Quotes by George MacDonald

“To try to be brave is to be brave.””

“It is by loving, and not by being loved, that one can come nearest the soul of another; yea, that, where two love, it is the loving of each other, that originates and perfects and assures their blessedness. I knew that love gives to him that loveth, power over over any soul be loved, even if that soul know him not, bringing him inwardly close to that spirit; a power that cannot be but for good; for in proportion as selfishness intrudes, the love ceases, and the power which springs therefrom dies. Yet all love will, one day, meet with its return. ””

“We are all very anxious to be understood, and it is very hard not to be. But there is one thing much more necessary.'What is that, grandmother?'To understand other people.'Yes, grandmother. I must be fair - for if I'm not fair to other people, I'm not worth being understood myself. I see.””

“Doing the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans.””

“Philosophy is really homesickness.””

“Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy. ””

“No story ever really ends, and I think I know why. ””

“People must believe what they can, and those who believe more must not be hard upon those who believe less. I doubt if you would have believed it all yourself if you hadn't seen some of it.””

“I write, not for children,but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five.””

“You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.””

“All that is not God is death.””

“There is this difference between the growth of some human beings and that of others: in the one case it is a continuous dying, in the other a continuous resurrection.””

“It is by loving and not by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.””

“Past tears are present strength.””