Rome ... seems to me the place in the world where one can best dispense with happiness.

[On John Brown:] The poor wretch is hanged, but from his grave a root of bitterness will spring, the fruit of which at no distant day may be disunion and civil war.

I want to do everything in the world that can be done.

Better trust all, and be deceived, And weep that trust and that deceiving, Than doubt one heart, that if believed Had blessed one's life with true believing.

... it's always determined characters who make the greatest fools.

[On disagreeing with her husband about his slave-holding:] I cannot give my conscience into the keeping of another human being or submit the actions dictated by my conscience to their will.

The death I should prefer would be to break my neck off the back of a good horse at a full gallop on a fine day.