George Eliot

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. ”

I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best. ”

The only failure one should fear, is not hugging to the purpose they see as best. ”

In spite of his practical ability, some of his experience had petrified into maxims and quotations. ”

Mortals are easily tempted to pinch the life out of their neighbour's buzzing glory, and think that such killing is no murder. ”

The beginning of compunction is the beginning of a new life. ”

There is no private life which has not been determined by a wider public life. ”

Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face. ”

What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other? ”

What makes life dreary is the want of a motive. ”