What a joy is there in a good book, writ by some great master of thought, who breaks into beauty as in summer the meadow into grass and dandelions and violets, with geraniums and manifold sweetness.

[America is] a rebellious nation. Our whole history is treason; our blood was attained before we were born; our creeds were infidelity to the mother church; our constitution treason to our fatherland.

The miraculous revelation of the Old Testament and the New, the miracles of famous men, Jews, Gentiles, or Christians, — then Franklin had no religion at all; and it would be an insult to say that he believed in the popular theology of his time, or of ours, for I find not a line from his pen indicating any such belief.

Self-denial is indispensable to a strong character, and the highest kind comes from a religious stock.

It takes a Newton to forge a Newton. What man could have fabricated a Jesus? None but a Jesus.

Disappointment is often the salt of life.

In all the world there is nothing so remarkable as a great man, nothing so rare, nothing which so well repays study.