George Eliot Quotes
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How can one ever do anything nobly Christian, living among people with such petty thoughts?
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Each thought is a nail that is driven In structures that cannot decay; And the mansion at last will be given To us as we build it each day.
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There is a sort of subjection which is the peculiar heritage of largeness and of love; and strength is often only another name for willing bondage to irremediable weakness.
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But if Maggie had been that young lady, you would probably have known nothing about her: her life would have had so few vicissitudes that it could hardly have been written; for the happiest women, like the happiest nations, have no history.
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Self-consciousness of the manner is the expensive substitute for simplicity.
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Particular lies may speak a general truth.
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It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses we must plant more trees.
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A man deep-wounded may feel too much pain To feel much anger.
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Pity that consequences are determined not by excuses but by actions!
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Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact.
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Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.
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Who has not felt the beauty of a woman's arm? The unspeakable suggestions of tenderness that lie in the dimpled elbow, and all the varied gently-lessening curves, down to the delicate wrist, with its tiniest, almost imperceptible nicks in the firm softness.
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If you had a table spread for a feast, and was making merry with your friends, you would think it was kind to let me come and sit down and rejoice with you, because you'd think I should to share those good things; but I should better to share in your trouble and your labour.
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Our virtues are dearer to us the more we have had to suffer for them. It is the same with our children. All profound affection entertains a sacrifice. Our thoughts are often worse than we are, just as they are often better.
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We learn words by rote, but not their meaning; that must be paid for with our life-blood, and printed in the subtle fibres of our nerves.
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Boots and shoes are the greatest trouble of my life. Everything else one can turn and turn about, and make old look like new; but there's no coaxing boots and shoes to look better than they are.
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If we only look far enough off for the consequence of our actions, we can always find some point in the combination of results by which those actions can be justified: by adopting the point of view of a Providence who arranges results, or of a philosopher who traces them, we shall find it possible to obtain perfect complacency in choosing to do what is most agreeable to us in the present moment.
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What are a handful of reasonable men against a crowd with stones in their hands?
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The words of genius have a wider meaning than the thought that prompted them.
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Life is measured by the rapidity of change, the succession of influences that modify the being.
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Our thoughts are often worse than we are.
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Life is like our game at whist ... I don't enjoy the game much, but I like to play my cards well, and see what will be the end of it.
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Hold up your head! You were not made for failure, you were made for victory. Go forward with a joyful confidence.
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Love is frightened at the intervals of insensibility and callousness that encroach by little and little on the domain of grief, and it makes efforts to recall the keenness of the first anguish.