Quotes from Anthony Trollope

There is a general understanding that the wooden-legged men in country parishes should be employed as postmen, owing to the great steadiness of demeanour which a wooden leg is generally found to produce.

When a man says to you, "Let us be candid with each other," you feel instinctively that he desires to squeeze you without giving a drop of water himself.

Her sister, who was three years her elder

For a young woman to accept money from a man seemed to imply that some return of favours would be due. But […] that feeling came from what was dirty and not from what was noble in the world.

But if a man never mentions his belongings among those with whom he lives, he becomes mysterious, and almost open to suspicion. It begins to be known that nobody knows anything of such a man, and even friends become afraid. It is certainly convenient to be able to allude, if it be but once in a year, to some blood relation.

Young people of rank ought to wear nice things

The young man's ideas about politics were boyish, but they were the ideas of a clear-headed boy. Silverbridge had picked up some of the ways of the place, though he had not yet formed any sound political opinions

How constantly in her triumph would she be able to forget all his vices, his debts, his gambling, his late hours, and his cruel treatment of herself! As

I know nothing whatever about politics," said Lord Chiltern. "I wish you did," said his sister,— "with all my heart." "I never did, — and I never shall, for all your wishing. It's the meanest trade going I think, and I'm sure it's the most dishonest.

We know the dear old rhyme: — "It is good to be merry and wise, It is good to be honest and true, It is good to be off with the old love Before you are on with the new.

The cigar has been smoked out, and we are the ashes.

I dare say, and as it doesn't displease me all is well. You, however, have quite sense enough to understand, that in this house more is thought of—of—of— he would have said blood, but that he did not wish to hurt her,—more is thought of personal good conduct than of rings and jewels.

CHAPTER LXXI 'MY OWN, OWN HUSBAND

That I think depends on the rank in life which the young men occupy;—and also the young women. I can understand that a Bank clerk should do it to an attorney's daughter. Well; who is it you are going to marry without spooning, which in my vocabulary is simply another word for two young people being fond of each other?

I shall wait so impatiently for your answer, so do pray write at once. I hear some people say that these sort of things are not so much thought of now as they were once, and that all manner of marriages are considered to be comme il faut. I do not want, you know, to make myself foolish by being too particular. Perhaps all these changes are bad, and I rather think they are; but if the world changes, one must change too; one can't go against the world.

What could she do with a man who had no ideas of his own as to what he ought to do with himself?

A man who is a gentleman in his cups may be trusted to be a gentleman at all times.

CHAPTER XLI THE SENATOR IS BADLY TREATED

Indeed, yes; — or you will be known to all posterity as the fainéant government." "Let me tell you, Lady Glencora, that a fainéant government is not the worst government that England can have. It has been the great fault of our politicians that they have all wanted to do something.

I don't believe the 'Evening Pulpit' can prove it, — and I'm sure that they can't attempt to prove it without an expense of three or four thousand pounds. That's a game in which nobody wins but the lawyers. I wonder

Matrimony never seemed to me to be very charming, and upon my word it does not become more alluring by what I find at Loughlinter.

Sympathy may, no doubt, be conveyed by letter; but there are things on which it is almost impossible for any writer to express himself with adequate feeling; and there are things, too, which can be spoken, but which cannot be written.

Each lady was disposed to get as much and to give as little as possible —

Do something on your own hook. You men in Parliament are so much like sheep! If one jumps at a gap, all go after him, — and then you are penned into lobbies, and then you are fed, and then you are fleeced. I wish I were in Parliament. I'd get up in the middle and make such a speech. You all seem to me to be so much afraid of one another that you don't quite dare to speak out.