The American who has been confined, in his own country, to the sight of buildings designed after foreign models, is surprised on entering York Minster or St. Peter's at Rome, by the feeling that these structures are imitations also,--faint copies of an invisible archetype.

Character is higher than intellect... A great soul will be strong to live, as well as strong to think.

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.

This very certain that each man carries in his eye the exact indication of his rank in the immense scale of men, and we are always learning to read it. A complete man should need no auxiliaries to his personal presence.

Defect in manners is usually the defect of fine perceptions. Elegance comes of no breeding, but of birth.

Nature has made up her mind that what cannot defend itself shall not be defended.

All the elements, whose aid man calls in, will sometimes become big masters.