All men are really most attracted by the beauty of plain speech, and they even write in a florid style in imitation of this. Theyprefer to be misunderstood rather than to come short of its exuberance.

We communicate like the burrows of foxes, in silence and darkness, under ground. We are undermined by faith and love.

Every man casts a shadow; not his body only, but his imperfectly mingled spirit. This is his grief. Let him turn which way he will, it falls opposite to the sun; short at noon, long at eve. Did you never see it?

We must have infinite faith in each other.

My themes will not be far-fetched. I will tell of homely every-day phenomena and adventures.

I was more independent than any farmer in Concord, for I was not anchored to a house or farm, but could follow the bent of my genius, which is a very crooked one, every moment.

How important is a constant intercourse with nature and the contemplation of natural phenomena to the preservation of moral and intellectual health!