Among all the many kinds of first love, that which begins in childish companionship is the strongest and most enduring: when passion comes to unite its force to long affection, love is at its spring-tide.

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.

That by desiring what is perfectly good, even when we don't quite know what it is and cannot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil -- widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower.

In the vain laughter of folly wisdom hears half its applause.

Will not a tiny speck very close to our vision blot out the glory of the world, and leave only a margin by which we see the blot? I know no speck so troublesome as self.

... indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable.

"Heaven help us," said the old religion; the new one, from its very lack of that faith, will teach us all the more to help one another.