Quotes from Hannah More

Man can see his reflection in water only when he bends down close to it, and the heart of man, too, must lean down to the heart of his fellow; then it will see itself within his heart.

In men this blunder still you find; all think their little set mankind.

The sober comfort, all the peace which springs from the large aggregate of little things.

Resentment is an evil so costly to our peace that we should find it more cheap to forgive even were it no more right.

All desire the gifts of God, but they do not desire God.

Did not God Sometimes withhold in mercy what we ask, We should be ruined at our own request.

Our infinite obligations to God do not fill our hearts half as much as a petty uneasiness of our own; nor His infinite perfections as much as our smallest wants.

In agony or danger, no nature is atheist. The mind that knows not what to fly to, flies to God.

We do not so much want books for good people, as books which will make bad ones better.

Perfect purity, fullness of joy, everlasting freedom, perfect rest, health and fruition, complete security, substantial and eternal good.

Where bright imagination reigns, the fine-wrought spirit feels acuter pains.

Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of speech, but earnestness of soul.

A small unkindness is a great offence.

Genius without religion is only a lamp on the outer gate of a palace; it may serve to cast a gleam of light on those that are without, while the inhabitant sits in darkness.

It is not so important to know everything as to know the exact value of everything, to appreciate what we learn and to arrange what we know.

We have employments assigned to us for every circumstance in life. When we are alone, we have our thoughts to watch; in the family, our tempers; and in company, our tongues.

How short is human life! the very breath Which frames my words accelerates my death.

... it is a most severe trial for those women to be called to lay down beauty, who have nothing else to take up. It is for this sober season of life that education should lay up its rich resources.

Life though a short, is a working day. Activity may lead to evil; but inactivity cannot be led to good.

When thou hast truly thanked the Lord for every blessing sent, But little time will then remain for murmur or lament.

If faith produce no works, I see That faith is not a living tree. Thus faith and works together grow, No separate life they never can know. They're soul and body, hand and heart, What God hath joined, let no man part.

It is the large aggregate of small things perpetually occurring that robs me of all my time. The expense of learning to read might have been spared in my education, for I never read.

Absence in love is like water upon fire; a little quickens, but much extinguishes it.

he who finds he has wasted a shilling may by diligence hope to fetch it up again; but no repentance or industry can ever bring back one wasted hour.