O, with what freshness, what solemnity and beauty, is each new day born; as if to say to insensate man, "Behold! thou hast one more chance! Strive for immortal glory!

Whipping and abuse are like laudanum: you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline.

Common sense is seeing things as they are; and doing things as they ought to be.

Of course, in a novel, people's hearts break, and they die and that is the end of it; and in a story this is very convenient. But in real life we do not die when all that makes life bright dies to us.

The longest way must have its close - the gloomiest night will wear on to a morning.

there is no independence and pertinacity of opinion like that of these seemingly soft, quiet creatures, whom it is so easy to silence, and so difficult to convince.

General rules will bear hard on particular cases.