George Eliot

Genius at first is little more than a great capacity for receiving discipline.

A supreme love, a motive that gives a sublime rhythm to a woman’s life, and exalts habit into partnership with the soul’s highest needs, is not to be had where and how she wills.

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined to strengthen each other, to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.

The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another.

No compliment can be eloquent, except as an expression of indifference.

But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.

We are always too busy for our children; we never give them the time or interest they deserve. We lavish gifts upon them; but the most precious gift, our personal association, which means so much to them, we give grudgingly.

Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout.

I look up at the universe and ask, ‘What are you trying to teach me here?’ I know I won’t hear a reply, but asking the question, makes me begin looking for the answer.

Sympathetic people often don’t communicate well, they back reflected images which hide their own depths.

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.

Monarchies, aristocracies, and religions are all based upon that large defect in your race – the individual’s distrust of his neighbor, and his desire, for safety’s or comfort’s sake, to stand well in his neighbor’s eye. These institutions will always remain, and always flourish, and always oppress you, affront you, and degrade you, because you will always be and remain slaves of minorities. There was never a country where the majority of the people were in their secret hearts loyal to any of these institutions.

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

A picture is a poem without words.

Good breeding, a union of kindness and independence.

Sir, I have no objection to a man’s drinking wine, if he can do it in moderation. I found myself apt to go to excess in it, and therefore, after having been for some time without it, on account of illness, I thought it better not to return to it. Every man is to judge for himself, according to the effects which he experiences.

If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.

The beginning of an acquaintance whether with persons or things is to get a definite outline of our ignorance.

He does not care for flowers. Calls them rubbish, and cannot tell one from another, and thinks it is superior to feel like that.