--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You gave me your promise,\" was the reply…" description: "\"“You gave me your promise,\" was the reply, spoken with the same immovable self-possession. \"You must write for me, or break your word.”\" — Wilkie Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png" --- # You gave me your promise," was the reply, spoken with the… ![“You gave me your promise," was the reply, spoken with the same immovable self-possession. "You must write for me, or break your word.” quote by Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png) > ““You gave me your promise," was the reply, spoken with the same immovable self-possession. "You must write for me, or break your word.”” [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. A promise binds the speaker to write, implying duty and the consequences of breaking one's word. **In simple terms:** Promise forces writing, breaking it has consequences. Key Takeaway Honor commitments or face loss of trust. Themes duty integrity commitment Mood serious reflective Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - writing contracts - personal vows - professional deadlines Key Concepts promise responsibility creative obligation Questions to Reflect On - What obligations do you hold that you might neglect? - How does breaking a promise affect relationships? A Different Perspective Breaking a promise can damage reputation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [“A fire had begun to spread in me. It was burning now in my stomach and my lungs were dry as old leaves, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/a-fire-had-begun-to-spread-in-me-it-was-burning-now-in-my-stomach-and/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“Then came the day Maia had dreaded. 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And she met his dark strokes with a plunder of her own, holding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-mccarty/he-gave-her-everything-everything-but-the-promise-of-a-future-and-she/) [Monica McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-mccarty/) > [It was that which gave promise that in due time the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/it-was-that-which-gave-promise-that-in-due-time-the-weights-should-be/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [God gave you a promise that you wont have to face life alone¦for when you grow weak in your struggles, His strength will prevail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-gave-you-a-promise-that-you-wont-have-to-face-life-alone-for-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We must become masters of our own actions and attitudes. To let another person determine whether we will be rude or gracious, elated or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/we-must-become-masters-of-our-own-actions-and-attitudes-to-let/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Obscenity is our name for the uneasiness which upsets the physical state associated with self-possession, with the possession of a recognized and stable individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/obscenity-is-our-name-for-the-uneasiness-which-upsets-the-physical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Renee's self-possession, her ability to possess other selves, is a measure of the weakness of her husband, his inability to stop his own self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/renee-s-self-possession-her-ability-to-possess-other-selves-is-a/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [self-possession is the ability to face without fear life in all its contradictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/self-possession-is-the-ability-to-face-without-fear-life-in-all-its/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [In life courtesy and self-possession, and in the arts style, are the sensible impressions of the free mind, for both arise out of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/in-life-courtesy-and-self-possession-and-in-the-arts-style-are-the/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [One of the very best of all earthly possessions is self-possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/one-of-the-very-best-of-all-earthly-possessions-is-self-possession/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [A man is a beggar who only lives to the useful, and, however he may serve as a pin or rivet in the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-is-a-beggar-who-only-lives-to-the-useful-and-however-he-may/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [There's nothing wrong with a little self-possession, there's beauty in taking time for yourself just because you feel like it, and there's nothing wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-mclendon-covey/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-a-little-self-possession-there-s-beauty-in/) [Wendi McLendon-Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-mclendon-covey/) > [The sunset glow of self-possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/the-sunset-glow-of-self-possession/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) ## 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 Promise quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Because we live in a fallen world, we suffer. But those of us who know Jesus are never alone in the suffering, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-turner-lee/because-we-live-in-a-fallen-world-we-suffer-but-those-of-us-who-know/) Melissa Turner Lee > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [A promise, a bond, a joy, a love for the ages, for the history books.…But what was love but pain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/a-promise-a-bond-a-joy-a-love-for-the-ages-for-the-history-books-but/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“I’d see this through to the end… This promise above all others, I will gladly keep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-shirvington/i-d-see-this-through-to-the-end-this-promise-above-all-others-i-will/) [Jessica Shirvington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-shirvington/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you ponder the scriptures and begin to do what you covenanted with God to do, I can promise you that you will feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-you-ponder-the-scriptures-and-begin-to-do-what-you-covenanted-with/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-promise-myself-that-i-will-enjoy-every-minute-of-the-day-that-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many people expect, just as they did then, "those at the top" to make all their decisions for them: Please get us work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/many-people-expect-just-as-they-did-then-those-at-the-top-to-make-all/) [Wladyslaw Bartoszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/) > [PRomise DAy SPecial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promise-day-special/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never threaten, because a threat is a promise to pay that it isn't always convenient to meet, but if you don't make it good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/never-threaten-because-a-threat-is-a-promise-to-pay-that-it-isn-t/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) [Browse all 5,486 Promise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You gave me your promise,\" was the reply, spoken with the same immovable self-possession. \"You must write for me, or break your word.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wilkie Collins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-spoken-with-the-same-immovable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Promise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-spoken-with-the-same-immovable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/wilkie-collins-2078_promise_you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-s_1528910.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You gave me your promise,\" was the reply, spoken with the same immovable self-possession. \"You must write…” — 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": "“You gave me your promise,\" was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-spoken-with-the-same-immovable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/you-gave-me-your-promise-was-the-reply-spoken-with-the-same-immovable/#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 } } ] } ```