The charm of fine manners is music and sculpture and picture to many who do not pretend to appreciation of these arts.

A garden has this advantage, that it makes it indifferent where you live. A well-laid garden makes the face of the country of no account; let that be low or high, grand or mean, you have made a beautiful abode worthy of man.

If any mention was made of homicide, madness, adultery, and intolerable tortures, we would let the church-bells ring louder, the church-organ swell its peal and drown the hideous sound. The sugar they raised was excellent: nobody tasted blood in it.

Preaching is the expression of moral sentiments applied to the duties of life.

A gentleman makes no noise; a lady is serene.

The wave of evil washes all our institutions alike.

It is doubtless a vice to turn one's eyes inward too much, but I am my own comedy and tragedy.