It is painful to be told that anything is very fine and not be able to feel that it is fine--something like being blind, while people talk of the sky.

Ignorance ... is a painless evil; so, I should think, is dirt, considering the merry faces that go along with it.

For pain must enter into its glorified life of memory before it can turn into compassion.

A peasant can no more help believing in a traditional superstition than a horse can help trembling when be sees a camel.

Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.

'Character," says Novalis, in one of his questionable aphorisms - character is destiny'.

Them as ha' never had a cushion don't miss it.