Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them.
The pest of society are the egotist, they are dull and bright, sacred and profane, course and fine. It is a disease that like the flu falls on all constitutions.
It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part.
Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison.
Religion is nothing else but love of God and man.
It is wonderful to think how men of very large estates not only spend their yearly income, but are often actually in want of money. It is clear, they have not value for what they spend.
People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.
The Humble, Meek, Merciful, Just, Pious and Devout Souls, are everywhere of one religion; and when Death has taken off the Mask, they will know one another, though the divers Liveries they wear here make them Strangers.
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.
I am stronger than my fear.
Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party.
There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.
There are no grades of vanity, there are only grades of ability in concealing it.
The revelation of Thought takes men out of servitude into freedom.
There is nothing so unthinkable as thought, unless it be the entire absence of thought.
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.
We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it as not as dreadful as it appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down.
So far as a person thinks; they are free.
Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.
My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.
It is all right to rat, but you can’t re-rat.
