Several years ago I read Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis in which he describes some of the early influences in his life that caused him to (eventually) seek God. One such influence was author George MacDonald and works like Phantastes and The Princess and the Goblin. I immediately determined to read these works, but have only just gotten round to doing so. I recently finished The Princess and the Goblin and have now started The Princess and Curdie. Both are filled with beautiful insights into human nature and wisdom for right living. Take, for example, the following points expressed with far less eloquence than MacDonald commands:

  • That which we hate we must also fear.

  • As our bodies begin to outgrow our minds the inevitable result is that we begin to grow stupider in that we believe less and less in that which we cannot see.

  • While we may not have intended harm, if we did not intend good then we were certainly open to doing harm. Indeed, if we are not always striving to do good, then we are doing that which is not good.

I wish I could express these as beautifully as does Mr. MacDonald. His stories have captivated me and his timeless wisdom rings of truth.