It is not every man who can be a Christian, even in a very moderate sense, whatever education you give him. It is a matter of constitution and temperament, after all. He may have to be born again many times. I have known many a man who pretended to be a Christian, in whom it was ridiculous, for he had no genius for it. It is not every man who can be a free man, even.

I am resolved that I will not through humility become the devil's attorney. I will endeavor to speak a good word for the truth.

It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man.

I suppose that the great questions of "Fate, Freewill, Foreknowledge Absolute," which used to be discussed at Concord, are still unsettled.

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beechtree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.

The way by which you may get money almost without exception leads downward.

Farmers are respectable and interesting to me in proportion as they are poor.