Charm Quotes
There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.
"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable."— Mark Twain
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Meaning of this quote
A restriction can make something more tempting simply because it is unavailable. The observation helps separate genuine desire from the excitement created by a prohibition.
Key takeaway:
Ask whether you want something or mainly want what is forbidden.
Origin of the quote
Mark Twain's Notebook, published posthumously in 1935, edited by Albert Bigelow Paine. A further reference identifies a February 1896 notebook entry.
Who actually said this?
VerifiedBarbara Schmidt's Twain quotation collection reproduces the sentence and names the notebook as its source. Verification here is through that specialist reference rather than a manuscript inspection.
