To be strong, and beautiful, and go round making music all the time. Yes, she could do that, and with a very earnest prayer Polly asked for the strength of an upright soul, the beauty of a tender heart, the power to make her life a sweet and stirring song, helpful while it lasted, remembered when it died.

Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault.

The scar will remain, but it is better for a man to lose both arms than his soul; and these hard years, instead of being lost, may be made the most precious of your lives, if they teach you to rule yourselves.

I'm afraid I couldn't like him without a spice of human naughtiness.

Good, old-fashioned ways keep hearts sweet, heads sane, hands busy.

Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.

The violin - that most human of all instruments.