Top 380 Elizabeth Gaskell Quotes (2024 Update)
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251. “I consider the thought as everything,′ said Mrs. Gibson. ‘Thought is spiritual, while action is merely material.’ This fine sentence took the speaker herself by surprise; and in such conversation as was then going on, it is not necessary to accurately define the meaning of everything that is said.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

252. “I don’t know – I suppose because, on the very face on it, I see two classes dependent on each other in every possible way, yet each evidently regarding the interests of the other as opposed to their own.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

253. “They could not understand how her heart was aching all the time, with a heavy pressure that no sighs could lift off or relieve, and how constant exertion for her perceptive faculties was the only way to keep herself from crying out with pain.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

254. “Jem had given it to him to bring to her; so it was safe enough; or, if it was not, why she should be glad never to set eyes on it again, for she could not abide fire-arms, they were so apt to shoot people.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

255. “She could not care for him, he thought, or else the passionate fervour of his wish would have forced her to raise those eyes, if but for an instant, to read the late repentance in his.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

256. “The visit promised to be more honorable than agreeable, and Maggie almost wished herself at home again.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

257. “You know, my dears, that your mother was an orphan, and an only child; and I dare say you have heard that your grandfather was a clergyman up in Westmoreland, where I come from.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

258. “But, after all, these were the small grievances of a very happy childhood.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

259. “But to-night they were unusually late, and the aristocratic ozone being absent from the atmosphere, there was a flatness about the dancing of all those who considered themselves above the plebeian ranks of the tradespeople.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

260. “Well, and near our cottage were rocks. Eh, lasses! ye don’t know what rocks are in Manchester! Gray pieces o’ stone as large as a house, all covered over wi’ mosses of different colors, some yellow, some brown; and the ground beneath them knee deep in purple heather, smelling sae sweet and fragrant, and the low music of the humming-bee for ever sounding among it.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

261. “Then, mother, you make me love her more. She is unjustly treated by you, and I must make the balance even. But why do we talk of love or hatred? She does not care for me, and that is enough, – too much. Let us never name the subject again. It is the only thing you can do for me in the matter. Let us never name her.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

262. “But I’m tired of this bustle. Everybody rushing over everybody, in their hurry to get rich.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

263. “So piety demanded a new bonnet, or a new gown; and was barely satisfied with an Easter pair of gloves.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

264. “What, I sometimes ask, could I do without them? I have recourse to them as to friends; they shorten and cheer many an hour that would be too long and too desolate otherwise; even when my tired sight will not permit me to continue reading, it is pleasant to see them on the shelf, or on the table.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

265. “I like everybody to have an opinion of their own; only when my opinions are based on thought and experience, which few people have had equal opportunities of acquiring, I think it is but proper deference in others to allow themselves to be convinced. In fact, I think it is only obstinacy which keeps them from acknowledging that they are. I am not a despot, I hope?”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

266. “For all his pain, he longed to see the author of it.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

267. “But there was danger of the child becoming dreamy, and finding her pleasure in life in reverie, not in action, or endurance, or the holy rest which comes after both, and prepares for further striving or bearing. – chapter 3.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

268. “She liked the exultation in the sense of power which these Milton men had. It might be rather rampant in its display, and savour of boasting; but still they seemed to defy the old limits of possibility, in a kind of fine intoxication, caused by the recollection of what had been achieved, and what yet should be.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

269. “In such towns in the south of England, Margaret had seen the shopmen, when not employed in their business, lounging a little at their doors, enjoying the fresh air, and the look up and down the street. Here, if they had any leisure from customers, they made themselves business in the shop – even, Margaret fancied, to the unnecessary unrolling and rerolling of ribbons.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

270. “Does the woman think I have nothing to do but run about the country in search of brides and bridegrooms, when this great case of Houghton v. Houghton is coming on, and I have not a moment to spare?′ he asked of his wife. ‘Perhaps she never heard of it,’ suggested Mrs. Kirkpatrick. ‘Nonsense! the case has been in the papers for days.’ ‘But she mayn’t know you are engaged in it.’ ‘She mayn’t,’ said he, meditatively – such ignorance was possible.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

271. “Why do you strike?′ asked Margaret. ‘Striking is leaving off work till you get your own rate of wages, is it not? You must not wonder at my ignorance; where I come from I never heard of a strike.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

272. “She went out, going rapidly towards the country, and trying to drown reflection by swiftness of motion.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

273. “And now sharper feelings came shooting through her heart, whether pain or pleasure she could hardly tell. Every mile was rodolent of associations, which she would not have missed for the world, but each of which made her cry upon ‘the days that are no more,’ with ineffable longing.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

274. “Sorrows is more plentiful than dinners just now; I.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

275. “Ah! You may laugh; but that is only because I have not explained myself properly.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

276. “Mother’s love is given by God, John. It holds fast for ever and ever.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

277. “Partners whose names were in the ‘Red Book’ would not have produced half the amount of fatigue, according to Mrs. Gibson’s judgment apparently, and if Cynthia had been quite well, very probably she would have hit the blot in her mother’s speech with one of her touches of sarcasm.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

278. “She thought that he was very much improved in manner, and probably in character, by his mother’s death. He was no longer sarcastic, or fastidious, or vain, or self-confident. She did not know how often all these styles of talk or of behaviour were put on to conceal shyness or consciousness, and to veil the real self from strangers. Osborne’s.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

279. “You are vexed,′ said she, sadly; ‘yet how can I help it?’ She looked so truly grieved as she said this, that he struggled for a moment with his real disappointment, and then answered more cheerfully, but still with a little hardness in his tone:.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

280. “No, its the poor I tell you, and the poor only, as does such things for the poor. Don’t think to come over me with th’ old tale, that the rich knows nothing of the trials of the poor; I say, if they don’t know, they ought to know. We’re their slaves as long as we can work; we pile up their fortunes with the sweat of our brows, and yet we are to live as separate as if we were in two worlds... ” Chap. 1, p. 12.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

281. “There she stood, very pale and quiet, with her large grave eyes observing everything, – up to every present circumstance, however small. They could not understand how her heart was aching all the time, with a heavy pressure that no sighs could lift off or relieve, and how constant exertion for her perceptive faculties was the only way to keep herself from crying out with pain.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

282. “Each dainty little child ran up to its mother, or aunt, or particular friend; but Molly had no one to go to.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

283. “Philip was somewhat of a pedant; yet there was a simplicity in his pedantry not always to be met with in those who are self-taught, and which might have interested any one who cared to know with what labour and difficulty he had acquired the knowledge which now he prized so highly;.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

284. “It’s the only way working men can get their rights, by all joining together. More the members, more chance for each one separate man having justice done him.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

285. “Ah! relevons-nous, et quittons-la pour jamais, reclamons la misericorde de Dieu, et esperons en elle qu’elle nous assistera pour desormais estre plus fermes; et remettons-nous au chemin de l’humilite. Courage, soyons meshuy sur nos gardes, Dieu nous aydera.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

286. “Or, in the triumph of the crowded procession, have the helpless been trampled on, instead of being gently lifted aside out of the roadway of the conqueror, whom they have no power to accompany on his march? It.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

287. “Margaret battled hard against this regret of hers for what could not now be helped; this self-reproach for having said what had at the time appeared to be wise, but which after events were proving to have been so foolish.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

288. “Her mother was one of those who throw out terrible possibilities, miserable probabilities, unfortunate chances of all kinds, as a rocket throws out sparks; but if the sparks light on some combustible matter, they smoulder first, and burst out into a frightful flame at last.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

289. “It would not have made a bit of difference,′ replied Cynthia. ‘I knew he liked me, and I like to be liked; it’s born in me to try to make every one I come near fond of me; but then they should not carry it too far, for it becomes very troublesome if they do. I shall hate red- haired people for the rest of my life. To think of such a man as that being the cause of your father’s displeasure with me!”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

290. “My idea of nursing is that one should not be always thinking of one’s own feelings and wishes, but doing those things which will most serve to beguile the weary hours of an invalid. But then so few people have had to consider the subject so deeply as I have done!′ Mrs. Gibson here thought fit to sigh before going on with Cynthia’s letter.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

291. “Oh! Margaret, could you not have loved me? I am but uncouth and hard, but I would never had led you into any falsehood for me.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

292. “It was towards the end of February, in that year, and a bitter black frost had lasted for many weeks. The keen east wind had long since swept the streets clean, though in a gusty day the dust would rise like pounded ice, and make people’s faces quite smart with the cold force with which it blew against them. Houses, sky, people, and everything looked as if a gigantic brush had washed them all over with a dark shade of Indian ink.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

293. “Tell her to mind her own business the next time, instead of taking up your time and mine too. I believe women are at the bottom of every plague in this world. Be off with you.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

294. “During all the months that had elapsed since Mrs Hamley’s death, Molly had wondered many a time about the secret she had so unwittingly become possessed of that last day in the Hall library.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

295. “I don’t know that you would ever like him, or think him agreeable, Margaret. He is not a lady’s man.′ Margaret wreathed her throat in a scornful curve.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

296. “Dead! buried! lost for evermore, as fear as earth’s for evermore could extend.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

297. “She listened to her story and her fears till the sobs were hushed; and the moon fell through the casement on the white closed eyelids of one, who still sighed in her sleep.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

298. “Every talent, every feeling, every acquirement; nay, even every tendency towards virtue was used up as materials for fireworks; the hidden, sacred fire, exhausted itself in sparkle and crackle.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

299. “My young lady, you’ve a pretty good temper of your own.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell

300. “I think if I had been differently brought up I shouldn’t have had the sore angry heart I have.”

— Elizabeth Gaskell