Cities degrade us by magnifying trifles.

Our prejudices are our robbers, they rob us valuable things in life. People only see what they are prepared to see.

There are dull and bright, sacred and profane, coarse and fine egotists. It is a disease that, like influenza, falls on all constitutions. In the distemper known to physicians as chorea, the patient sometimes turns round, and continues to spin slowly in one spot. Is egotism a metaphysical varioloid of this malady?

Nature cannot be surprised in undress. Beauty breaks in everywhere.

A feeble man can see the farms that are fenced and tilled, the houses that are built. The strong man sees the possible houses and farms. His eye makes estates as fast as the sun breeds clouds.

We must be courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light.

Pride ruined the angels.