Great men need to be lifted upon the shoulders of the whole world, in order to conceive their great ideas or perform their great deeds. That is, there must be an atmosphere of greatness round about them. A hero cannot be a hero unless in an heroic world.

It was a day in early spring; and as that sweet, genial time of year and atmosphere calls out tender greenness from the ground,--beautiful flowers, or leaves that look beautiful because so long unseen under the snow and decay,--so the pleasant air and warmth had called out three young people, who sat on a sunny hill-side enjoying the warm day and one another.

It is my opinion that a man's soul may be buried and perish under a dung-heap, or in a furrow field, just as well as under a pile of money.

She poured out the liquid music of her voice to quench the thirst of his spirit.

Sunlight is like the breath of life to the pomp of autumn.

No, my little Pearl! Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee.

The moment when a man's head drops off is seldom or never, I am inclined to think, precisely the most agreeable of his life.