He seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married.

If not against us, nature is not for us.

...that one most perilous and long voyage ended, only begins a second; and a second ended, only begins a third, and so on, for ever and for aye. Such is the endlessness, yea, the intolerableness of all earthly effort.

Everyone knows that in most people's estimation, to do anything cooly is to do it genteelly.

Of all human events, perhaps, the publication of a first volume of verses is the most insignificant; but though a matter of no moment to the world, it is still of some concern to the author.

At length I fell asleep, with the volume in my hand; and never slept so sound before

We Americans are the peculiar, chosen people - the Israel of our time; we bear the ark of the liberties of the world.