Affection, like melancholy, magnifies trifles; but the magnifying of the one is like looking through a telescope at heavenly objects; that of the other, like enlarging monsters with a microscope.

Anglers boast of the innocence of their pastime; yet it puts fellow-creatures to the torture. They pique themselves on their meditative faculties; and yet their only excuse is a want of thought.

There is no greater mistake in the world than the looking upon every sort of nonsense as want of sense.

If you are ever at a loss to support a flagging conversation, introduce the subject of eating.

For the most part, we should pray rather in aspiration than petition, rather by hoping than requesting; in which spirit also we may breathe a devout wish for a blessing on others upon occasions when it might be presumptuous to beg it.

The person who can be only serious or only cheerful, is but half a man.

This garden has a soul, I know its moods.