Quotation from: Villette

Written by: Charlotte Bronte


Appliquee, indeed! The means of application were spread before me, but
I was doing nothing; and had done nothing, and meant to do nothing.
Thus does the world give us credit for merits we have not. Madame Beck
herself deemed me a regular bas-bleu, and often and solemnly used to
warn me not to study too much, lest "the blood should all go to my
head." Indeed, everybody in the Rue Fossette held a superstition that
"Meess Lucie" was learned; with the notable exception of M. Emanuel,
who, by means peculiar to himself, and quite inscrutable to me, had
obtained a not inaccurate inkling of my real qualifications, and used
to take quiet opportunities of chuckling in my ear his malign glee
over their scant measure. For my part, I never troubled myself about
this penury. I dearly like to think my own thoughts; I had great
pleasure in reading a few books, but not many: preferring always those
on whose style or sentiment the writer's individual nature was plainly
stamped; flagging inevitably over characterless books, however clever
and meritorious: perceiving well that, as far as my own mind was
concerned, God had limited its powers and, its action--thankful, I
trust, for the gift bestowed, but unambitious of higher endowments,
not restlessly eager after higher culture.

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