Quotes from Anthony Trollope

They don't do much good; — do they? It's better to take people as you find 'em, and then make the best of 'em. They're a queer lot; — ain't they, — the sort of people one meets about in the world?

She is the best of them all," he said to himself, as he refolded the letter and put it back into his desk. I am not sure that it is well that a man should have any large number from whom to select a best; as, in such circumstances, he is so very apt to change his judgment from hour to hour.

Is it not astonishing that the price generally put upon any article by the world is that which the owner puts on it?—and that this is specially true of a man's own self?

Hers was one of those feminine hearts which cling to a husband, not with idolatry, for worship can admit of no defect in its idol, but with the perfect tenacity of ivy. As the parasite plant will follow even the defects of the trunk which it embraces, so did Eleanor cling to and love the very faults of her husband.

Under such circumstances it would be better for him to go to Patagonia than to remain in England.

What follows as a natural consequence? Men reconcile themselves to swindling. Though they themselves mean to be honest, dishonesty of itself is no longer odious to them. Then there comes the jealousy that others should be growing rich with the approval of all the world, — and the natural aptitude to do what all the world approves. It seems to me that the existence of a Melmotte is not compatible with a wholesome state of things in general.

CHAPTER XXIV THE BALL

CHAPTER XXXIII THE BEGINNING OF PERSECUTION

To her the butterflies of the world had been all in all, and the working bees had been a tribe apart with which she was no more called upon to mix than is my lady's spaniel with the kennel hounds. But

Laying aside for the sake of clearness that indefinite term of girl — for girls are girls from the age of three up to forty-three, if not previously married

CHAPTER LXVI 'I MUST GO

And in that faith he died believing, as he had ever believed, that the spirit of evil was stronger than the spirit of good.

Blood, indeed! If my father had been a baker, I should know by this time where to look for my livelihood. As it is, I am told of nothing but my blood. Will my blood ever get me half a crown?

People often say that marriage is an important thing, and should be much thought of in advance, and marrying people are cautioned that there are many who marry in haste and repent at leisure. I am not sure, however, that marriage may not be pondered over too much; nor do I feel certain that the leisurely repentance do not as often follow the leisurely marriages as it does the rapid ones. That some repent no one can doubt.

There are some things which no novelist, no historian, should attempt; some few scenes in life's drama which even no poet should dare to paint.

CHAPTER XLIX MISS TREFOIL'S DECISION

My husband's diamonds were my diamonds," said Lizzie stoutly. "They are family diamonds, Eustace diamonds, heirlooms, — old property belonging to the Eustaces, just like their estates. Sir Florian didn't give 'em away, and couldn't, and wouldn't if he could. Such things ain't given away in that fashion. It's all nonsense, and you must give them up.

Lizzie, with all her self-assuring protestations, knew that she was paste, and knew that Lucy was real stone.

She had wished to be imprudent when she was young; but her friends had been too strong for her. She had been reduced, and kept in order, and made to run in a groove, — and was now, when she sat looking at her little boy with his bold face, almost inclined to think that the world was right, and that grooves were best. But if she had been controlled when she was young, so ought the Duke to be controlled now that he was old.

Your child! Wouldn't they be kept properly for him, and for the family, if the jewellers had them? I don't believe you care about your child.

He was not a man by any means habitually intemperate, and now any one saying that he was tipsy would have maligned him. But he was flushed with much wine, and he was a man whose arrogance in that condition was apt to become extreme. "In vino veritas!" The sober devil can hide his cloven hoof; but when the devil drinks he loses his cunning and grows honest.

Lady Eustace had been rather cross on the journey down to Scotland, and had almost driven the unfortunate Macnulty to think that Lady Linlithgow or the workhouse would be better than this young tyrant; but on her arrival at her own house she was for awhile all smiles and kindness.

reached Plumstead

Just as authors are told not to read the criticisms; — but I never would believe any author who told me that he didn't read what was said about him. I wonder when the man found out that I was good-natured. He wouldn't find me good-natured if I could get hold of him.