"Literature, the most seductive, the most deceiving, the most dangerous of professions"

John Morley's quote, "Literature, the most seductive, the most deceiving, the most hazardous of occupations," recommends that while literature has the power to mesmerize and inspire, it can likewise be misleading and even unsafe. Literature can seduce readers into thinking in idealized variations of reality or causing unsafe analyses of reality. At the same time, literature can be an agent for modification, informing readers and producing positive social change. The quote is a cautioning to those who commit themselves to literature to be cautious and conscious of the power that it holds, as it can form the world in both positive and unfavorable methods.