---
title: "3 Beam Quotes By George MacDonald"
description: "3 Beam quotes by George MacDonald. Plus more from George MacDonald and more Beam sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/george-macdonald-295_be-good_to-try-too-hard-to-make-people-good-is-o_770755.jpg"
---

> [To try too hard to make people good is one way to make them worse. The only way to make them good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-try-too-hard-to-make-people-good-is-one-way-to-make-them-worse-the/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/george-macdonald-295_be-good_to-try-too-hard-to-make-people-good-is-o_770755.jpg)

> [“. . . he would perhaps have known that to try too hard to make people good, is one way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try-too-hard-to-make-people-good/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/george-macdonald-295_beam_he-would-perhaps-have-known-that-to-try_1950311.png)

> [The part of the philanthropist is indeed a dangerous one; and the man who would do his neighbour good must first study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-part-of-the-philanthropist-is-indeed-a-dangerous-one-and-the-man/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c08/george-macdonald-295_beam_the-part-of-the-philanthropist-is-indeed_2210034.png)

## Other authors on Beam

## More by George MacDonald

> [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

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