Only ignorance! only ignorance! how can you talk about only ignorance? Don't you know that it is the worst thing in the world, next to wickedness? -- and which does the most mischief heaven only knows. If people can say, `Oh! I did not know, I did not mean any harm,' they think it is all right.

Anna Sewell

Categorized in : Mean Motivational Ignorance

There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham.

Anna Sewell

kindness animal men

My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.

Anna Sewell

perseverance compassion animal

Do you know why this world is as bad as it is?... It is because people think only about their own business, and won't trouble themselves to stand up for the oppressed, nor bring the wrong-doers to light... My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.

Anna Sewell

light people thinking

We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.

Anna Sewell

dumb pet animal

Good Luck is rather particular who she rides with, and mostly prefers those who have got common sense and a good heart; at least that is my experience.

Anna Sewell

common-sense good-luck heart

He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives and merely been killed by a drunken act. He has known the finery of grand estates and the filth of stinking slums. He has survived fire and flood, starvation and torment. And nothing could break his spirit-or his great love. This is HIS life. He is called the horse.

Anna Sewell

horse fire children

If you in the morning Throw minutes away, You can't pick them up In the course of a day. You may hurry and scurry, And flurry and worry, You've lost them forever, Forever and aye.

Anna Sewell

forever worry morning

My troubles are over, and I am finally home.

Anna Sewell

trouble home

It is good people who make good places

Anna Sewell

good-people attitude people

Oh! if people knew what a comfort to a horse a light hand is.

Anna Sewell

horse light hands

Give me the handling of a horse for twenty minutes, and I'll tell you what sort of a groom he has had.

Anna Sewell

horse twenties giving

God had given men reason, by which they could find out things for themselves, but He had given animals knowledge which did not depend on reason, and which was much more prompt and perfect in its way, and by which they had often saved the lives of men.

Anna Sewell

nature animal men

My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my friends under the apple trees.

Anna Sewell

apples home tree

If a thing is right it can be done, and if it is wrong it can be done without; and a good man will find a way.

Anna Sewell

good-man done men

If you get into the habit of being quick it is just as easy as being slow.

Anna Sewell

habit ifs easy

I must say...that more unmanly, brutal treatment of a little pony it was never my painful lot to witness; and by giving way to such passion, you injure your own character as much, nay more, than you injure your horse, and remember, we shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be towards man or towards beast.

Anna Sewell

horse passion character

Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody's business to interfere when they see it.

Anna Sewell

cruelty interfere oppression

I don't believe in religion, for I don't see that your religious people are any better than the rest.

Anna Sewell

religious believe people

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end.

Anna Sewell

water-lily tree book

Why don't they cut their own children's ears into points to make them look sharp? Why don't they cut off their noses to make them look plucky? One would be just as sensible as the other. What right have they to torment and disfigure God's creatures?

Anna Sewell

cutting would-be children