The best of life is conversation, and the greatest success is confidence, or perfect understanding between sincere people.

There is no better way to exercise the imagination than the study of the law.

There can be no excess to love, none to knowledge, none to beauty.

I confess myself utterly at a loss in suggesting particular reforms in our ways of teaching. No discretion that can be lodged with a school-committee, with the overseers or visitors of an academy, of a college, can at all avail to reach these difficulties and perplexities, but they solve themselves when we leave institutions and address individuals.

Beware of too much good staying in your hand. It will fast corrupt and worm worms. Pay it away quickly in some sort.

There are days when the great are near us, when there is no frown on their brow, no condescension even; when they take us by the hand, and we share their thought.

We, as we read, must become Greeks, Romans, Turks, priest and king, martyr and executioner; must fasten these images to some reality in our secret experience, or we shall learn nothing rightly.