On the whole I try to keep Modesty and Willie in timeless settings, which is why I avoid all the latest slang and in-words. It won't be long before 'brill' sounds as dated as 'super' does now. [Uncle Happy, 1990]

Peter ODonnell
About This Quote

Modesty and Willie is a collection of poems and quotes by William Butler Yeats. The book has been published several times, including one complete edition in 1939, and revised editions in 1966 and 1991. Yeats' "On the whole I try to keep Modesty and Willie in timeless settings, which is why I avoid all the latest slang and in-words." shows that he had an intention to use some old words rather than words that are popular at the moment. He said "I avoid all the latest slang and in-words." which means he does not like those words because they sound old, outdated and old-fashioned.

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