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

The poet is he who can write some pure mythology today without the aid of posterity.

We saw one school-house in our walk, and listened to the sounds which issued from it; but it appeared like a place where the process, not of enlightening, but of obfuscating the mind was going on, and the pupils received only so much light as could penetrate the shadow of the Catholic church.

Whatever we leave to God, God does and blesses us.

I would remind my countrymen that they are to be men first, and Americans only at a late and convenient hour.

We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything else.

Homer and Shakespeare and Milton and Marvell and Wordsworth are but the rustling of leaves and crackling of twigs in the forest, and there is not yet the sound of any bird. The Muse has never lifted up her voice to sing.