Inspiration Quote by George Eliot
““All people of broad, strong sense have an instinctive repugnance to the men of maxims; because such people early discern that the mysterious complexity of our life is not to be embraced by maxims, and that to lace ourselves up in formulas of that sort is to repress all the divine promptings and inspirations that spring from growing insight and sympathy.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Middlemarch by George Eliot, 1871
Broad, intuitive people resist rigid maxims because life’s complexity cannot be captured by simple formulas, and such formulas stifle divine inspiration and empathy.
In simple terms: People resist simple rules that ignore life's complexity.
Embrace complexity, avoid over‑simplification.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- creative work
- ethical decision‑making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance intuition with structure?
- When might a maxim be helpful?
Simplicity can be useful; over‑reliance may limit insight.