Blame is safer than praise.
Why should we be cowed by the name of Action?
The death of a dear friend, wife, brother, lover, which seemed nothing but privation, somewhat later assumes the aspect of a guide or genius; for it commonly operates revolutions in our way of life, terminates an epoch of infancy or of youth which was waiting to be closed, breaks up a wonted occupation, or a household, or style of living, and allows the formation of new ones more friendly to the growth of character.
As we grow old, the beauty steals inward.
Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.
Life too near paralyses art.
Love and you shall be loved. All love is mathematically just, as much as the two sides of an algebraic equation.
We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all.
What fugitive from his country can also escape from himself.
The happiest part of a man’s life is what he passes lying awake in bed in the morning.
The billiard table is better than the doctor.
There are more fools than knaves in the world, else the knaves would not have enough to live upon.
A good End cannot sanctifie evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it. Some Folks think they may Scold, Rail, Hate, Rob and Kill too; so it be but for God’s sake. But nothing in us unlike him, can please him.
It is better to walk alone, then with a crowd going in the wrong direction.
A man’s house burns down. The smoking wreckage represents only a ruined home that was dear through years of use and pleasant associations. By and by, as the days and weeks go on, first he misses this, then that, then the other thing. And when he casts about for it he finds that it was in that house. Always it is an essential – there was but one of its kind. It cannot be replaced. It was in that house. It is irrevocably lost. It will be years before the tale of lost essentials is complete, and not till then can he truly know the magnitude of his disaster.
Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire; the other is to get it.
Discern of the coming on of years, and think not to do the same things still; for age will not be defied.
I believe that what so saddens the reformer is not his sympathy with his fellows in distress, but, though he be the holiest son of God, is his private ail. Let this be righted, let the spring come to him, the morning rise over his couch, and he will forsake his generous companions without apology.
What is Man? Man is a noisome bacillus whom Our Heavenly Father created because he was disappointed in the monkey.
We aim above the mark to hit the mark.
Belief like any other moving body follows the path of least resistance.
God as now generally conceived of is only the last witch.
