Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by George MacDonald (Scottish Poet, Novelist)

George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish novelist, lecturer, and poet. Often regarded as the founding father of modern fantasy writing, he was the most highly regarded of children’s writers of the nineteenth century. MacDonald also wrote Christian allegories of man’s pilgrimage back to God.

Born in the farming country of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, MacDonald was educated at the University of Aberdeen and Highbury College, London. He became a Congregational minister but left the ministry in 1853 to earmark himself to literature.

MacDonald incorporated his affection for Northeast Scotland into his writings, especially those for children. From the recollections of his childhood, he developed a distinct meaning of “childlikeness.” His ability to connect the worlds of the natural and the supernatural (which, he claimed, happens most natural in the mind of a child or “childlike” reader) influenced Lewis Carroll, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Maurice Sendak.

MacDonald’s notable works include the novels David Elginbrod (1863,) Alec Forbes of Howglen (1865,) Malcolm (1875,) and Donal Grant (3 vols., 1883.) At the Back of the North Wind (1871) and The Princess and the Goblin (1872) are deeply symbolic, with elements of Christian mysticism.

MacDonald’s books reveal his firm religious faith, moral enthusiasm, and Christian optimism. He was also the author of several theological works, including Unspoken Sermons (1867, 1885, and 1889) and The Miracles of Our Lord (1886.) His adult works have enjoyed a revival lately, especially among evangelical Christians.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by George MacDonald

A perfect faith would lift us absolutely above fear.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Anxiety, Faith, Fear

Certainly work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as a sacred idleness—the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Rest, Idleness, Work

Ambition is but the evil shadow of aspiration.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Goals, Ambition

One of the grandest things in having rights is that though they are your rights you may give them up.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Right

To have what we want is riches; but to be able to do without is power.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Contentment, Riches

If, instead of a gem or even a flower, we could cast the gift of a lovely thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Friendship, Gifts, Thought

The seed dies into a new life, and so does man.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Immortality

You can’t live on amusement. It is the froth on water—an inch deep and then the mud.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Pleasure

The hell that a lie would keep a man from, is doubtless the very best place for him to go.
—George MacDonald

I could never draw the line between meanness and dishonesty.—What is mean, so far as I can see, slides by indistinguishable gradations into what is dishonest.
—George MacDonald

It is by loving and by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Love

When we are out of sympathy with the young, then I think our work in this world is over.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Aging, Youth, Age

To the dim and bewildered vision of humanity, God’s care is more evident in some instances than in others; and upon such instances men seize, and call them providences. It is well that they can; but it would be gloriously better if they could believe that the whole matter is one grand providence.
—George MacDonald

God’s thoughts, his will, his love, his judgments are all man’s home. To think his thoughts, to choose his will, to love his loves, to judge his judgments, and thus to know that he is in us, is to be at home.
—George MacDonald
Topics: God

If I can put one touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Character, Honesty, Cheerfulness, Truth, Encouragement

It has been well said that no man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when to-morrow’s burden is added to the burden of to-day that the weight is more than a man can bear.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Tomorrow, Worry, Anticipation, The Future, Difficulties

Friends, if we be honest with ourselves, we shall be honest with each other.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Candor, Sincerity

There is no strength in unbelief. Even the unbelief of what is false is no source of might. It is the truth shining from behind that gives the strength to disbelieve.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Strength

God chooses that men should be tried, but let a man beware of tempting his neighbor. God knows how and how much, and where and when. Man is his brother’s keeper, and must keep him according to his knowledge.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Temptation

No one is likely to remember what is entirely uninteresting to him.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Memory

My prayers, my God, flow from what I am not; I think Thy answers make me what I am.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Prayer

Free will is not the liberty to do whatever one likes, but the power of doing whatever one sees ought to be done, even in the very face of otherwise overwhelming impulse. There lies freedom, indeed.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Liberty, Freedom, Society

Beauty and sadness always go together.
Nature thought beauty too rich to go forth
Upon the earth without a meet alloy.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Beauty

How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Death, Peculiarity, Dying, Oddity

Emulation is the devil-shadow of aspiration.—To excite it is worthy only of the commonplace vulgar schoolmaster, whose ambition is to show what fine scholars he can turn out, that he may get the more pupils.
—George MacDonald

To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Love, Trust

I find the doing of the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans.
—George MacDonald
Topics: God, Obedience, Duty

Do the truth ye know, and you shall learn the truth you need to know.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Action, Duty

Progress is the real cure for an over estimate of ourselves.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Progress

One thing is clear to me, that no indulgence of passion destroys the spiritual nature so much as respectable selfishness.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Selfishness

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