My dear Mr FitzGeorge!' cried Lady Slane. 'You really mustn't talk as though my life had been a tragedy. I had everything that most women would covet: position, comfort, children, and a husband I loved. I had nothing to complain of - nothing.''Except that you were defrauded of the one thing that mattered. Nothing matters to an artist except the fulfilment of his gift. You know that as well as I do. Frustrated, he grows crooked like a tree twisted into an unnatural shape. All meaning goes out of life, and life becomes existence - a makeshift. Face it, Lady Slane. Your children, your husband, your splendour, were nothing but obstacles that kept you from yourself. They were what you chose to substitute for your real vocation. You were too young, I suppose, to know any better, but when you chose that life you sinned against the light.

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About Vita Sackville-West

Vita Sackville-West was a 19th-century English writer and gardener. Victoria Mary, Lady Nicolson, CH, usually known as Vita Sackville-West, was an English author and garden designer. Read more on Wikipedia →

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  • Love — Quotes exploring romantic love, compassion, and human connection
  • Marriage — Partnership, commitment, and the journey of shared life

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