Nature I believe in. True art aims to, represent men and women, not as my little self would have them, but as they appear. My heroes and heroines I want not extreme types, all good or all bad; but human, mortal--partly good, partly bad. Realism I need. Pure mental abstractions have no significance for me.

Hypocrites weep, and you cannot tell their tears from those of saints; but no bad man ever laughed sweetly yet.

Charity in various guises is an intruder the poor see often; but courtesy and delicacy are visitants with which they are seldom honored.

Scandals are like dandelion seeds--they are arrow-headed, and stick where they fall, and bring forth and multiply fourfold.

I have known men who have been sold and bought a hundred times, who have only got very fat and very comfortable in the process of exchange.

Death! It is rest to the aged, it is oblivion to the atheist, it is immortality to the poet!

Honor is an old-world thing; but it smells sweet to those in whose hand it is strong.