Ethel Sybil Turner Quotes

“But in Australia a model child is - I say it not without thankfulness- an unknown quantity. It may be that the miasmas of naughtiness develop best in the sunny brilliancy, of our atmosphere. It may be that the land and the people are young-hearted together, and the children’s spirits not crushed and saddened by the shadow of long years’ sorrowful history.”

“Not one of the seven is really good, for the very excellent reason that Australian children never are.”

“You will have to arrange things so I can go for a run. My legs are growing shorter, I am sure, with not exercising them. I shall have forgotten how to walk by the end of the week.”

“Australian girls nearly always begin to think of ‘lovers and nonsense’, as middlefolks call it, long before their English aged sisters do. While still in the short-frocked period of existence, and while their hair is still free-flowing, they take the keenest interest in boys- boy of neighboring schools, other girls’ brothers, young bank clerks and the like.”

“She is like a peach, a beautiful, smooth, rich peach, that has come to ripeness almost in a day, and that hastens to rub off the soft delicate bloom that is its chief charm, just to show its bright, warm colouring more clearly.”

“I can only stay a week. I’ve arranged it all beautifully, and I shall live here in this loft; Father never dreams of coming here, so it will be quite safe, and you can all bring me food.”

“The blackness grew grey and paler grey, and miles and miles of monotonous gum samplings lay between the train and the sky. Up burst the sun, and the world grew soft and rosy like a baby waked from sleep. Then the grey gathered again, the pink, quivering lights faded out, and the rain came down - torrents of it, beating against the shaking window-glass, whirled wildly ahead by a rough morning wind, flying down from the mountains.”

“The hospitality of squatters is world-famed, but this breaks all previous records, Esther. Accept by all means - everyone of you. On their own heads be the results; but I’m afraid Yarrahappini will be a sadder and wiser place before the month is over.”

“It was such happiness to her all the hot, long days that followed; to a girl just entering life there can be no purer, deeper feeling of pleasure than that brought by the knowledge that she is influencing for good some man or woman older than herself, more sin-worn and earth-wearied.”

“So just as the sun began to smile and chase away the sky’s heavy tears, they all went to bed again to make up for the broken night, and it was:six o’clock and tea time before any of them opened their eyes again.”