But if our sex would but well consider and rationally ponder, they will perceive and find that it is neither words nor place that can advance them, but worth and merit.
Margaret CavendishRead
Not that I am ashamed of my mind or body, my birth or breeding, my actions or fortunes, for my bashfulness is in my nature, not for any crime.
Interpretation
The quote expresses acceptance of oneself and the natural disposition of shyness, highlighting that it is not tied to any wrongdoing.
Margaret Cavendish reflects on the nature of her bashfulness, emphasizing that it does not stem from any shame about herself or her circumstances. Instead, she embraces her personality traits and acknowledges that her shyness is an inherent part of who she is, unrelated to any perceived faults or societal judgments.
In practice
During a speech about mental health, someone might share this quote to explain the importance of self-acceptance.
But if our sex would but well consider and rationally ponder, they will perceive and find that it is neither words nor place that can advance them, but worth and merit.
Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.
Those writers who lie on the watch for novelty can have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former observation.
You must begin to trust yourself sometime. I suggest you do it now. If you do not then you will forever be looking to others to prove your own merit to you, and you will never be satisfied. You will always be asking others what to do, and at the same time, resenting those from whom you seek such aid.
The most important 6 inches on the battlefield is between your ears.
Trust who and what you are, and the universe will support you in miraculous ways.
Genius, all over the world, stands hand in hand, and one shock of recognition runs the whole circle round.
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