Love needs new leaves every summer of life, as much as your elm-tree, and new branches to grow broader and wider, and new flowers to cover the ground.

Half the misery in the world comes of want of courage to speak and to hear the truth plainly and in a spirit of love.

Religion! Is what you hear at church religion? Is that which can bend and turn, and descend and ascend, to fit every crooked phase of selfish, worldly society, religion? Is that religion which is less scrupulous, less generous, less just, less considerate for man, than even my own ungodly, worldly, blinded nature? No! When I look for religion, I must look for something above me, and not something beneath.

All places where women are excluded tend downward to barbarism; but the moment she is introduced, there come in with her courtesy, cleanliness, sobriety, and order.

In all ranks of life the human heart yearns for the beautiful; and the beautiful things that God makes are his gift to all alike.

...the heart has no tears to give,--it drops only blood, bleeding itself away in silence.

Can anybody tell what sorrows are locked up with our best affections, or what pain may be associated with every pleasure?