But there are victories far worse than defeats; and to overcome an angel too gentle to put out all his strength, and ride away in triumph on the back of a devil, is one of the poorest.

What distressed me most - more even than my own folly - was the perplexing question - How can beauty and ugliness dwell so near? Even with her altered complexion and face of dislike; disenchanted of the belief that clung around her; known for a living, walking sepulcher, faithless, deluding, traitorous; I felt, notwithstanding all this, that she was beautiful. Upon this I pondered with undiminished perplexity.

He (God) loves what I shall be.

Her face was fair and pretty, with eyes like two bits of night sky, each with a star dissolved in the blue.

We must do the thing we must Before the thing we may; We are unfit for any trust Till we can and do obey.

It is when people do wrong things wilfully that they are the more likely to do them again.

Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life.