--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now I will be anything else you please…" description: "\"“Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You may say I have been dull already? As I am an honest woman, I don't agree with you. There are ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png" --- # Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You… ![“Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You may say I have been dull already? As I am an honest woman, I don't agree with you. There are some people who bring dull minds to their reading - and them blame the writer for it. I say no more.” quote by Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png) > ““Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You may say I have been dull already? As I am an honest woman, I don't agree with you. There are some people who bring dull minds to their reading - and them blame the writer for it. I say no more.”” [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects being labeled dull, insisting that readers' own dullness, not the writer's, causes boredom. **In simple terms:** She refuses to be called boring and blames readers for dullness. Key Takeaway Challenge readers to engage actively with texts. Themes literature self‑assertion reading creativity Mood defiant reflective Type literary assertive When to use this quote - book clubs - literary criticism - education - personal development Key Concepts authorial intent reader responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever blame the author for your lack of interest? - How can you make reading more engaging? A Different Perspective Readers may still find the work dull despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honest woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-woman/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I have a household of good books, and reading tends to take for me the place of experience—or rather to become itself experience concentrated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-have-a-household-of-good-books-and-reading-tends-to-take-for-me-the/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/that-will-just-do-for-me-you-know-i-shall-be-sure-to-say-three-dull/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“I won't have dull people, she used to say, I'm dull myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-hodgson-burnett/i-won-t-have-dull-people-she-used-to-say-i-m-dull-myself/) Francis Hodgson Burnett > [It does not bother me that some say I'm dull and boring because the people that do know me will tell you a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shearer/it-does-not-bother-me-that-some-say-i-m-dull-and-boring-because-the/) [Alan Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shearer/) > [The prostitute is the only honest woman left in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-grace-atkinson/the-prostitute-is-the-only-honest-woman-left-in-america/) [Ti-Grace Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-grace-atkinson/) > [“An idea once seized, I fell to work. "Human Justice" rushed before me in novel guise, a red, random beldame, with a rms akimbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/an-idea-once-seized-i-fell-to-work-human-justice-rushed-before-me-in/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Never judge someone's character based on the words of another. Instead, study the motives behind the words of the person casting the bad judgment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/never-judge-someone-s-character-based-on-the-words-of-another-instead/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [I believe that every English poet should read the English classics, master the rules of grammar before he attempts to bend or break them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/i-believe-that-every-english-poet-should-read-the-english-classics/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“And if she were an honest woman, which she was known to be on occasion, she could readily admit that hearing about his escapades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/and-if-she-were-an-honest-woman-which-she-was-known-to-be-on-occasion/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“We were laughing about nothing. At one point, we stumbled upon a chapel. There was a sign that read, Fake Weddings Here. Chance stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/we-were-laughing-about-nothing-at-one-point-we-stumbled-upon-a-chapel/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [Funny women are honest women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-meriwether/funny-women-are-honest-women/) [Elizabeth Meriwether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-meriwether/) > [“She was just a simple, honest woman standing in the ruin of a late winter garden, waiting for the spring. “Catherine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goolrick/she-was-just-a-simple-honest-woman-standing-in-the-ruin-of-a-late/) [Robert Goolrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goolrick/) > [I wanted us to go to the Tories when we were strong...not in misfortune to be made an honest woman of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-wanted-us-to-go-to-the-tories-when-we-were-strong-not-in-misfortune/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Has made an honest woman of the supernatural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/has-made-an-honest-woman-of-the-supernatural/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) ## More by Wilkie Collins > [“There is nothing serious in mortality! Solomon in all his glory was Solomon with the elements of the contemptible lurking in every fold of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/there-is-nothing-serious-in-mortality-solomon-in-all-his-glory-was/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Let Lady Glyde's maid come in, Louis. Stop! Do her shoes creak?" I was obliged to ask the question. Creaking shoes invariably upset me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/let-lady-glyde-s-maid-come-in-louis-stop-do-her-shoes-creak-i-was/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [Let the music speak to us of tonight, in a happier language than our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/let-the-music-speak-to-us-of-tonight-in-a-happier-language-than-our/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [The woman who first gives life, light, and form to our shadowy conceptions of beauty, fills a void in our spiritual nature that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/the-woman-who-first-gives-life-light-and-form-to-our-shadowy/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“The human heart is unsearchable. Who is to fathom it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/the-human-heart-is-unsearchable-who-is-to-fathom-it/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“I smell your cigar. Delicious! Give me one directly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-smell-your-cigar-delicious-give-me-one-directly/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“I dread the beginning of her new life more than words can tell, but I see some hope for her if she travels -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-dread-the-beginning-of-her-new-life-more-than-words-can-tell-but-i/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“It is quite possible that I may be altogether wrong in this idea. My own impression, however, is, that I am right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/it-is-quite-possible-that-i-may-be-altogether-wrong-in-this-idea-my/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. Nature's only idea seems to be to make them machines for the production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-sadly-want-a-reform-in-the-construction-of-children-nature-s-only/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [Habits of literary composition are perfectly familiar to me. One of the rarest of all the intellectual accomplishments that a man can possess is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/habits-of-literary-composition-are-perfectly-familiar-to-me-one-of/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“He has that quiet deference, that look of pleased, attentive interest, in listening to a woman, which, say what we may, we can none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/he-has-that-quiet-deference-that-look-of-pleased-attentive-interest/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“The dress of Virtue, in our parts, was cotton print. I had silk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/the-dress-of-virtue-in-our-parts-was-cotton-print-i-had-silk/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“It is not for you to say - you Englishmen, who have conquered your freedom so long ago, that you have conveniently forgotten what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/it-is-not-for-you-to-say-you-englishmen-who-have-conquered-your/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Tell him next, that crimes cause their own detection. There's another bit of copy-book morality for you, Fosco. Crimes cause their own detection. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/tell-him-next-that-crimes-cause-their-own-detection-there-s-another/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Shall I confess it, Mr. Hartright? I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. Nature's only idea seems to be to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/shall-i-confess-it-mr-hartright-i-sadly-want-a-reform-in-the/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) [Explore all 183 Wilkie Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) ## More Honest woman quotes > [Has made an honest woman of the supernatural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/has-made-an-honest-woman-of-the-supernatural/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [I wanted us to go to the Tories when we were strong...not in misfortune to be made an honest woman of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-wanted-us-to-go-to-the-tories-when-we-were-strong-not-in-misfortune/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“She was just a simple, honest woman standing in the ruin of a late winter garden, waiting for the spring. “Catherine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goolrick/she-was-just-a-simple-honest-woman-standing-in-the-ruin-of-a-late/) [Robert Goolrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goolrick/) > [Funny women are honest women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-meriwether/funny-women-are-honest-women/) [Elizabeth Meriwether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-meriwether/) > [“We were laughing about nothing. At one point, we stumbled upon a chapel. There was a sign that read, Fake Weddings Here. Chance stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/we-were-laughing-about-nothing-at-one-point-we-stumbled-upon-a-chapel/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [“And if she were an honest woman, which she was known to be on occasion, she could readily admit that hearing about his escapades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/and-if-she-were-an-honest-woman-which-she-was-known-to-be-on-occasion/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [I believe that every English poet should read the English classics, master the rules of grammar before he attempts to bend or break them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/i-believe-that-every-english-poet-should-read-the-english-classics/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“Never judge someone's character based on the words of another. Instead, study the motives behind the words of the person casting the bad judgment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/never-judge-someone-s-character-based-on-the-words-of-another-instead/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“An idea once seized, I fell to work. "Human Justice" rushed before me in novel guise, a red, random beldame, with a rms akimbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/an-idea-once-seized-i-fell-to-work-human-justice-rushed-before-me-in/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The prostitute is the only honest woman left in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-grace-atkinson/the-prostitute-is-the-only-honest-woman-left-in-america/) [Ti-Grace Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-grace-atkinson/) > [There are certain phrases potent to make my blood boil -- improper influence! What old woman's cackle is that?" "Are you a young lady?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/there-are-certain-phrases-potent-to-make-my-blood-boil-improper/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Say you’ll marry me, angel. You have to marry me.” With his tale of heartbreak in her mind, she feared that he wanted this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/say-you-ll-marry-me-angel-you-have-to-marry-me-with-his-tale-of/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [There is no honest woman with an uncorrupted heart whom a man is not sure of conquering by dint of gratitude. It is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/there-is-no-honest-woman-with-an-uncorrupted-heart-whom-a-man-is-not/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [“Jake,” I murmur. He opens his eyes. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want? The baby, I mean.” “I’m sure.” His gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/jake-i-murmur-he-opens-his-eyes-are-you-absolutely-sure-this-is-what/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) [Browse all 26 Honest woman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-woman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You may say I have been dull already? As I am an honest woman, I don't agree with you. There are some people who bring dull minds to their reading - and them blame the writer for it. I say no more.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wilkie Collins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-except-dull-you-may-say-i-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Honest woman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-except-dull-you-may-say-i-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/wilkie-collins-2078_honest-woman_now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-e_2775690.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now I will be anything else you please, except dull. You may say I have been dull already? As I am an honest…” — Wilkie Collins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Wilkie Collins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Now I will be anything else...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-except-dull-you-may-say-i-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/now-i-will-be-anything-else-you-please-except-dull-you-may-say-i-have/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```