Growing is not the easy plain sailing business that it is commonly supposed to be: it is hard work—harder than any but a growing boy can understand
 Samuel Butler, The Way of All Flesh (1903). copy citation

add
Author Samuel Butler
Source The Way of All Flesh
Topic sailing understanding
Date 1903
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2084/2084-h/2084-h.htm

Context

“he thought, at least, that he believed it, for as yet he knew nothing of that other Ernest that dwelt within him, and was so much stronger and more real than the Ernest of which he was conscious. The dumb Ernest persuaded with inarticulate feelings too swift and sure to be translated into such debateable things as words, but practically insisted as follows— “Growing is not the easy plain sailing business that it is commonly supposed to be: it is hard work—harder than any but a growing boy can understand; it requires attention, and you are not strong enough to attend to your bodily growth, and to your lessons too. Besides, Latin and Greek are great humbug; the more people know of them the more odious they generally are;” source