When a man becomes a conformist, he is sacrificing the richness of independent thinking.

As the Sandwich Islander believes that the strength and valor of the enemy he kills passes into himself, so we gain the strength of the temptation we resist.

When life has been well spent, age is a loss of what it can well spare,--muscular strength, organic instincts, gross bulk, and works that belong to these. But the central wisdom, which was old in infancy, is young in fourscore years, and dropping off obstructions, leaves in happy subjects the mind purified and wise.

The crime which bankrupts men and nations is that of turning aside from one's main purpose to serve a job here and there.

A vivid thought brings the power to paint it; and in proportion to the depth of its source is the force of its projection.

The secret of ugliness consists not in irregularity, but in being uninteresting.

We swim, day by day, on a river of delusions, and are effectually amused with houses and towns in the air, of which the men aboutus are dupes. But life is a sincerity.