What do you expect—not indifference or ingratitude?’ (-Miss Benson) ‘It is better not to expect or calculate consequences. The longer I live, the more fully I see that. Let us try simply to do right actions, without thinking of the feelings they are to call out in others. We know that no holy or self-denying effort can fall to the ground vain and useless; but the sweep of eternity is large, and God along knows when the effect is to be produced. We are trying to do right now, and to feel right; don’t let us perplex ourselves with endeavoring to map out how she should feel, or how she should show her feelings.’ (-Thurstan)
expectations helping-others motivation righteousness
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About This Quote

About Elizabeth Gaskell

Elizabeth Gaskell was a 19th-century English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer detailed studies of Victorian society, including the lives of the very poor. Read more on Wikipedia →

Themes

  • Motivation — Powerful words to drive action and perseverance

More quotes by Elizabeth Gaskell

“One word more. You look as if you thought it tainted you to beloved by me. You cannot avoid it. Nay, I, if I would, cannotcleanse you from it. But I would not, if I could. I have neverloved any wom...”
— Elizabeth Gaskell
love

“I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine.”
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hope love unrequited-love

“Take care. If you do not speak I shall claim you as my own in some strange presumptuous way. Send me away at once, if I must go; Margaret! ”
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love romance

“Thus, you see, he arrived at the same end, via supposed duty, that he was previously pledged to via interest. I fancy a good number of us, when any line of action will promote our own interest, can...”
— Elizabeth Gaskell
belief duty ends interest

“He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her while he was jealous of her while he renounced her he loved her sorely, in spite of himself.”
— Elizabeth Gaskell
love romance unrequited-love

“Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used--not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless.”
— Elizabeth Gaskell
inspirational
View all quotes by Elizabeth Gaskell →

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