“ Annihilation itself is no death to evil. Only good where evil was, is evil dead. An evil thing must live with its evil until it chooses to be good. That alone is the slaying of evil. ”
George MacDonald, Lilith (1895). copy citation
| Author | George MacDonald |
|---|---|
| Source | Lilith |
| Topic | evil good annihilation |
| Date | 1895 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1640/1640-h/1640-h.htm |
Context
“I hesitated, and half turned.
«To think of her lying there alone,» I murmured, «—with that terrible wound!»
«Nothing will ever close that wound,» he answered, with a sigh. «It must eat into her heart! Annihilation itself is no death to evil. Only good where evil was, is evil dead. An evil thing must live with its evil until it chooses to be good. That alone is the slaying of evil.»
I held my peace until a sound I did not understand overtook us.
«If she should break loose!» I cried.
«Make haste!» he rejoined. «I shall hurry down the moment you are gone, and I have disarranged the mirrors.»” source
«To think of her lying there alone,» I murmured, «—with that terrible wound!»
«Nothing will ever close that wound,» he answered, with a sigh. «It must eat into her heart! Annihilation itself is no death to evil. Only good where evil was, is evil dead. An evil thing must live with its evil until it chooses to be good. That alone is the slaying of evil.»
I held my peace until a sound I did not understand overtook us.
«If she should break loose!» I cried.
«Make haste!» he rejoined. «I shall hurry down the moment you are gone, and I have disarranged the mirrors.»” source
Meaning and analysis
