I would fain keep sober always; and there are infinite degrees of drunkenness.

The savage lives simply through ignorance and idleness or laziness, but the philosopher lives simply through wisdom.

We seem to think that the earth must go through the ordeal of sheep-pasturage before it is habitable by man.

If a man constantly aspires is he not elevated?

My excuse for not lecturing against the use of tobacco is, that I never chewed it; that is a penalty which reformed tobacco-chewers have to pay; though there are things enough I have chewed which I could lecture against.

Our last deed, like the young of the land crab, wends its way to the sea of cause and effect as soon as born, and makes a drop there to eternity.

So far as my experience goes, travelers generally exaggerate the difficulties of the way. Like most evil, the difficulty is imaginary; for what's the hurry?