Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XV : An Encounter and its Consequences; Gilbert Markham
Quotes from book
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anne Brontë
Original title
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
(British English, 1848)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel by the English author Anne Brontë. It was first published in 1848 under the pseudonym Acton Bell. Probably the most shocking of the Brontës' novels, it had an instant and phenomenal success, but after Anne's death her sister Charlotte prevented its re-publication in England until 1854.
“There is always a 'but' in this imperfect world.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXII : Traits of Friendship; Helen Graham
Preface, 2nd edition (22 July 1848)
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848)
Context: I am satisfied that if a book is a good one, it is so whatever the sex of the author may be. All novels are, or should be, written for both men and women to read, and I am at loss to conceive how a man should permit himself to write anything that would be really disgraceful to a woman, or why a woman should be censured for writing anything that would be proper and becoming for a man.
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. III : A Controversy; Gilbert to Helen
“My heart is too thoroughly dried to be broken in a hurry, and I mean to live as long as I can.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXVII : Misdemeanour; Helen to Arthur
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXXII : Comparisons: Information Rejected; Helen to Milicent
“It is better to arm and strengthen your hero, than to disarm and enfeeble your foe.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. III : A Controversy; Gilbert to Helen
“If I hate the sins, I love the sinner, and would do much for his salvation.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XVII : Further Warnings; Helen to Mrs. Maxwell
“He never could have loved me, or he would not have resigned me so willingly”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. IV : The Party; Gilbert Markham about Frederick Lawrence
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXII : Traits of Friendship; Arthur to Helen
Context: I see that a man cannot give himself up to drinking without being miserable one half his days and mad the other; besides, I like to enjoy my life at all sides and ends, which cannot be done by one that suffers himself to be the slave of a single propensity.
“I would rather have your friendship than the love of any other woman in the world!”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XII : A Tête-à-tête and a Discovery; Gilbert to Helen
Context: You couldn't have given me less encouragement, or treated me with greater severity than you did! And if you think you have wronged me by giving me your friendship, and occasionally admitting to me to the enjoyment of your company and conversation, when all hopes of close intimacy were vain — as indeed you always gave me to understand — if you think you have wronged me by this, you are mistaken; for such favours, in themselves alone, are not only delightful to my heart, but purifying, exalting, ennobling to my soul; and I would rather have your friendship than the love of any other woman in the world!
“Although I maintain that if she were more perfect, she would be less interesting.”
Variant: If she were more perfect, she would be less interesting.
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. I : A Discovery; Gilbert to Rose
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XVI : The Warning of Experience; Mrs. Maxwell to Helen
Context: Beauty is that quality which, next to money, is generally the most attractive to the worst kinds of men; and, therefore, it is likely to entail a great deal of trouble on the possessor.
Preface, 2nd edition (22 July 1848)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848)
“No generous mind delights to oppress the weak, but rather to cherish and protect.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXXII : Comparisons: Information Rejected; Helen to Ralph
“Since I love him so much, I can easily forgive him for loving himself.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXIII : First weeks of Matrimony; Helen to Arthur
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XXIII : First weeks of Matrimony; Helen to Arthur
“There's nothing like active employment to console the afflicted.”
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XLVII : Startling Intelligence; Eliza to Gilbert
