Quotes about Understanding

No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.

German and Spanish are accessible to foreigners: English is not accessible even to Englishmen.

No, really: I can't fight, I never could. I can't bring myself to dislike anyone enough.

Beware of the man who does not return your blow: he neither forgives you nor allows you to forgive yourself

If other people are going to talk, conversation becomes impossible.

It takes six years to learn to live together, and get over the most furious fits of wishing you hadn't married him, and hating him, but after that he becomes a habit and a property and you stop bothering about it.

It is surely better to pardon too much, than to condemn too much.

If one is not to get into a rage sometimes, what is the good of being friends?

Attempts at description are stupid. Who can all at once describe a human being? Even when he is presented to us we only begin that knowledge of his appearance which must be completed by innumerable impressions under differing circumstances.

There is hardly any contact more depressing to a young ardent creature than that of a mind in which years full of knowledge seem to have issued in a blank absence of interest or sympathy.

There is no escaping the fact that want of sympathy condemns us to a corresponding stupidity.

Love gives insight, Maggie, and insight often gives foreboding. Listen to me, let me supply you with books; do let me see you sometimes, be your brother and teacher, as you said at Lorton. It is less wrong that you should see me than that you should be committing this long suicide.