The gift, to be true, must be the flowing of the giver unto me, correspondent to my flowing unto him.

Show me a man who has acted, and who has not been the victim and slave of his action. What they have done commits and enforces them to do the same again. The first act, which was to be an experiment, becomes a sacrament.

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.

There is a kind of latent omniscience, not only in every man, but in every particle.

Happy will that house be in which the relations are formed from character; after the highest, and not after the lowest order; the house in which character marries, and not confusion and a miscellany of unavowable motives.

When the night is darkest, the stars come out.

Enlarge not thy destiny, said the oracle: endeavor not to do more than is given thee in charge.