Why, why, when one writes, does a sort of shackle bind one's imagination? I become conscious of a deadening mediocrity, perhaps a form of mental cowardice, and I long to break free, to let my imagination take wings. It doesn't - yet. Winifred Holtby More Quotes by Winifred Holtby More Quotes From Winifred Holtby The things that one most wants to do are the things that are probably most worth doing. Winifred Holtby dream want We're so busy resigning ourselves to the inevitable that we don't even ask if it is inevitable. We've got to have courage, to take our future into our hands. If the law is oppressive, we must change the law. If tradition is obstructive, we must break tradition. If the system is unjust, we must reform the system. Winifred Holtby reform law hands The crown of life is neither happiness nor annihilation; it is understanding. Winifred Holtby crowns understanding life This alone is to be feared - the closed mind, the sleeping imagination, the death of the spirit. The death of the body is to that, I think, a little thing. Winifred Holtby imagination sleep thinking Question everyone in authority, and see that you get sensible answers to your questions ... questioning does not mean the end of loving, and loving does not mean the abnegation of intelligence. Vow as much love to your country as you like ... but, I implore you, do not forget to question. Winifred Holtby patriotism mean country I am much perturbed by this business of sickness. Our bodies seem so easily to leap into the saddle where our minds should be. People who are ill become changelings. Winifred Holtby body mind people A sense of humor is so handy, isn't it? It lets you see both sides of a question so that you never need do anything. Winifred Holtby humor sides needs We each live in a private, distorted, individual world - stars turning in space, warmed for a moment by each other's light, then lost in infinite distance. Winifred Holtby distance stars light But questioning does not mean the end of loving, and loving does not mean the abnegation of intelligence Winifred Holtby ends doe mean Love needs the stiffening of respect, the give and take of equality. Winifred Holtby give-and-take giving needs Teachers have power. We may cripple them by petty economics; by Government regulations, by the foolish criticism of an uninformed press; but their power exists for good or evil. Winifred Holtby government teaching teacher I find you in all small and lovely things; in the little fishes like flames in the green water, in the furred and stupid softness of bumble-bees fat as laughter, in all the chiming radiance of warmth and light and scent in the summer garden. Winifred Holtby laughter stupid summer There's never been a lack of men willing to die bravely. The trouble is to find a few able to live sensibly. Winifred Holtby able men peace Oh, time betrays us. Time is the great enemy. Winifred Holtby betray time enemy You are quite, quite wrong if you think that ... I find your happiness painful. What matters is that happiness - the golden day - should exist in the world, not much to whom it comes. For all of us it is so transitory a thing, how could one not draw joy from its arrival? Winifred Holtby what-matters happiness thinking I am fierce for work. Without work I am nothing. Winifred Holtby fierce hard-work The world, with all its beauty and adventure, its richness and variety, is darkened by cruelty. Death, if it ends the loveliness, the adventure, ends also that. Death balances the picture. Winifred Holtby balance adventure world it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end. Winifred Holtby brevity-of-life tolerable ends Nature is not silent, and never was a name more derisively inappropriate than when we speak of these non-human creatures who hoot and crow and bray as the dumb animals. Winifred Holtby dumb names animal Really, trees are nearly as important as men, and much better behaved. Winifred Holtby important tree men
