It is the fine souls who serve us, and not what is called fine society. Fine society is only a self-protection against the vulgarities of the street and the tavern.

We love flattery, even though we are not deceived by it, because it shows that we are of importance enough to be courted.

For all our penny-wisdom, for all our soul-destroying slavery to habit, it is not to be doubted that all men have sublime thoughts; that all men value the few real hours of life; they love to be heard; they love to be caught up into the vision of principles. We mark with light in the memory the few interviews we have had, in the dreary years of routine and of sin, with souls that made our souls wiser; that spoke what we thought; that told us what we knew; that gave us leave to be what we only were.

My life should be unique; it should be an alms, a battle, a conquest, a medicine.

An actually existing fly is more important than a possibly existing angel.

I once heard a preacher who sorely tempted me to go to church no more.

The etymologist finds the deadest word to have been once a brilliant picture.