The disease with which the human mind now labors is want of faith

Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our own spontaneous expression with good humored inflexibility whether the whole cry of voices is on the other side.

There is ever a slight suspicion of the burlesque about earnest good men.

The sciences, even the best,-mathematics and astronomy,-are like sportsmen, who seize whatever prey offers, even without being able to make any use of it.

The walls of rude minds are scrawled all over with facts, with thoughts. They shall one day bring a lantern and read the inscriptions.

It takes a good deal of character to judge a person by his future instead of his past

The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough.