Literary Birthday – 17 December – John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier was born 17 December 1807 and died 7 September 1892.

John Greenleaf Whittier Quotes

1. Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’
2. The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.
3. At what point does a man turn into a monster? I don’t believe that it’s when he does horrible things, but when he accepts that he’s able to do them, and that he does them well.
4. It is no use trying to sum people up. One must follow hints, not exactly what is said, nor yet entirely what is done.
5. You don’t always win your battles, but it’s good to know you fought.

John Greenleaf Whittier was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the Fireside Poets, he is remembered for his anti-slavery writings as well as his book Snow-Bound.

Source for image

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Greenleaf_Whittier_BPL_ambrotype,_c1840-60-crop.jpg

BPL, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 by Amanda Patterson

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