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.

The intellect of the wise is like glass; it admits the light of heaven and reflects it.

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

Some people carry their hearts in their heads; very many carry their heads in their hearts. The difficulty is to keep them apart, yet both actively working together.

To Adam Paradise was home. To the good among his descendants home is paradise.

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

Friendship closes its eye rather than see the moon eclipsed; while malice denies that it is ever at the full.