Mankind is not disposed to look narrowly into the conduct of great victors when their victory is on the right side.

There is a mercy which is weakness, and even treason against the common good.

Given, a man with moderate intellect, a moral standard not higher than the average, some rhetorical affluence and a great glibness of speech, what is the career in which, without the aid of birth or money, he may most easily attain power and reputation in English society? Where is that Goshen of mediocrity in which a smattering of science and learning will pass for profound instruction, where platitudes will be accepted as wisdom, bigoted narrowness as holy zeal, unctuous egoism as God-given piety?

What courage and patience are wanted for every life that aims to produce anything!

Genius at first is little more than a great capacity for receiving discipline.

... it is one thing to like defiance, and another thing to like its consequences.

Her future, she thought, was likely to be worse than her past, for after her years of contented renunciation, she had slipped back into desire and longing; she found joyless days of distasteful occupation harder and harder; she found the image of the intense and varied life she yearned for, and despaired of, becoming more and more importunate.