She had looked her duty courageously in the face and found it a friend – as duty ever is when we meet it frankly.
As a rule, I am very careful to be shallow and conventional where depth and originality are wasted.
Which would you rather be if you had the choice – divinely beautiful or dazzlingly clever or angelically good?
I’ve just been imagining that it was really me you wanted after all and that I was to stay here for ever and ever. It was a great comfort while it lasted. But the worst of imagining things is that the time comes when you have to stop and that hurts.
It’s good advice, but I expect it will be hard to follow; good advice is apt to be, I think.
To dispair is to turn your back on God.
The little things of life, sweet and excellent in their place, must not be the things lived for; the highest must be sought and followed; the life of heaven must be begun here on earth.
Being frightened of things is worse than the things themselves.
It is never quite safe to think we have done with life. When we imagine we have finished our story fate has a trick of turning the page and showing us yet another chapter.
I wish we could see perfumes as well as smell them. I’m sure they would be very beautiful.
Nothing mattered much to me for a time there, after you told me you could never love me, Anne. There was nobody else – there never could be anybody else for me but you. I’ve loved you ever since that day you broke your slate over my head in school.
It’s dreadful what little things lead people to misunderstand each other.
I don’t know which is worse – to have somebody you DON’T like ask you to marry him or NOT have some one you DO like. Both are rather unpleasant.
I know you’re a fool, Jim Hardy, but for heaven’s sake pretend you’re not for five minutes.
Houses are like people – some you like and some you don’t like – and once in a while there is one you love.
No one can be free who has a thousand ancestors.
Don’t try to write anything you can’t feel – it will be a failure – ’echoes nothing worth.
Steal not this book for fear of shame For on it is the owners name And when you die the Lord will say Where is the book you stole away And when you say you do not know The Lord will say go down below.
Who would endure life if it were not for the hope of death?
Good night, belovedest. Your sleep will be sweet if there is any influences in the wishes of your own.