The persons whom you cannot care for in a novel, because they are so bad, are the very same that you so dearly love in your life, because they are so good.

— Anthony Trollope

There are things that will not have themselves buried and put out of sight, as though they had never been.

— Anthony Trollope

There is no happiness in love, except at the end of an English novel.

— Anthony Trollope

There is no such mischievous nonsense in all the world as equality. That is what father says. What men ought to want is liberty.

— Anthony Trollope

There is nothing in the world so difficult as that task of making up one's mind. Who is there that has not longed that the power and privilege of selection among alternatives should be taken away from him in some important crisis of his life, and that his conduct should be arranged for him, either this way or that, by some divine power if it were possible, - by some patriarchal power in the absence of divinity, - or by chance, even, if nothing better than chance could be found to do it? But no one dares to cast the die, and to go honestly by the hazard. There must be the actual necessity of obeying the die, before even the die can be of any use.

— Anthony Trollope

There is, perhaps, no greater hardship at present inflicted on mankind in civilized and free countries than the necessity of listening to sermons.

— Anthony Trollope

They had not been long there before Lord Dumbbell did group himself. 'Fine day,' he said, coming up and occupying the vacant position by Miss Grandly's elbow.' We were driving to-day, and we thought it rather cold,' said Griselda.' Deuced cold,' said Lord Dumbbell, and then he adjusted his white cravat and touched up his whiskers. Having got so far, he did not proceed to any other immediate conversational efforts; nor did Griselda. But he grouped himself again as became a marquis, and gave very intense satisfaction to Mrs. Produce.' This is so kind of you, Lord Dumbbell,' said that lady, coming up to him and shaking his hand warmly; 'so very kind of you to come to my poor little tea-party.'' Uncommonly pleasant, I call it,' said his lordship. 'I like this sort of thing--no trouble, you know.'' No; that is the charm of it: isn't it? No trouble or fuss, or parade. That's what I always say. According to my ideas, society consists in giving people facility for an interchange of thoughts--what we call conversation.'' Aw, yes, exactly.'' Not in eating and drinking together--eh, Lord Dumbbell? And yet the practice of our lives would seem to show that the indulgence of those animal propensities can alone suffice to bring people together. The world in this has surely made a great mistake.'' I like a good dinner all the same,' said Lord Dumbbell.' Oh, yes, of course--of course. I am by no means one of those who would pretend to preach that our tastes have not been given to us for our enjoyment. Why should things be nice if we are not to like them?'' A man who can really give a good dinner has learned a great deal,' said Lord Dumbbell, with unusual animation.' An immense deal. It is quite an art in itself; and one which I, at any rate, by no means despise. But we cannot always be eating -- can we?'' No,' said Lord Dumbbell, 'not always.' And he looked as though he lamented that his powers should be so circumscribed.

— Anthony Trollope

Wars about trifles are always bitter, especially among neighbors. When the differences are great, and the parties comparative strangers, men quarrel with courtesy. What combatants are ever so eager as two brothers?

— Anthony Trollope

You are quite wrong about him," Felix had said. "He has not been Alan English school, or English university, and therefore is not like other young men that you know; but he is, I think, well-educated and clever. As for conceit, what man will do any good who is not conceited? Nobody holds a good opinion of a man who has a low opinion of himself."" All the same, my dear fellow, I do not like Lucius Mason.

— Anthony Trollope

You must take the world as you find it, with a struggle to be something more honest than those around you. Phineas, as he preached himself this sermon, declared to himself that they who attempted more than this flew too high in the clouds to be of service to men an woman upon the earth

— Anthony Trollope