Villette Quotes:

But afterwards, is there nothing more for me in life - no true home - nothing to be dearer to me than myself?

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2016). “Villette”, p.350, Xist Publishing

topic: Home, True Home, Villette

Whatever my powers--feminine or the contrary--God had given them, and I felt resolute to be ashamed of no faculty of his bestowal.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette: Easyread Edition”, p.157, ReadHowYouWant.com

topic: Feminine, Given, Faculty, Villette

I doubt if I have made the best use of all my calamities. Soft, amiable natures they would have refined to saintliness; of strong, evil spirits they would have made demons; as for me, I have only been a woe-struck and selfish woman.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette”, p.80, The Floating Press

topic: Strong, Selfish, Evil, Evil Spirits, Villette

Life is so constructed, that the event does not, cannot, will not, match the expectation.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Villette ch. 36 (1853)

topic: Life, Success, Expectations, Villette

There is, in lovers, a certain infatuation of egotism; they will have a witness of their happiness, cost that witness what it may.

- Charlotte Bronte

topic: Cost, May, Lovers, Villette

If life be a war, it seemed my destiny to conduct it single-handed.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette: Easyread Large Edition”, p.84, ReadHowYouWant.com

topic: War, Destiny, Life Is, Villette

Reading is the way mankind delays the inevitable. Reading is the way we shake our fist at the sky. As long as we have these epic, improbable reading projects arrayed before us, we cannot breathe our last: Tell the Angel of Death to come back later; I haven't quite finished Villette.

- Joe Queenan

source: "One For The Books". Book by Joe Queenan, 2012.

topic: Reading, Angel, Epic, Villette, Angel Of Death

No mockery in this world ever sounds to me so hollow as that of being told to cultivate happiness. What does such advice mean? Happiness is not a potato, to be planted in mould, and tilled with manure.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: "Villette". Easyread Super Large 18pt Edition,

topic: Happiness, Sound, World, Villette

Peril, loneliness, an uncertain future, are not oppressive evils, so long as the frame is healthy and the faculties are employed; so long, especially, as Liberty lends us her wings, and Hope guides us by her star.

- Charlotte Bronte

topic: Stars, Loneliness, Wings, Uncertain Future, Villette

I believe in some blending of hope and sunshine sweetening the worst lots. I believe that this life is not all; neither the beginning nor the end. I believe while I tremble; I trust while I weep.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2016). “Villette”, p.350, Xist Publishing

topic: Believe, Sunshine, Life Is, Villette

Silence is of different kinds, and breathes different meanings.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette: Easyread Large Edition”, p.175, ReadHowYouWant.com

topic: Silence, Different, Kind, Different Meanings, Villette

If there are words and wrongs like knives, whose deep inflicted lacerations never heal - cutting injuries and insults of serrated and poison-dripping edge - so, too, there are consolations of tone too fine for the ear not fondly and for ever to retain their echo: caressing kindnesses - loved, lingered over through a whole life, recalled with unfaded tenderness, and answering the call with undimmed shine, out of that raven cloud foreshadowing Death himself.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette”, p.475, The Floating Press

topic: Kindness, Cutting, Clouds, Foreshadowing, Villette

I believe that creature is a changeling: she is a perfect cabinet of oddities.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2016). “Villette”, p.27, Xist Publishing

topic: Believe, Oddities, Perfect, Changelings, Villette

In a few more days I'd anticipated telling Veronika that our injections had cured her heart condition. But in light of her unscheduled departure form Villette my telling that particular lie will not be required. The majority of people who attempt suicide repeat that attempt until they succeed. I took a risk in lying to her about her condition, i decided to test the only remedy i have come to have any faith in: awareness of life. Until she finds out from some other doctor that she is perfectly healthy. She'll consider each day a miracle. Which in my view it is.

- Paulo Coelho

topic: Suicide, Lying, Heart, Injection, Villette

I like to see flowers growing, but when they are gathered, they cease to please. I look on them as things rootless and perishable; their likeness to life makes me sad. I never offer flowers to those I love; I never wish to receive them from hands dear to me.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2016). “Villette”, p.327, Xist Publishing

topic: Flower, Hands, Wish, Flowers Growing, Villette

Liberty lends us her wings and Hope guides us by her star.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: 1853 Villette, ch.6.

topic: Stars, Wings, Liberty, Uncertain Future, Villette

We should acknowledge God merciful, but not always for us comprehensible.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2016). “Villette”, p.41, Xist Publishing

topic: Should, Acknowledge, Religious Faith, Villette

To see and know the worst is to take from Fear her main advantage.

- Charlotte Bronte

source: Charlotte Bronte (2009). “Villette: Easyread Edition”, p.335, ReadHowYouWant.com

topic: Advantage, Worst, Knows, Villette