Those with whom we can apparently become well acquainted in a few moments are generally the most difficult to rightly know and to understand.

Sleeping or waking, we hear not the airy footsteps of the strange things that almost happen.

When romances do really teach anything, or produce any effective operation, it is usually through a far more subtle process than the ostensible one. The author has considered it hardly worth his while, therefore, relentlessly to impale the story with its moral as with an iron rod-or, rather, as by sticking a pin through a butterfly-thus at once depriving it of life, and causing it to stiffen in an ungainly and unnatural attitude.

There is so much wretchedness in the world, that we may safely take the word of any mortal professing to need our assistance; and, even should we be deceived, still the good to ourselves resulting from a kind act is worth more than the trifle by which we purchase it.

Death possesses a good deal, of real estate, namely, the graveyard in every town.

Sunlight is painting.

If the truth were to be known, everyone would be wearing a scarlet letter of one form or another.