The Children of the New Forest Quotes

“I must bring them all up to be useful- to depend upon themselves; there is not a moment to be lost, and not a moment shall be lost; I will do my best and trust to God”

“Why, a stag is called a brocket until he is three years old, at four years he is a staggart; at five years a warrantable stag; and after five years he becomes a hart royal.”

“You are most happy when your days pass quickest, and that is only the case when you have plenty to do. Here you are in peace and safety; and may it please God that you may continue so!

“You are young, but you are strong and powerful above your years, and can better protect them then I could. I see darker days yet coming- but it is His will, and who shall doubt that that is right? I pray you not to make your birth and lineage known as yet- it can do no good, and it may do harm-”

″ ‘Humphrey, my good boy,’ said Jacob, ‘recollect, that in the midst of life we are in death, that there is no security for young or old. You or your brother may be cut off in your youth; one may be taken, and the other left. Recollect, your sisters depend on you, and do not therefore be rash.”

“Now it is no use to lament--we must all work, and work cheerfully; and we will pray every morning and every night that God will bless our endeavors and enable us to provide for ourselves, and live here in peace and safety.”

“What, then, must we do? We must love one another dearly, and help one another.”

″ ‘Then, Humphrey,’ replied Edward, laughing, ‘you must tell me some other time, for it is now very late, and I must go to bed, as I have to rise early. I know you have so many projects in your mind that it would take half the night to listen to them.’ ”

“He walked on, quite unconscious of the direction in which he was going, and more than once finding his hat knocked off by branch of a tree which he had not perceived- for the best of all possible reasons, because his eyes were cast on the ground- when his ears were saluted with the neighing of a horse.”

‘The best thing that I can do, is to decide upon taking some straight line, and continue on it: I must get out of the forest at last, even if I walk right across it.”