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Never Quotes

Quotes on what never happens.

This page gathers quotes centered on absence and limits - books that stayed unpublished, and a pointed line arguing that secrecy is fundamentally undesirable, merely tolerated when unavoidable. Related reading includes Life Quotes.

I have a producer friend who despairs that I come across as rather frosty and never show the real me, and she might have a point.

Quotes by Mariella Frostrup

I couldn't choose a favourite author, but two contemporary writers who have never disappointed me are Tim Winton and Alice Munro.

Quotes by Mariella Frostrup

Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains.

Quotes by Marilyn French

There won't be any miracles. We never promised any. But as we have said before, when things are done properly, the results come in.

Quotes by Mariano Rajoy

The King of Prussia is innately a bad neighbor, but the English will also always be bad neighbors to France, and the sea has never prevented them from doing her great mischief.

Quotes by Marie Antoinette

I've never really been into the sci-fi genre myself.

Quotes by Marie Avgeropoulos

One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.

Quotes by Marie Curie

By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.

Quotes by Marie Dressler

To know that one has never really tried - that is the only death.

Quotes by Marie Dressler

We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.

Quotes by Marie Dressler

But I'd made up my mind early on in life that I never wanted to be a mother.

Quotes by Marie Helvin

I never get asked out by men my own age, as they all want to go out with 20-year-olds, and the men that do ask me out are too young.

Quotes by Marie Helvin

Men can be men and still get excited about other men kicking a ball around and they're never mocked, whereas it's easy for women to take mocking on board, to be belittled. Because we're used to it.

Quotes by Marian Keyes

I used to feel defensive when people would say, 'Yes, but your books have happy endings', as if that made them worthless, or unrealistic. Some people do get happy endings, even if it's only for a while. I would rather...

Quotes by Marian Keyes

I've never made a secret of the fact that I'd have loved to have children.

Quotes by Marian Keyes

I've been so showered in life, beyond my wildest dreams, such as having a loving partner I never thought I'd have.

Quotes by Marian Keyes

I've never been obsessed by how I looked. In fact, I would rather have looked more ordinary so I could play more parts more truthfully.

Quotes by Marian Seldes

I almost never go to the theatre without seeing someone I've taught or known at Juilliard.

Quotes by Marian Seldes

No one, Eleanor Roosevelt said, can make you feel inferior without your consent. Never give it.

Quotes by Marian Wright Edelman

It never occurred to me that I was not going to challenge segregation.

Quotes by Marian Wright Edelman

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of quotes are gathered under "Never"?
These quotes explore things that haven't happened, aren't wanted, or weren't anticipated — unpublished books that never found a marketing angle, the idea that secrets are "never desirable" even when needed, and a reflection on how it "never occurred" to anyone that private conversation might need protecting.
Are these quotes mostly about regret?
Not exactly regret, more observation — noticing gaps, oversights, or things that didn't come to pass, like unpublished books or an unanticipated need for privacy protections.
Is there a quote about problem-solving here?
Yes — one notes that "people constantly face problems they've never seen before" and have to improvise solutions, which is a nice contrast to the other, more resigned quotes on this page.
How is "Never" different from <a href="/always-quotes">Always</a> quotes?
They're natural opposites — "Always" quotes are about consistency and long-held habits, while "Never" quotes are about absence, gaps, and things that haven't happened.
What should I read if I want something more upbeat?
Good quotes or Like quotes lean lighter, while "Never" quotes tend to be more contemplative. For a broader reflective read, Life quotes is also worth checking.

Other quotes touch on constitutional rights never explicitly written down, and the constant stream of new problems people have never faced before. See also Always Quotes and Good Quotes.