The greatest efforts of the race have always been traceable to the love of praise, as the greatest catastrophes to the love of pleasure.

The enormous influence of novelty--the way in which it quickens observations, sharpens sensations, and exalts sentiment--is not half enough taken note of by us, and is to me a very sorrowful matter. And yet, if we try to obtain perpetual change, change itself will become monotonous.

It is not the weariness of mortality, but the strength of divinity, which we have to recognize in all mighty things; and that is just what we now never recognize, but think that we are to do great things by help of iron bars and perspiration. Alas! we shall do nothing that way but lose some pounds of our own weight.

No one can do me any good by loving me; I have more love than I need or could do any good with; but people do me good by making me love them - which isn't easy.

Better the rudest work that tells a story or records a fact, than the richest without meaning.

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become.

Some slaves are scoured to their work by whips, others by their restlessness and ambition.