A Christian is God Almighty's gentleman: a gentleman, in the vulgar superficial way of understanding the word, is the Devil's Christian.

The greatest truths are the simplest, and so are the greatest men.

It is well for us that we are born babies in intellect. Could we understand half what mothers say and do to their infants, we should be filled with a conceit of our own importance, which would render us insupportable through life.

Better far off to leave half the ruins and nine-tenths of the churches unseen and to see well the rest; to see them not once, but again and often again; to watch them, to learn them, to live with them, to love them, till they have become a part of life and life's recollections.

Few persons have courage enough to appear as good as they really are.

Friendship is love without its flowers or veil.

Man without religion is the creature of circumstances: Religion is above all circumstances, and will lift him up above them.