I believe absolutely in love being the central motive force of the universe.

The modern form of things had begun to appeal to me, also (as material for satire) politics, and the lives of the great and little, high up in the social scale.

A saint is one who makes goodness attractive.

Father eternal, ruler of creation, Spirit of life, which moved ere form was made Through the thick darkness covering every nation Light to man's blindness, O be Thou our aid.

If fathers were to be mothers, then there will never have a family of more than three.

For the last half of my life I have had the doubtful benefit of a brother whose literary reputation is much greater than my own.

I have always been a writer of letters, and of long ones; so, when I first thought of writing a book in the form of letters, I knew that I could do it quickly and easily.