897 Quotes by Louisa May Alcott

Men seldom do, for when women are the advisers, the lords of creation don’t take the advice till they have persuaded themselves that it is just what they intended to do.

Read him well, and he will help you much, for the study of character in this book will help you to read it in the world and paint it with your pen.

That was all, except a little pause. Then Laurie straightened himself up, said, “It’s all right, never mind,” and went away without another word. Ah, but it wasn’t all right, and Jo did mind, for while the curly head lay on her arm a minute after her hard answer, she felt as if she had stabbed her dearest friend, and when he left her without a look behind him, she knew that the boy Laurie never would come again.

It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex or grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way.

Those are people whom it’s a satisfaction to help, for if they’ve got genius, it’s an honor to be allowed to serve them, and not let it be lost or delayed for want of fuel to keep the pot boiling. If they haven’t, it’s a pleasure to comfort the poor souls, and keep them from despair when they find it out.

Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.

Oh, Jo, can’t you?” “Teddy, dear, I wish I could!

So she enjoyed herself heartily, and found, what isn’t always the case, that her granted wish was all she had hoped.

You’ll get over this after a while, and find some lovely accomplished girl, who will adore you, and make a fine mistress for your fine house. I shouldn’t. I’m homely and awkward and odd and old, and you’d be ashamed of me, and we should quarrel – we can’t help it even now, you see – and I shouldn’t like elegant society and you would, and you’d hate my scribbling, and I couldn’t get on without it, and we should be unhappy, and wish we hadn’t done it, and everything would be horrid!