If I Had a Father quotes
The lines readers remember from If I Had a Father, by George MacDonald.
16 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
Every individual aspect of nature looks to me as if about to give birth to a human form, embodying that of which itself only dreams.
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I will tell you what I meant.
Every individual aspect of nature looks to me as if about to give birth to a human form, embodying that of which itself only dreams.
In this way landscape-painting is, in my eyes, the mother of sculpture. That Apollo is of the summer dawn; that Aphrodite of the moonlit sea; this picture represents the mother of my Psyche.
How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
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She is growing very like someone! Who can it be? She knows she is puzzling me, the beauty! See how she is keeping back a smile! She knows if she lets one smile out, her whole face will follow it through the clay.
How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere. Who is my Psyche like?—The forehead above the eyebrow, and round by the temple? The half-playful, half-sorrowful curve of the lip? The hope in the lifted eyelid?
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere.
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See how she is keeping back a smile! She knows if she lets one smile out, her whole face will follow it through the clay. How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere.
Who is my Psyche like?—The forehead above the eyebrow, and round by the temple? The half-playful, half-sorrowful curve of the lip? The hope in the lifted eyelid? There is more there than ever I put there. Some power has been shaping my ends.
It may be pride, sister; but it is the pride of a repentant thief who puts off his confession until he has the money in his hand to prove the genuineness of his sorrow.
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I tell you it is rank pride.
It may be pride, sister; but it is the pride of a repentant thief who puts off his confession until he has the money in his hand to prove the genuineness of his sorrow.
It never was of any use to argue with you, Walter; you know that, or at least I know it. So I give up.—I trust you have got over your prejudice against his profession. It is not my fault.
Yo dunnot know the heart ov a feyther—ov the feyther ov a lass-barn, sir.
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Dun yo think, sir, o’ the gouden suverings i’ th’ Bank ov England would put a sharper edge on mo oud eighes when they look for mo lass? Eh, mon!
Yo dunnot know the heart ov a feyther—ov the feyther ov a lass-barn, sir.
Han yo kilt and buried her, and nea be yo sorry for’t?
It’s only poor girls gentlemen don’t mind hurting, I suppose.
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No fear o’ that! Ladies takes care o’ theirselves. They’re brought up to it.
It’s only poor girls gentlemen don’t mind hurting, I suppose.
It’s the ladies’ fathers and brothers, Mattie! We’ve got nobody to look after us.
All quotes
Act I
Why shouldn’t you roar a little now and then like other honest lions?
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Just so.
Why shouldn’t you roar a little now and then like other honest lions?
I doubt if the roaring lions do much beyond roaring.
Every individual aspect of nature looks to me as if about to give birth to a human form, embodying that of which itself only dreams.
Show the passage
I will tell you what I meant.
Every individual aspect of nature looks to me as if about to give birth to a human form, embodying that of which itself only dreams.
In this way landscape-painting is, in my eyes, the mother of sculpture. That Apollo is of the summer dawn; that Aphrodite of the moonlit sea; this picture represents the mother of my Psyche.
How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
Show the passage
She is growing very like someone! Who can it be? She knows she is puzzling me, the beauty! See how she is keeping back a smile! She knows if she lets one smile out, her whole face will follow it through the clay.
How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere. Who is my Psyche like?—The forehead above the eyebrow, and round by the temple? The half-playful, half-sorrowful curve of the lip? The hope in the lifted eyelid?
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere.
Show the passage
See how she is keeping back a smile! She knows if she lets one smile out, her whole face will follow it through the clay. How strange the half-lights of memory are! You know and you don’t know—both at once.
Like a bat in the twilight you are sure of it, and the same moment it is nowhere.
Who is my Psyche like?—The forehead above the eyebrow, and round by the temple? The half-playful, half-sorrowful curve of the lip? The hope in the lifted eyelid? There is more there than ever I put there. Some power has been shaping my ends.
Twenty years of neglect will be hard to surmount.
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On the contrary, Clara, with my usual obstinacy, I am more determined than ever that my boy shall not know me, until, as I told you, I have rendered him such service as may prove me not altogether unworthy to be his father.
Twenty years of neglect will be hard to surmount.
But mere menial service cannot discharge the least portion of your obligations. As his father alone can you really serve him.
It may be pride, sister; but it is the pride of a repentant thief who puts off his confession until he has the money in his hand to prove the genuineness of his sorrow.
Show the passage
I tell you it is rank pride.
It may be pride, sister; but it is the pride of a repentant thief who puts off his confession until he has the money in his hand to prove the genuineness of his sorrow.
It never was of any use to argue with you, Walter; you know that, or at least I know it. So I give up.—I trust you have got over your prejudice against his profession. It is not my fault.
Yo dunnot know the heart ov a feyther—ov the feyther ov a lass-barn, sir.
Show the passage
Dun yo think, sir, o’ the gouden suverings i’ th’ Bank ov England would put a sharper edge on mo oud eighes when they look for mo lass? Eh, mon!
Yo dunnot know the heart ov a feyther—ov the feyther ov a lass-barn, sir.
Han yo kilt and buried her, and nea be yo sorry for’t?
Act II
The imagination is a ’ungry gift, as the cock said when he bolted the pebbles.
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No, Jim; I must close.
The imagination is a ’ungry gift, as the cock said when he bolted the pebbles.
Let’s sojourn the meetin’.
Bless you, Mattie! myself is werry comf’able. He never complains.
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Then why don’t you work, and better yourself a bit?
Bless you, Mattie! myself is werry comf’able. He never complains.
Most remarkable ’ungry, Mattie—this werry moment. Odd you should ask now—ain’t it?
Rags is the hairier, as the Skye terrier said to the black-an’-tan.
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I won’t, then, Bill. But just look at yourself!—You’re all in rags.
Rags is the hairier, as the Skye terrier said to the black-an’-tan.
—I shouldn’t object to a new pair of old trousers, though.
It’s only poor girls gentlemen don’t mind hurting, I suppose.
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No fear o’ that! Ladies takes care o’ theirselves. They’re brought up to it.
It’s only poor girls gentlemen don’t mind hurting, I suppose.
It’s the ladies’ fathers and brothers, Mattie! We’ve got nobody to look after us.
Men don’t fall in love with birds.
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How should he fall in love with her, then?
Men don’t fall in love with birds.
It’s a risk—a great risk.
Act III
I would rather be nice inside than out.
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Laughing. The shawl would be the first thing I should part with.
I would rather be nice inside than out.
Lawk, miss! I shouldn’t wonder if that was one of the differs now! Well, I never! It ain’t seen! It must be one o’ the differs!
Act IV
If I had a father, William, I would tell him all about it.
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And mean it?
If I had a father, William, I would tell him all about it.
I was but two years old when he left me.
Anything’s better than serving yourself. And that’s what everyone does who won’t serve other people.
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Why shouldn’t I serve my own—superior, sir?
Anything’s better than serving yourself. And that’s what everyone does who won’t serve other people.
You are right. And it’s so cheap.
Watkins mayn’t be your name, but Watkins is your nature.
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In good time. I might make a worse.
Watkins mayn’t be your name, but Watkins is your nature.
Damn your insolence! Let me go, I tell you! Struggles threatening.
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