I proceed, gentlemen, to call your attention to the present state of insane persons confined within the commonwealth; in cages, closets, cellars, stalls, pens; chained, naked, beaten with rods, and lashed into obedience.

Brains are still unfashionable for women to wear, and it has always been proof of women's superiority that the more intelligent a man is, the more women admire him, while the bigger fool a woman is, the more men run after her.

Man is not made better by being degraded; he is seldom restrained from crime by harsh measures, except the principle of fear predominates in his character; and then he is never made radically better for its influence.

The tapestry of history has no point at which you can cut it and leave the design intelligible.

I think even lying on my bed I can still do something.

I have learned to live each day as it comes, and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow.

Man is not made better by being degraded.