The Claverings quotes

“Be a man, then, and keep it to yourself. Love is not to be our master. You can choose, as I say; but I have had no choice—no choice but to be married well, or to go out like a snuff of a candle.

I don’t like the snuff of a candle, and, therefore, I am going to be married well.

”

“Be a man, then, and keep it to yourself.

Love is not to be our master. You can choose, as I say; but I have had no choice⁠—no choice but to be married well, or to go out like a snuff of a candle.

I don’t like the snuff of a candle, and, therefore, I am going to be married well.”

But, as the matter is one simply of my own pleasure, I shall give it up.” After that Mr. Clavering hunted no more, and never spoke a good word to anyone of the bishop of his diocese.

For myself, I think it as well that clergymen should not hunt; but had I been the parson of Clavering, I should, under those circumstances, have hunted double.

Mr. Clavering hunted no more, and probably smoked a greater number of cigars in consequence. He had an increased amount of time at his disposal, but did not, therefore, give more time to his duties. Alas! what time did he give to his duties?

The world had been too comfortable for him, and also too narrow; so that he had sunk into idleness.

The world had given him much to eat and drink, but it had given him little to do, and thus he had gradually fallen away from his early purposes, till his energy hardly sufficed for the doing of that little.

His living gave him eight hundred a year; his wife’s fortune nearly doubled that. He had married early, and had got his living early, and had been very prosperous. But he was not a happy man.

“I do choose to stop you in that way. As for Saul, it is impossible that you should become such a man as he.

It is not that he mortifies his flesh, but that he has no flesh to mortify.

He is unconscious of the flavour of venison, or the scent of roses, or the beauty of women.

He was, moreover, weak, thin, and physically poor, and had, no doubt, increased this weakness and poorness by hard living. Though others thought him old, time had gone swiftly with him, and he still thought himself a young man.

He hunted, though he could not ride. He shot, though he could not walk. And, unfortunately, he drank, though he had no capacity for drinking!

His friends at last had taught him to believe that his only chance of saving himself lay in marriage, and therefore he had engaged himself to Julia Brabazon, purchasing her at the price of a brilliant settlement.

“I hate patience, and always did.

Patience is one of the worst vices I know. It’s almost as bad as humility.

You’ll tell me you’re ’umble next. If you’ll only add that you’re contented, you’ll describe yourself as one of the lowest of God’s creatures.”

With the exception of Harry, all the rectory Claverings had been introduced to Lord Ongar, and were now bound to express something approaching to sorrow. Will anyone dare to call this hypocrisy? If it be so called, who in the world is not a hypocrite?

Where is the man or woman who has not a special face for sorrow before company?

The man or woman who has no such face, would at once be accused of heartless impropriety.

On the whole, he was proud that he had been selected for the commission, as he liked to think of himself as one to whom things happened which were out of the ordinary course.

His only objection to Florence was that she had come to him so much in the ordinary course.

“I suppose the truth is you are tired of our dullness,” said his father to him, when he declared his purpose of going up to London, and, in answer to certain questions that were asked him, had hesitated to tell his business.

“Happy!” she replied. “

I have lived such a life as I did not think any man or woman could be made to live on this side the grave.

I will be honest with you, Harry. Nothing but the conviction that it could not be for long has saved me from destroying myself. I knew that he must die!”

“No, Harry, I will not forget you, though I spoke so slightingly of you just now. But your vanity need not be hurt. It is only the world—Mrs. Grundy, you know, that would deny me such friendship as yours; not my own taste or choice.

Mrs. Grundy always denies us exactly those things which we ourselves like best.

You are clever enough to understand that.”

“That is it,” said he. “

We are driven to work because work never palls on us, whereas pleasure always does.

What a wonderful scheme it is when one looks at it all. No man can follow pleasure long continually. When a man strives to do so, he turns his pleasure at once into business, and works at that.

It may, I think, be doubted whether any man or woman has a right to give an invitation in this way, and whether all invitations so given should not be null and void, from the fact of the unfair advantage that has been taken.

The man who fires at a sitting bird is known to be no sportsman.

Now, the dinner-giver who catches his guest in an unguarded moment, and bags him when he has had no chance to rise upon his wing, does fire at a sitting bird. In this instance, however, Lady Clavering’s little speeches were made only to Mrs.

And as for his daughter—oh! Mr. Giles could not trust himself to talk about the daughter to her ladyship. Before he left her, Lady Ongar was convinced that she had made a mistake.

Not even from charity will pleasure come, if charity be taken up simply to appease remorse.

The price was in her hand. For a fortnight the idea clung to her, that gradually she would realize the joys of possession; but there was no moment in which she could tell herself that the joy was hers.

Then she began to think that it might be well for her to let the farm to a tenant; not that she might thus get more money, but because she felt that the farm would be a trouble.

The apples had indeed quickly turned to ashes between her teeth!

On the first Sunday that she was at Ongar Park she went to the parish church. She had resolved strongly that she would do this, and she did it; but when the moment for starting came, her courage almost failed her.

But he was a married man, and he said nothing of his wife, nor during the next week did his wife come to call on her. She was to be left desolate by all, because men had told lies of her!

She had the price in her hands, but she felt herself tempted to do as Judas did⁠—to go out and hang herself.

But the count never forgot any of his own capacities for pleasure, and in all things made the most of his own resources.

To be rich is not to have one or ten thousand a year, but to be able to get out of that one or ten thousand all that every pound, and every shilling, and every penny will give you.

After this fashion the count was a rich man.

You and I were old friends, Harry, and something more once—were we not? But I jilted you, as you were man enough to tell me. How I did respect you when you dared to speak the truth to me.

Men don’t know women, or they would be harder to them.

”

But then his position was so unfortunate! Had it not been for Florence Burton he would have been long since at her feet; for, to give Harry Clavering his due, he could be quick enough at swearing to a passion.

He was one of those men to whom lovemaking comes so readily that it is a pity that they should ever marry.

He was ever making love to women, usually meaning no harm. He made love to Cecilia Burton over her children’s beds, and that discreet matron liked it. But it was a lovemaking without danger.

When it suits them, they scratch, even though they have been ever so soft before.

Count Pateroff is a cat. You, Harry, I think are a dog.

” She perhaps expected that he would promise to her that he would be her dog—a dog in constancy and affection; but he was still mindful in part of Florence, and restrained himself.

“Go, then; and do not change your thoughts. Go and think of me, and pity me.

Pity me for what I have got, but pity me most for what I have lost.

” Harry did not say another word, but took her hand, and kissed it, and then left her.

“

Archie, you are a fool,

” said Sir Hugh; and Archie could see by his brother’s brow that Hugh was angry. “You say things that for folly and absurdity are beyond belief.

“

I always choose that she shall know that I’m there.

” And Captain Boodle, as he repeated these manly words with a firm voice, put out his hands as though he were handling the horse’s rein.

It is melancholy for you to go alone; I came to ask you for a drive. Shall we go?” And they did go, Lady Ongar and Sophie Gordeloup together. Lady Ongar, as she submitted, despised herself for her submission; but what was she to do?

It is sometimes very difficult to escape from the meshes of friendship.

Captain Clavering, when he left Bolton Street, went down to his club, having first got rid of his shining boots and new gloves.

“

Not to know the bit out of the neck of the salmon from any other bit, is not to know a false note from a true one.

Not to distinguish a ’51 wine from a ’58, is to look at an arm or a leg on the canvas, and to care nothing whether it is in drawing, or out of drawing.

His wife talked and walked. It was the supper again. Milton had a bad digestion because he is always so cross; and your Carlyle must have the worst digestion in the world, because he never says any good of anything.

Ah, to digest is to be happy!

Believe me, my friends, there is no other way not to be turned out of paradise by a fiery two-handed turning sword.”

“

Yes, because you are here; because of the nearness of the houses. If you lived far away you would not care for me. It is just the custom of the thing.

” There was something so true in this that Mrs. Clavering could make no answer to it. Then they turned to go back into the sitting-room, and as they did so Lady Clavering lingered behind for a moment; but when she was again with Mrs.

“Yes, yes. Cannot you see how he would frown and shake his head if you were here? I would sooner be alone when he comes. Good night. You have been very kind to me; but you are always kind.

Things are done kindly always at your house, because there is so much love there.

You will write to Julia for me. Good night.” Then Mrs.

“No, Harry, no; you shall take your young fresh generous heart to a better market than that; not but that the distressed damsel will ever remember what might once have been.”

He knew that he was playing on the edge of a precipice⁠—that he was fluttering as a moth round a candle.

He knew that it behoved him now at once to tell her all his tale as to Stratton and Florence Burton;—that if he could tell it now, the pang would be over and the danger gone. But he did not tell it.

Could she say, “Yes, you can comfort me. Tell me that you yet love me, and I will be comforted?” But he had not designed to bring her into such difficulty as this. He had not intended to be cruel.

He had drifted into treachery unawares, and was torturing her, not because he was wicked, but because he was weak.

He had held her hand now for some minute or two, but still she did not speak to him. Then he raised it and pressed it warmly to his lips.

“By George,” said he, “is she really?”

And his respect for the little woman rose a thousand percent.

“That’s what she is,” said Doodles, “and it’s a doosed fine thing for you, you know! Of course you can make her safe, and that will be everything.”

said his wife. “It is very easy to say go to him,” he replied. “If I made it my business I could, of course, go to him, and no doubt find him if I was determined to do so;—but what more could I do?

I can lead a horse to the water, but I cannot make him drink.

” “You could speak to him of Florence.” “That is such a woman’s idea,” said the husband. “When every proper incentive to duty and ambition has failed him, he is to be brought into the right way by the mention of a girl’s name!”

and all Freshwater, and all Yarmouth, and all that end of the island were alive to the fact that the rich widowed countess respecting whom such strange tales were told, had come on a visit to these parts. Innkeepers like such visitors.

The more venomous are the stories told against them, the more money are they apt to spend, and the less likely are they to examine their bills.

A rich woman altogether without a character is a mine of wealth to an innkeeper.

Innkeepers like such visitors. The more venomous are the stories told against them, the more money are they apt to spend, and the less likely are they to examine their bills.

A rich woman altogether without a character is a mine of wealth to an innkeeper.

In the present case no such godsend had come in the way—but there was supposed to be a something a little odd, and the visitor was on that account the more welcome.

“Ah! That is what we call poetry.

Poetry is very pretty, and in saying this as you do, you make yourself divine. But to be dashed over the cliffs and broken on the rocks;⁠—in prose it is not so well.

”

“

He does not mean to be false; but he is one of those men who can be false without meaning it⁠—who allow themselves to drift away from their anchors, and to be carried out into seas of misery and trouble, because they are not careful in looking to their tackle.

I think that he may still be held to a right course, and therefore I have begged him to come here.”

“She needn’t be a bit the worse on that account.

Whenever I hear that there is a woman whom nobody visits, I always feel inclined to go and pay my respects to her.

”

And now this woman was a widow with a large fortune, and wanted a husband! What business had any widow to want a husband?

It is so easy for wives to speak and think after that fashion when they are satisfied with their own ventures.

It was arranged that when Harry came to the door, Mrs. Burton should go up alone to the drawing-room and receive him there, remaining with her husband in the dining-room till he should come.

the first love, if that was true, is ever there; and should she and he meet after many years, though their heads be gray and their cheeks wrinkled, there will still be a touch of the old passion as their hands meet for a moment.

Methinks that love never dies, unless it be murdered by downright ill-usage.

It may be so murdered, but even ill-usage will more often fail than succeed in that enterprise.

He should have been chivalric, manly, full of high duty. He should have been all this, and full also of love, and then he would have been a hero.

But men as I see them are not often heroic.

As he entered the room he saw Mrs. Burton at once, and then looked round quickly for her husband.

“

Women always understand these things best,

” said he.

He did draw the comparison ruthlessly between the character which he had intended to make his own and that which he now had justly earned. He did not excuse himself. We are told to love others as ourselves, and it is hard to do so.

But I think that we never hate others, never despise others, as we are sometimes compelled by our own convictions and self-judgment to hate and to despise ourselves.

Harry, as he walked home on this evening, was lost in disgust at his own conduct. He could almost have hit his head against the walls, or thrown himself beneath the wagons as he passed them, so thoroughly was he ashamed of his own life.

“

I know that you would forgive a man anything, and a woman nothing.

” To this she submitted in silence, having probably heard the reproof before, and he went on to finish the letter. “Not defending himself!” he exclaimed—“then why does he not defend himself?

Burton was apt to be eloquent in his domestic discussion, and sometimes almost severe;—but the final arrangement of them was generally left to his wife.

He enunciated principles of strategy⁠—much, no doubt, to her benefit; but she actually fought the battles.

“

What is the meaning of self-denial, if no one can bear to suffer?

”

Those whom he had bruised by his cruelty, and knocked over by his treachery, must get to their feet again as best they could, and say as little as might be of their fall.

There are knaves in this world, and no one can suppose that he has a special right to be exempted from their knavery because he himself is honest.

It is on the honest that the knaves prey. That was Burton’s theory in this matter. He would learn from Cecilia how Florence was bearing herself;

There are knaves in this world, and no one can suppose that he has a special right to be exempted from their knavery because he himself is honest.

It is on the honest that the knaves prey.

That was Burton’s theory in this matter. He would learn from Cecilia how Florence was bearing herself; but to Florence herself he would say little or nothing if she bore with patience and dignity, as he believed she would, the calamity which had befallen her.

But there they were in her box upstairs, and sitting by herself, with weary fingers, she packed them, and left them packed under lock and key, addressed by herself to Harry Clavering, Esq.

Oh, the misery of packing such a parcel!

The feeling with which a woman does it is never encountered by a man.

But Fanny put off the interview with her mother—put off her own final resolution, till it was too late, and Mr. Saul came upon her again, when she was but ill-prepared for him.

A woman, when she doubts whether she loves or does not love, is inclined five parts out of six towards the man of whom she is thinking.

When a woman doubts she is lost, the cynics say. I simply assert, being no cynic, that when a woman doubts she is won. The more Fanny thought of Mr.

A woman, when she doubts whether she loves or does not love, is inclined five parts out of six towards the man of whom she is thinking. When a woman doubts she is lost, the cynics say.

I simply assert, being no cynic, that when a woman doubts she is won.

The more Fanny thought of Mr. Saul, the more she felt that he was not the man for which she had first taken him—that he was of larger dimensions as regarded spirit, manhood, and heart, and better entitled to a woman’s love.

He was so unusually disagreeable in his intercourse with her, that his absence, one would think, must be preferable to his presence.

But women can bear anything better than desertion. Cruelty is bad, but neglect is worse than cruelty, and desertion worse even than neglect.

To be treated as though she were not in existence, or as though her existence were a nuisance simply to be endured, and, as far as possible, to be forgotten, was more than even Lady Clavering could bear without complaint.

Because she loved the man;—loved him, though she now thought that she hated him.

We very rarely, I fancy, love those whose love we have not either possessed or expected⁠—or at any rate for whose love we have not hoped; but when it has once existed, ill-usage will seldom destroy it.

Angry as she was with the man, ready as she was to complain of him, to rebel against him—perhaps to separate herself from him forever, nevertheless she found it to be a cruel grievance that she should not sit at table with him on the …

but still she could not cease to long that good things might come to her, though those good things had not been deserved.

Alas, good things not deserved too often lose their goodness when they come!

As she was sitting with Sophie’s letter in her hand the door was opened, and Captain Clavering was announced.

“No, indeed,” said her brother. “

Sorrow should not be killed too quickly. I always think that those who are impervious to grief must be impervious also to happiness.

If you have feelings capable of the one, you must have them capable also of the other!”

One might have thought that it would have been impossible to avoid all touch of a rebuke. The very fact that he was forgiven would seem to imply some fault that required pardon. But there was no hint at any fault.

The tact of women excels the skill of men; and so perfect was the tact of these women that not a word was said which wounded Harry’s ear.

He had come again into their fold, and they were rejoiced and showed their joy. He who had gone astray had repented, and they were beautifully tender to the repentant sheep.

Here, at any rate, he had to make those confessions of which I have before spoken;—confessions which it may be less difficult to make with pen and ink than with spoken words, but which when so made are more degrading.

The word that is written is a thing capable of permanent life, and lives frequently to the confusion of its parent.

A man should make his confessions always by word of mouth if it be possible. Whether such a course would have been possible to Harry Clavering may be doubtful.

They will have forgotten all their cautions, and will take what they get as though it were simply their due.

Nothing astonishes me so much as the fear people feel before a thing is done when I join it with their want of surprise or admiration afterwards.

” In this way even Theodore Burton had resumed his terms of intimacy with Harry Clavering.

Poor woman! The excitement of having a passion which she might indulge was over with her—at any rate for the present.

She had played her game and had lost woefully; but before she retired altogether from the gaming-table she could not keep herself from longing for a last throw of the dice.

“These things, I fear, go very much by chance,” said Harry.

“Of that I am sure. Do not suppose that I am doubting that.

It is not only the paradise that you have gained, but the pandemonium that you have escaped!

” Then she laughed slightly, but the laughter was uneasy, and made her angry with herself.

“Tell her, from me, with my love—not to be too prudent.

I thought to be prudent, and see what has come of it.

”

Who among them would not pity the bereaved mother and the widow? Who among them would not remember with affection the babe whom they had seen at that font, and with respect the landlord under whose rule they had lived?

How pleasant it must be to ask those questions which no one can rise to answer!

Farmer Gubbins as he sat by, listening with what power of attention had been vouchsafed to him, felt himself to be somewhat moved, but soon released himself from the task, and allowed his mind to run away into other ideas.

Alas, no;—if the habit be not there, of all tasks it is the most difficult.

If a man have not acquired the habit of reading till he be old, he shall sooner in his old age learn to make shoes than learn the adequate use of a book.

And worse again;—under such circumstances the making of shoes shall be more pleasant to him than the reading of a book. Let those who are not old—who are still young, ponder this well.

One cannot make good come out of evil. I have done evil, and nothing but evil has come from the evil which I have done. Nothing but evil will come from it. As for being useful in the world—I know of what use I am!

When women hear how wretched I have been they will be unwilling to sell themselves as I did.

” Then she made her way to the door, and left the room, going out with quiet steps, and closing the lock behind her without a sound.

She counted them half-a-dozen times, to be quite sure, and then rolled them carefully in paper, and sealed the little packet at each end. “Ah,” she said, speaking to herself, “they are very nice.

Nothing else English is nice, but only these.

” There were many rolls of money there before her in the drawer of the desk;—some ten, perhaps, or twelve.