--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tuesday, November 17th. 1896 ... I…" description: "\"“ Tuesday, November 17th. 1896 ... I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child. What heaven can be more real than..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/beatrix-potter-11097_childhood_tuesday-november-17th-1896-i-remember-i_522057.jpg" --- # Tuesday, November 17th. 1896 ... I remember I used to half… ![“Tuesday, November 17th. 1896 ... I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child. What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common-sense.” quote by Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/beatrix-potter-11097_childhood_tuesday-november-17th-1896-i-remember-i_522057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/beatrix-potter-11097_childhood_tuesday-november-17th-1896-i-remember-i_522057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/beatrix-potter-11097_childhood_tuesday-november-17th-1896-i-remember-i_522057.jpg) > ““ Tuesday, November 17th. 1896 ... I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child. What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common-sense.”” [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood imagination should be balanced with adult knowledge and common sense **In simple terms:** Keep childlike wonder while staying grounded Key Takeaway Nurture imagination while applying reason Themes imagination knowledge balance Mood nostalgic inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - parenting - creative writing - mental health therapy Key Concepts developmental psychology creativity critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you integrate wonder into adult life? - What role does imagination play in problem solving? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on rationality can stifle creativity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fairies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairies/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) ## Related quotes > [I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child. What heaven can be more real than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/i-remember-i-used-to-half-believe-and-wholly-play-with-fairies-when-i/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“And Miss Potter? Well, having believed in fairies when she was a child and continuing to believe in the creative power of the imagination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wittig-albert/and-miss-potter-well-having-believed-in-fairies-when-she-was-a-child/) [Susan Wittig Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wittig-albert/) > [I would rather believe for something great and receive half of it, than to believe for nothing and receive all of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-would-rather-believe-for-something-great-and-receive-half-of-it/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [It is a good idea to believe only half of what you hear, but be sure the half you believe isn't the wrong half!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-good-idea-to-believe-only-half-of-what-you-hear-but-be-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To love is the half of to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/to-love-is-the-half-of-to-believe/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I don't want to be your other half. I believe that one and one make two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-don-t-want-to-be-your-other-half-i-believe-that-one-and-one-make-two/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [My father died many years ago, and yet when something special happens to me, I talk to him secretly not really knowing whether he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-josefowitz/my-father-died-many-years-ago-and-yet-when-something-special-happens/) Natasha Josefowitz > [“Can you half believe something? No, that wasn't quite right. This was quantum mechanics. The better question: can you both believe in something and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-kosmatka/can-you-half-believe-something-no-that-wasn-t-quite-right-this-was/) [Ted Kosmatka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-kosmatka/) > [“If you use magic outside the school, we are going to get into more trouble than ever. I’m still not allowed to eat sweets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-m-olchawska/if-you-use-magic-outside-the-school-we-are-going-to-get-into-more/) [Magda M. Olchawska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-m-olchawska/) > [“Faster than fairies, faster than witches, Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches; And charging along like troops in a battle All through the meadows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faster-than-fairies-faster-than-witches-bridges-and-houses-hedges-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you believe in fairies?...If you believe, clap your hands!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-barrie/do-you-believe-in-fairies-if-you-believe-clap-your-hands/) [J.M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-barrie/) > [“There are little fairies outside,” I breathed, forcing out the words through quick breaths. 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Macculloch > [“This was going to be worse than the time I table danced in the diner in high school!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bryson/this-was-going-to-be-worse-than-the-time-i-table-danced-in-the-diner/) [Kathy Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bryson/) ## More by Beatrix Potter > [Thank God I have the seeing eye, that is to say, as I lie in bed I can walk step by step on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/thank-god-i-have-the-seeing-eye-that-is-to-say-as-i-lie-in-bed-i-can/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [This is a fierce bad rabbit; look at his savage whiskers, and his claws and his turned-up tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/this-is-a-fierce-bad-rabbit-look-at-his-savage-whiskers-and-his-claws/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“I am persuaded that the knots would have proved indigestible, whatever you may urge to the contrary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/i-am-persuaded-that-the-knots-would-have-proved-indigestible-whatever/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [Don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/don-t-go-into-mr-mcgregor-s-garden-your-father-had-an-accident-there/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“For behind the wooden wainscots of all the old houses in Gloucester, there are little mouse staircases and secret trap-doors; and the mice run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/for-behind-the-wooden-wainscots-of-all-the-old-houses-in-gloucester/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [All outward forms of religion are almost useless, and are the causes of endless strife. Believe there is a great power silently working all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/all-outward-forms-of-religion-are-almost-useless-and-are-the-causes/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [Peter lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/peter-lost-one-of-his-shoes-among-the-cabbages-and-the-other-shoe/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [I think if she lived in A little shoe-house That little old woman was Surely a mouse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/i-think-if-she-lived-in-a-little-shoe-house-that-little-old-woman-was/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [We cannot stay home all our lives, we must present ourselves to the world and we must look upon it as an adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/we-cannot-stay-home-all-our-lives-we-must-present-ourselves-to-the/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“everything he broke. He found a crooked sixpence under the hearth-rug; and upon Christmas Eve he and Hunca Munca stuffed it into one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/everything-he-broke-he-found-a-crooked-sixpence-under-the-hearth-rug/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“onions in a bag. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/onions-in-a-bag-she/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [It sometimes happens that the town child is more alive to the fresh beauty of the country than a child who is country born.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/it-sometimes-happens-that-the-town-child-is-more-alive-to-the-fresh/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [The place is changed now, and many familiar faces are gone, but the greatest change is myself. I was a child then, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/the-place-is-changed-now-and-many-familiar-faces-are-gone-but-the/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/there-is-something-delicious-about-writing-the-first-words-of-a-story/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [“kept glancing uneasily”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/kept-glancing-uneasily/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) [Explore all 59 Beatrix Potter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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