If Art does not enlarge men's sympathies, it does nothing morally.

A woman's hopes are woven of sunbeams; a shadow annihilates them.

A man vows, and yet will not east away the means of breaking his vow. Is it that he distinctly means to break it? Not at all; but the desires which tend to break it are at work in him dimly, and make their way into his imagination, and relax his muscles in the very moments when he is telling himself over again the reasons for his vow.

After all, people may really have in them some vocation which is not quite plain to themselves, may they not? They may seem idle and weak because they are growing. We should be very patient with each other, I think.

Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts—not to hurt others.

These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of.

I had some ambition. I meant everything to be different with me. I thought I had more strength and mastery. But the most terrible obstacles are such as nobody can see except oneself.