Even extreme grief may ultimately vent itself in violence--but more generally takes the form of apathy

Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality. I have been for many years a teacher of languages. It is an occupation which at length becomes fatal to whatever share of imagination, observation, and insight an ordinary person may be heir to. To a teacher of languages there comes a time when the world is but a place of many words and man appears a mere talking animal not much more wonderful than a parrot.

Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas, Ease after warre, death after life, does greatly please.

Happiness, happiness ... the flavor is with you-with you alone, and you can make it as intoxicating as you please.

I have a voice, too, and for good or evil mine is the speech that cannot be silenced

In some inland post feel the savagery, the utter savagery, had closed round him--all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men. There's no initiation either into such mysteries. He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is detestable. And it has a fascination, too, which goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination--you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate.

If you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything .