Life is unnecessarily long. Moments of insight, of fine personal relation, a smile, a glance,--what ample borrowers of eternity they are!

Every thought which genius and piety throw into the world alters the world.

Friendship should be surrounded with ceremonies and respects, and not crushed into corners.

Things have their laws as well as men, and things refuse to be trifled with.

Insist on your life, never imitate... do that which is assigned to you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much.

Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.

In these divine pleasures permitted to me of walks in the June night under moon and stars, I can put my life as a fact before me and stand aloof from its honor and shame.