Prejudices of all kinds have their strongest holds in the minds of the vulgar and the ignorant.

Genius hath electric power which earth can never tame.

affectation is fond of making a greater show than reality. ... Nature and truth have never learned to blow the trumpet, and never will.

Ah, my friend, that is the only true church organization, when heads and hearts unite in working for the welfare of the human race!

A human heart can never grow old if it takes a lively interest in the pairing of birds, the reproduction of flowers, and the changing tints of autumn leaves.

The great difficulty in education is that we give rules instead of inspiring sentiments. ... it is not possible to make rules enough to apply to all manner of cases; and if it were possible, a child would soon forget them. But if you inspire him with right feelings, they will govern his actions.

Reverence is the highest quality of man's nature; and that individual, or nation, which has it slightly developed, is so far unfortunate. It is a strong spiritual instinct, and seeks to form channels for itself where none exists; thus Americans, in the dearth of other objects to worship, fall to worshiping themselves.