George Eliot

Human beings must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.

Here undoubtedly lies the chief poetic energy: -in the force of imagination that pierces or exalts the solid fact, instead of floating among cloud-pictures.

Anger and jealousy can no more bear to lose sight of their objects than love.

But human experience is usually paradoxical, that means incongruous with the phrases of current talk or even current philosophy.

To act with doubleness towards a man whose own conduct was double, was so near an approach to virtue that it deserved to be called by no meaner name than diplomacy.

What do we live for; if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?

It is better to walk alone, then with a crowd going in the wrong direction.

There is no distinctly American criminal class – except Congress.

Round numbers are always false.

Those who trust us educate us.

Judge of your natural character by what you do in your dreams.

It’s a good thing to be foolishly gay once in a while.

The mind is refrigerated by interruption; the thoughts are diverted from the principal subject; the reader is weary, he suspects not why; and at last throws away the book, which he has too diligently studied.

Stupidity is something you can only partly save people from.

The volatile truth of our words should continually betray the inadequacy of the residual statement.

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,Here once the embattled farmers stood,And fired the shot heard round the world.

I heartily accept the motto,That government is best which governs least; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which I also believe,That government is best which governs not at all; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient.

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

For many years I was a self-appointed inspector of snowstorms and rainstorms and did my duty faithfully, though I never received payment for it.

That which we call character is a reserved force which acts directly by presence, and without means. It is conceived of as a certain undemonstrable force, a familiar or genius, by whose impulses the man is guided, but whose counsels he cannot impart.

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Moms. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own.