I was ever the realist, sometimes to my sorrow. But seldom to my regret.

I did not worry about what a man or woman personally believed, but the nation's official religion should be outwardly practiced by all its citizens. A religion was a political statement. Being a Calvinist, a papist, a Presbyterian, an Anglican labeled a person's philosophy on education, taxes, poor relief, and other secular things. The nation needed an accepted position on such concerns. Hence the fines for not outwardly conforming to the national church.

In my experience, there are two things that no one will admit to: having no sense of humor and being susceptible to flattery.

To love someone is to catch your breath whenever he walks in the room.

I had a desire to see something besides my own shores, if only to be content to return to them someday. If I wish to live in my native land and love her, it should not be out of ignorance.

Thus we use our supposed "knowledge" of others to speak on their behalf, and condemn them for their words we ourselves put in their silent mouths.

We are always tortured by our memory of the last time we were with anyone, what we said, what we did not say.