Alice Duer Miller

Alice Duer Miller

20 quotes

Biography

Alice Duer Miller was an American writer whose poetry actively influenced political opinion. Her feminist verses influenced political opinion during the American suffrage movement, and her verse novel The White Cliffs influenced political thought during the U.S.'s entry into World War II.

"It is among the commonplaces of education that we often first cut off the living root and then try to replace its natural functions by artificial means. Thus we suppress the child's curiosity and then when he lacks a natural interest in learning he is offered special coaching for his scholastic coaching for his scholastic difficulties."

Alice Duer Miller

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give values to survival."

Alice Duer Miller

"People who deal in truth themselves recognize it when they hear it, just as people who deal in diamonds recognize a real stone when they see it."

Alice Duer Miller

"People love to talk but hate to listen....Listening is not merely not talking, though even that is beyond most of our powers; it means taking a vigorous, human interest in what’s being told us....You can listen like a blank wall or like a splendid auditorium where every sound comes back fuller and richer."

Alice Duer Miller

"If it’s very painful for you to criticize your friends—you're safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it—that’s the time to hold your tongue."

Alice Duer Miller

"Don't ever dare to take your college as a matter of course,— because like freedom and democracy, many people you'll never know anything about have broken their hearts to get it for you."

Alice Duer Miller

"There, little girl, don't read, You're fond of your books, I know, But Brother might mope If he had no hope Of getting ahead of you. It's dull for a boy who cannot lead. There, little girl, don't read."

Alice Duer Miller

"When men in Congress come to blows at something someone said, I always notice that it shows their blood is quick and red; But if two women disagree, with very little noise, It proves, and this seems strange to me, that women have no poise."

Alice Duer Miller

"Mother, what is a Feminist?"    "A Feminist, my daughter, Is any woman now who cares To think about her own affairs    As men don't think she oughter."

Alice Duer Miller

"It's treating a woman politely    As long as she isn't a fright: It's guarding the girls who act rightly,    If you can be judge of what's right; It's being—not just, but so pleasant;    It's tipping while wages are low; It's making a beautiful present,    And failing to pay what you owe."

Alice Duer Miller

"We are not really senseless, and we are not angels, too, But very human beings, human just as much as you. It's hard upon occasions to be forceful and sublime When you're treated as incompetents three-quarters of the time."

Alice Duer Miller

"Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on."

Alice Duer Miller

"Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on."

Alice Duer Miller

"Don't ever dare to take your college as a matter of course - because, like democracy and freedom, many people you'll never know have broken their hearts to get it for you."

Alice Duer Miller

"If it's painful for you to criticize your friends, you're safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue."

Alice Duer Miller

"People love to talk but hate to listen. Listening is not merely not talking, though even that is beyond most of our powers; it means taking a vigorous, human interest in what is being told us. You can listen like a blank wall or like a splendid auditorium where every sound comes back fuller and richer."

Alice Duer Miller

"People love to talk but hate to listen. Listening is not merely not talking though even that is beyond most of our powers it means taking a vigorous human interest in what is being told us. You can listen like a blank wall or like a splendid auditorium where every sound comes back fuller and richer."

Alice Duer Miller

"If it's very painful for you to criticize your friends-you're safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it that's the time to hold your tongue."

Alice Duer Miller

"Good manners are the techniques of expressing consideration for the feelings of others"

Alice Duer Miller

"Listening is not merely not talking though even that is beyond most of our powers it means taking a vigorous human interest in what is being told us."

Alice Duer Miller