blur and becomes actual and menacing.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/keep-the-aspidistra-flying/he-had-reached.md)

> That is the devilish thing about poverty, the ever-recurrent thing - loneliness. Day after day with never an intelligent person to talk to; night after night back to your godless room, always alone. Perhaps it sounds rather fun if you are rich and sought-after; but how different it is when you do it from necessity!

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/keep-the-aspidistra-flying/that-is-the.md)

> In a country like England you can no more be cultured without money than you can join the Cavalry Club.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/keep-the-aspidistra-flying/in-a-country.md)