Go forward with joyful confidence.
George EliotRead
The difficult task of knowing another soul is not for young gentlemen whose consciousness is chiefly made up of their own wishes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding others requires maturity and selflessness, not mere personal desires.
George Eliot's quote highlights the complexity of truly knowing another person, emphasizing that such understanding is often beyond the reach of those who are predominantly self-centered and focused on their own desires. It suggests that genuine connections require emotional depth and maturity, qualities that are typically developed over time and through life experiences.
Themes
UnderstandingRelationshipsMaturitySelflessnessEmpathy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about interpersonal relationships, this quote could serve to remind the audience of the importance of empathy.
More from George Eliot
All quotes βYou must love your work, and not be always looking over the edge of it, wanting your play to begin. And the other is, you must not be ashamed of your work, and think it would be more honorable to you to be doing something else. You must have a pride in your own work and in learning to do it well.
George EliotRead
She thought it was part of the hardship of her life that there was laid upon her the burthen of larger wants than others seemed to feel β that she had to endure this wide hopeless yearning for that something, whatever it was, that was greatest and best on this earth.
George EliotRead
Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.
George EliotRead
I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.
George EliotRead
Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them: they can be injured by us, they can be wounded; they know all our penitence, all our aching sense that their place is empty, all the kisses we bestow on the smallest relic of their presence.
George EliotRead
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