In private places, among sordid objects, an act of truth or heroism seems at once to draw to itself the sky as its temple, the sun as its cradle. Nature stretches out her arms to embrace man, only let his thoughts be of equal greatness.

The soul is the perceiver and the revealer of truth.

Do not speak of God much. After a very little conversation on the highest nature, thought deserts us and we run into formalism.

Don't make a novel to establish a principle of political economy. You will spoil both.

A man is a hero, not because he is braver than anyone else, but because he is brave for 10 minutes longer.

Things have their laws as well as men, and things refuse to be trifled with.

Murder in the murderer is no such ruinous thought as poets and romancers will have it; it does not unsettle him, or fright him from his ordinary notice of trifles; it is an act quite easy to be contemplated.