Quotes from George Eliot

In the vain laughter of folly wisdom hears half its applause.

You must love your work and not always be looking over the edge of it wanting your play to begin.

The fact is, both callers and work thicken - the former sadly interfering with the latter.

It is a vain thought to flee from the work that God appoints us, for the sake of finding a greater blessing, instead of seeking it where alone it is to be found - in loving obedience.

A good solid bit of work lasts.

Ingenious philosophers tell you, perhaps, that the great work of the steam-engine is to create leisure for mankind. Do not believe them; it only creates a vacuum for eager thought to rush in.

There's many a good bit o' work done with a sad heart.

Our sense of duty must often wait for some work which shall take the place of dilettanteism [sic] and make us feel that the quality of our action is not a matter of indifference.

And when a woman's will is as strong as the man's who wants to govern her, half her strength must be concealment.

Breed is stronger than pasture.

You have such strong words at command, that they make the smallest argument seem formidable.

The strength of the donkey mind lies in adopting a course inversely as the arguments urged, which, well considered, requires as great a mental force as the direct sequence.

What is your religion? I mean-not what you know about religion but the belief that helps you most?

Fine art, poetry, that kind of thing, elevates a nation.

Plainness has its peculiar temptations and vices quite as much as beauty.

The world is full of hopeful analogies and handsome, dubious eggs, called possibilities.

Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.

Beauty is part of the finished language by which goodness speaks.

What can still that hunger of the heart which sickens the eye for beauty, and makes sweet-scented ease an oppression?

It belongs to every large nature, when it is not under the immediate power of some strong unquestioning emotion, to suspect itself, and doubt the truth of its own impressions, conscious of possibilities beyond its own horizon.

It is good to be helpful and kindly, but don't give yourself to be melted into candle grease for the benefit of the tallow trade.

There's good chances and bad chances, and nobody's luck is pulled only by one string.

Any coward can fight a battle when he's sure of winning.

Necessity does the work of courage.