There is only one expert who is qualified to examine the souls and the life of a people and make a valuable report - the native novelist. ... And when a thousand able novels have been written, there you have the soul of the people; and not anywhere else can these be had.

One of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it.

It is a worthy thing to fight for one's freedom; it is another sight finer to fight for another man's.

The average American may not know who his grandfather was. But the American was, however, one degree better off than the average Frenchman who, as a rule, was in considerable doubt as to who his father was.

Dying man couldn't make up his mind which place to go to-both have their advantages, heaven for the climate, hell for the company!

I said nothing of the sort.

I have carried a revolver; lots of us do, but they are the most innocent things in the world.