Sunday 12 June 2011

Tom Lefroy Quote Week 9

Next sunday (19th June) in the UK it is Fathers Day so I thought I would chose a quote from a letter Tom wrote to his son taken from Tom Lefroy's memoir, page 33:

"I hope you are attentive to your business, and get your lessons, not merely so as to pass, but so as to understand them as perfectly as you can, and above all things, that you don’t loiter and waste time. When you play, - play, - but when you read, read and don’t play.
God bless you, my darling boy.
Your ever affectionate father,
T.L"



I thought that this was a lovely quote to demonstrate Tom's true affection for his son, and indeed all his children. I love the line "when you play, - play, - but when you read, read and don’t play." It is simple and direct but said with the authority of a father.

Pic: Father and son holding hands

7 comments:

Linda Fern said...

Oh yes, the 19th is Father's Day over here in the US also. Lovely quote and very appropriate. I need to pass that on to my grandchildren.

Yrs aff'ly,
Linda the Libraria

Icha said...

Oh my God... Rachel, thank you so much for this beautiful quote. I am almost speechless.

When you play, - play, - but when you read, read and don’t play.

What a wise man.

Reminds me of the advise he gave to Jane Christmas Lefroy in the older quote I wrote months ago:

A saunterer when young, continues a saunterer through life.

http://becomingjane.blogspot.com/2010/11/tom-lefroy-quote-week-2.html

To me, it's clear that Tom Lefroy didn't achieve the title of Chief Justice of Ireland because of connection. He had the correct mental set and attitude for it. He deserved that title.

Miss Laurie of Old-Fashioned Charm said...

What a lovely quote filled with much love and tenderness! He seems to have been a very wise man and concerned father. Thank you for sharing this!

~Miss Laurie
Old-Fashioned Charm

Icha said...

Rachel did pick the right quote, eh?

Oh Rachel, if you have time, could you indicate the page where you obtained the quote from? I'd like to read it myself... not that I don't trust you. I just want to see the whole context. Thanks!

mamma jakeline said...

We have father's day in November, but have just have mother's day which was the same week as when Aylinn was born.

I really love that qoute, and will hang on to that. I think Tom was such a great person, though he didn't marry our dear Jane.

hugs and kisses from Maria in Sweden who is in a complete and utter baby bubble. :P

Rachel said...

I am glad you like the quote, I thought it was quite special also.
I took it from page 33 (part 1 in our copy) of the memoirs.
I have added this into the text.

Icha said...

thanks a lot for the info, Rachel!