A way foolishness has of revenging itself is to excommunicate the world.

Half our standards come from our first masters, and the other half from our first loves.

Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are.

The only kind of reform usually possible is reform from within; a more intimate study and more intelligent use of the traditional forms.

Since barbarism has its pleasures it naturally has its apologists.

One of the peculiarities of recent speculation, especially in America, is that ideas are abandoned in virtue of a mere change of feeling, without any new evidence or new arguments. We do not nowadays refute our predecessors, we pleasantly bid them good-bye.

Photography at first was asked to do nothing but embalm our best smiles for the benefit of our friends and our best clothes for the amusement of posterity. Neither thing lasts, and photography came as a welcome salve to keep those precious, if slightly ridiculous, things a little longer in the world.