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.

…on some occasions, women, like dreams, go by contraries.

Simple, sincere people seldom speak much of their piety; it shows itself in acts rather than words, and has more influence than homilies or protestations.

politics were as bad as mathematics, and that the mission of politicians seemed to be calling each other names

Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.

Now I'm beginning to live a little and feel less like a sick oyster at low tide.

If I didn't care about doing right and didn't feel uncomfortable doing wrong, I should get on capitally.