--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took two years to make,' retorted the…" description: "\"“It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller”\" — H.G. Wells" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/h-g-wells-2-1299_time-travel_it-took-two-years-to-make-retorted-the-t_3136280.jpg" --- # It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller ![“It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/h-g-wells-2-1299_time-travel_it-took-two-years-to-make-retorted-the-t_3136280.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/h-g-wells-2-1299_time-travel_it-took-two-years-to-make-retorted-the-t_3136280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/h-g-wells-2-1299_time-travel_it-took-two-years-to-make-retorted-the-t_3136280.jpg) > ““It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller”” [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Time Traveller emphasizes the long, arduous effort required to create something significant **In simple terms:** Creating something valuable often takes many years of work Key Takeaway Respect the time needed for meaningful creation Themes patience creation effort Mood inspirational determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - inventors - writers - engineers Key Concepts long-term projects scientific research artistic endeavors Questions to Reflect On - What long-term projects are you nurturing? - How do you stay motivated over years? A Different Perspective Time constraints can discourage perseverance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Make Retorted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-retorted-5568662/) [Retorted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retorted-983372/) [Retorted Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retorted-time-5568663/) [Time travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-travel/) [Time Traveller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-traveller-928650/) [Took Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-years/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) ## Related quotes > [“Why not?' said the Time Traveller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/why-not-said-the-time-traveller/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [It's against reason," said Filby. "What reason?" said the Time Traveller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-against-reason-said-filby-what-reason-said-the-time-traveller/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have realised how exciting and easy it is to be a time traveller by looking at paintings and films and architecture and playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-have-realised-how-exciting-and-easy-it-is-to-be-a-time-traveller-by/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [I just love doing costume dramas; I am very lucky, as I see myself as a part-time time traveller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sawalha/i-just-love-doing-costume-dramas-i-am-very-lucky-as-i-see-myself-as-a/) [Julia Sawalha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sawalha/) > [“Clearly,' the Time Traveller proceeded, 'any real body must have extension in four directions: it must have Length, Breadth, Thickness, and—Duration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/clearly-the-time-traveller-proceeded-any-real-body-must-have/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I think that at that time none of us quite believed in the Time Machine. The fact is, the Time Traveler was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-think-that-at-that-time-none-of-us-quite-believed-in-the-time/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I think that at that time none of us quite believed in the Time Machine. The fact is, the Time Traveller was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-think-that-at-that-time-none-of-us-quite-believed-in-the-time-2/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us. His grey eyes shone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-time-traveller-for-so-it-will-be-convenient-to-speak-of-him-was-2/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [Sometimes, I feel like a time traveller, cause the only way that we can really travel in time is just to get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-time-traveller-cause-the-only-way-that-we-can/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [The fact is, the Time Traveller was one of those men who are too clever to be believed: you never felt that you saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-is-the-time-traveller-was-one-of-those-men-who-are-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-time-traveller-for-so-it-will-be-convenient-to-speak-of-him-was/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [“Dr. Dan Streetmentioner's Time Traveller's Handbook of 1001 Tense Formations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dr-dan-streetmentioner-s-time-traveller-s-handbook-of-1001-tense/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s often said that a time-traveller from the 19th century, beamed into today’s world, would be bewildered by everything he witnessed, but would instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-price/it-s-often-said-that-a-time-traveller-from-the-19th-century-beamed/) [David Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-price/) > [“Time means nothing." ~The Time Traveller's Wife”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/time-means-nothing-the-time-traveller-s-wife/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“I MUST BE A TIME TRAVELLER BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS AHEAD OF MY TIME”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/qwana-m-babygirl-reynolds-frasier-2/i-must-be-a-time-traveller-because-i-am-always-ahead-of-my-time/) [Qwana M. BabyGirl Reynolds-Frasier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/qwana-m-babygirl-reynolds-frasier-2/) ## More by H.G. Wells > [“I was grotesque to the theatrical pitch, a stage miser, but I was certainly not a physical impossibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-was-grotesque-to-the-theatrical-pitch-a-stage-miser-but-i-was/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/that-is-the-germ-of-my-great-discovery-but-you-are-wrong-to-say-that/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What was needed now was not bravery, but circumspection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-was-needed-now-was-not-bravery-but-circumspection/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [ “The thing \[Henry James'\] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is-always-there-it-is-like-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Don't follow you,' said Filby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/don-t-follow-you-said-filby/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“We must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as vanished bison and the dodo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/we-must-remember-what-ruthless-and-utter-destruction-our-own-species/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Because this island is full of inimical phenomena.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/because-this-island-is-full-of-inimical-phenomena/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What right have they to hope? They work ill and they want the reward of those who work well. The hope of mankind -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-right-have-they-to-hope-they-work-ill-and-they-want-the-reward/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“So long as you are alive you are just the moment, perhaps, but when you are dead then you are all your life from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/so-long-as-you-are-alive-you-are-just-the-moment-perhaps-but-when-you/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“An unpleasant odour would not be objected to, it is not objected to now in many continental hotels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/an-unpleasant-odour-would-not-be-objected-to-it-is-not-objected-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“In the early evening time Dr. Kemp was sitting in his study in the belvedere on the hill overlooking Burdock. It was a pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/in-the-early-evening-time-dr-kemp-was-sitting-in-his-study-in-the/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-whole-world-will-be-intelligent-educated-and-co-operating-things/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“For three centuries the life of the Hebrews was like the life of a man who insists upon living in the middle of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/for-three-centuries-the-life-of-the-hebrews-was-like-the-life-of-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) [Explore all 246 H.G. Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## More Time travel quotes > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [“Seriously, this old woman had no idea how close she came to being squashed like a roach. -Sage Hannigan, Contingency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-martinez/seriously-this-old-woman-had-no-idea-how-close-she-came-to-being/) [P. S. Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-martinez/) > [One must stand stiller than still. On reverse time travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeans/one-must-stand-stiller-than-still-on-reverse-time-travel/) [James Jeans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeans/) > [“This was a true pants-pooping moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-katt/this-was-a-true-pants-pooping-moment/) [Dinah Katt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-katt/) > [Know that love is truly timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-m-ricksen/know-that-love-is-truly-timeless/) [Mary M. Ricksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-m-ricksen/) > [“Atlantis sinks. Serves it right. Red hates the place. For one thing, there are so many Atlantises, always sinking, in so many strands: an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amal-el-mohtar/atlantis-sinks-serves-it-right-red-hates-the-place-for-one-thing/) [Amal El-Mohtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amal-el-mohtar/) > [the only time travelers are really gay is when they are traveling for no good reason at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/the-only-time-travelers-are-really-gay-is-when-they-are-traveling-for/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [“Okay, try this on for size, Tall, Dark and Handsome. I won't be born for almost seven hundred hundred years. How's that strike you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/okay-try-this-on-for-size-tall-dark-and-handsome-i-won-t-be-born-for/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/we-travel-to-open-our-hearts-and-eyes-and-learn-more-about-the-world/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I allude to Back to the Future in the 1985 story to let folks know it was an inspiration and because it literally was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-allude-to-back-to-the-future-in-the-1985-story-to-let-folks-know-it/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it's a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/and-if-travel-is-like-love-it-is-in-the-end-mostly-because-it-s-a/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Unlike some of the time-travel movies I love, like 'Primer' or '12 Monkeys,' 'Looper' is not about time travel. It's about this situation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/unlike-some-of-the-time-travel-movies-i-love-like-primer-or-12/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [It doesn't happen all the time, but in the moments where you really lose yourself and you fall into this character, it's like time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/it-doesn-t-happen-all-the-time-but-in-the-moments-where-you-really/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [“Such a funny thing, time. You spend your whole life wishing there was more or less of it, never realizing that the time already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moryah-demott/such-a-funny-thing-time-you-spend-your-whole-life-wishing-there-was/) [Moryah DeMott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moryah-demott/) > [Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-drew/too-often-travel-instead-of-broadening-the-mind-merely-lengthens-the/) [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) [Browse all 560 Time travel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-travel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H.G. 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