Nothing is inherently and invincibly young except spirit. And spirit can enter a human being perhaps better in the quiet of old age and dwell there more undisturbed than in the turmoil of adventure.

The muffled syllables that Nature speaks Fill us with deeper longing for her word; She hides a meaning that the spirit seeks, She makes a sweeter music than is heard.

The strongest feelings assigned to the conscience are not moral feelings at all; they express merely physical antipathies.

The little word is has its tragedies: it marries and identifies different things with the greatest innocence; and yet no two are ever identical, and if therein lies the charm of wedding them and calling them one, therein too lies the danger.

Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character.

Tomes of aesthetic criticism hang on a few moments of real delight and intuition.

When all beliefs are challenged together, the just and necessary ones have a chance to step forward and re-establish themselves alone.