Quotes from Middlemarch:

“It was seldom that Caleb volunteered so long
a speech, but his happiness had the effect of
mountain air: his eyes were bright, and the
words came without effort.”

* * * * *

“Mr. Farebrother left the house soon after, and
seeing Mary in the orchard with Letty, went to
say good-by to her. They made a pretty picture
in the western light which brought out the bright-
ness of the apples on the old scant-leaved
boughs--Mary in her lavender gingham and
black ribbons holding a basket, while Letty in
her well-worn nankin picked up the fallen apples.
If you want to know more particularly how Mary
looked, ten to one you will see a face like hers in
the crowded street to-morrow, if you are there oil
the watch: she will not be among those daugh-
ters of Zion who are haughty, and walk with
stretched-out necks and wanton eyes, mincing as
they go: let all those pass, and fix your eyes
on some small, plump, brownish person of firm
but quiet carriage, who looks about her, but does
not suppose that any body is looking at her. If
she has a broad face and square brow, well-
marked eyebrows and curly dark hair, a certain
expression of amusement in her glance which her
mouth keeps the secret of, and for the rest feat-
ures entirely insignificant--take that ordinary but
not disagreeable person for a portrait of Mary
Garth. If you made her smile, she would show
you perfect little teeth; if you made her angry,
she would not raise her voice, but would proba-
bly say one of the bitterest things you have ever
tasted the flavor of; if you did her a kindness,
she would never forget it.”

* * * * *

“A human being in this aged nation of
ours is a very wonderful whole, the slow creation
of long interchanging influences.”

* * * * *

“He did not speak, but she replied to some
change in his expression. "I mean, for myself.
Except that I should like not to have so much
more than my share without doing any thing for
others. But I have a belief of my own, and it
comforts me."

"What is that?" said Will, rather jealous of
the belief.

"That by desiring what is perfectly good, even
when we don't quite know what it is and can not
do what we would, we are part of the divine pow-
er against evil--widening the skirts of light and
making the struggle with darkness narrower."

"That is a beautiful mysticism--it is a--"

"Please not to call it by any name," said
Dorothea, putting out her hands entreatingly.
"You will say it is Persian, or something else
geographical. It is my life. I have found it
out, and can not part with it. I have always
been finding out my religion since I was a little
girl. I used to pray so much--now I hardly
ever pray. I try not to have desires merely for
myself, because they may not be good for others,
and I have too much already. I only told you
that you might know quite well how my days go
at Lowick."

"God bless you for telling me!" said Will,
ardently, and rather wondering at himself. They
were looking at each other like two fond children
who were talking confidentially of birds.”