No woman really wants a man to carry her off; she only wants him to want to do it.

Martyrdom is often the result of excessive gullibility.

The only people who are not in awe of Emerson's powerful voice and well-nigh superhuman strength are the members of his own family. He is aware of this, and often complains about it; so from time to time I like to put on a little show of being intimidated. 'Proceed, my dear,' I said apologetically.

The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify.

Loving someone condemns you to a lifetime of fear. You become painfully conscious of how fragile people are - bundles of brittle bones and vulnerable flesh, breeding grounds for billions of deadly germs and horrible diseases.

People who relate what they believe to be new and startling information like to have such information received with exclamations of astonishment and admiration.

there is nothing like a garden to rest the soul.