The presence of a noble nature, generous in its wishes, ardent in its charity, changes the lights for us: we begin to see things again in their larger, quieter masses, and to believe that we too can be seen and judged in the wholeness of our character.

It is better sometimes not to follow great reformers of abuses beyond the threshold of their homes.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

But, bless us, things may be lovable that are not altogether handsome, I hope?

What is opportunity to the man who can't use it? An unfecundated egg, which the waves of time wash away into nonentity.

To fear the examination of any proposition apears to me an intellectual and a moral palsy that will ever hinder the firm grasping of any substance whatever.

One couldn't carry on life comfortably without a little blindness to the fact that everything has been said better than we can put it ourselves.