No love can be bound by oath or covenant to secure it against a higher love.

God will have life to be real; we will be damned, but it shall be theatrical.

If government knew how, I should like to see it check, not multiply, the population. When it reaches its true law of action, every man that is born will be hailed as essential.

Nature will not be Buddhist: she resents generalizing, and insults the philosopher in every moment with a million fresh particulars.

The sermon which I write inquisitive of truth is good a year after, but that which is written because a sermon must be writ is musty the next day.

But there are higher secrets of culture, which are not for the apprentices, but for proficients. These are lessons only for the brave. We must know our friends under ugly masks. The calamities are our friends.

How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew!