Life is the hyphen between matter and spirit.

The feeling is often the deeper truth, the opinion the more superficial one.

Histories used often to be stories: the fashion now is to leave out the story. Our histories are stall-fed: the facts are absorbed by the reflexions, as the meat is sometimes by the fat.

Leaves are light, and useless, and idle, and wavering, and changeable; they even dance; and yet God in his wisdom has made them a part of oaks. And in so doing he has given us a lesson, not to deny the stout-heartedness within because we see the lightsomeness without.

Few are aware that they want any thing, except pounds schillings and pence.

In a mist the heights can for the most part see each other; but the valleys cannot.

Is bread the better for kneading? so is the heart. Knead it then by spiritual exercises; or God must knead it by afflictions.