It cuts one sadly to see the grief of old people; they've no way o' working it off; and the new spring brings no new shoots out on the withered tree. George Eliot More Quotes by George Eliot More Quotes From George Eliot Play not with paradoxes. That caustic which you handle in order to scorch others may happen to sear your own fingers and make them dead to the quality of things. George Eliot quality play order Imagination is a licensed trespasser: it has no fear of dogs, but may climb over walls and peep in at windows with impunity. George Eliot wall imagination dog Human feeling is like the mighty rivers that bless the earth: it does not wait for beauty — it flows with resistless force and brings beauty with it. George Eliot waiting feelings rivers Shall we, because we walk on our hind feet, assume to ourselves only the privilege of imperishability? George Eliot pet feet animal We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment. George Eliot live-life dog animal Marriage must be a relation either of sympathy or of conquest. George Eliot marriage relation sympathy The happiest women, like the happiest nations, have no history. George Eliot women historical history A toddling little girl is a centre of common feeling which makes the most dissimilar people understand each other. George Eliot girl feelings people No story is the same to us after a lapse of time; or rather we who read it are no longer the same interpreters. George Eliot time appreciation book The best augury of a man's success in his profession is that he thinks it the finest in the world. George Eliot congratulations success thinking There is a great deal of unmapped country within us which would have to be taken into account in an explanation of our gusts and storms. George Eliot taken spiritual country We hand folks over to God's mercy, and show none ourselves. George Eliot religious god hands I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best. George Eliot perseverance failure fear We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, "Oh, nothing!" Pride helps; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our hurts— not to hurt others. George Eliot pride disappointment hurt That by desiring what is perfectly good, even when we don't quite know what it is and cannot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil -- widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower. George Eliot perfectly-good light struggle It is a common sentence that knowledge is power; but who hath duly considered or set forth the power of ignorance? Knowledge slowly builds up what ignorance in an hour pulls down. George Eliot hours ignorance common 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. George Eliot subtle nerves blood One can begin so many things with a new person! - even begin to be a better man. George Eliot finding-yourself new-beginnings men It's a father's duty to give his sons a fine chance. George Eliot giving father son Pride only helps us to be generous; it never makes us so, any more than vanity makes us witty. George Eliot vanity pride witty