[Jo to her mother] I knew there was mischief brewing. I felt it and now it's worse than I imagined. I just wish I could marry Meg myself, and keep her safe in the family.

Do the things you know, and you shall learn the truth you need to know.

The mere possession of a gun is, in itself, an urge to kill, not only by design, but by accident, by madness, by fright, by bravado.

I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy.

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

She had a womanly instinct that clothes possess an influence more powerful over many than the worth of character or the magic of manners.

I don't pretend to be wise, but I am observing, and I see a great deal more than you'd imagine. I'm interested in other people's experiences and inconsistencies, and, though I can't explain, I remember and use them for my own benefit.