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Alleys Quote by George Eliot

“But what we strive to gratify, though we may call it a distant hope, is an immediate desire; the future estate for which men drudge up city alleys exists already in their imagination and love.” quote by George Eliot
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“But what we strive to gratify, though we may call it a distant hope, is an immediate desire; the future estate for which men drudge up city alleys exists already in their imagination and love.”

George Eliot

About This Quote

Source Novel: Middlemarch, George Eliot, 1871

People chase distant hopes that already exist in their imagination, turning desire into reality.

In simple terms: Dreams become reality through desire.

Key Takeaway

Align imagination with action.

Themes

hope desire future

Mood

hopeful thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • career planning
  • relationship goals
  • community projects
  • personal development

Key Concepts

psychology motivation social aspiration

Questions to Reflect On

  • What hope do you hold that feels already present?
  • How can you turn imagination into concrete steps?
A Different Perspective

Idealizing can ignore practical constraints.

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