True politeness is to social life what oil is to machinery, a thing to oil the ruts and grooves of existence. False politeness can shine without warming and glitter without vivifying.

I find, by close observation, that the mothers are the levers which move in education. The men talk about it . . . but the women work most for it.

But two things are wanting in American civilization - a keener and deeper, broader and tenderer sense of justice - a sense of humanity, which shall crystallize into the life of a nation the sentiment that justice, simple justice, is the right, not simply of the strong and powerful, but of the weakest and feeblest of all God's children.

A government which can protect and defend its citizens from wrong and outrage and does not is vicious. A government which would do it and cannot is weak; and where human life is insecure through either weakness or viciousness in the administration of law, there must be a lack of justice and where this is wanting, nothing can make up the deficiency.

I belong to this race, and when it is down I belong to a down race; when it is up I belong to a risen race.

One needs both leisure and money to make a successful book.

If we have had no past, it is well for us to look hopefully to the future - for the shadows bear the promise of a brighter coming day.