When we can drain the Ocean into mill-ponds, and bottle up the Force of Gravity, to be sold by retail, in gas jars; then may we hope to comprehend the infinitudes of man's soul under formulas of Profit and Loss; and rule over this too, as over a patent engine, by checks, and valves, and balances.

O poor mortals, how ye make this earth bitter for each other.

The thing is not only to avoid error, but to attain immense masses of truth.

Sarcasm I now see to be, in general, the language of the devil; for which reason I have long since as good as renounced it.

The dead are all holy, even they that were base and wicked while alive. Their baseness and wickedness was not they, was but the heavy and unmanageable environment that lay round them.

It is part of my creed that the only poetry is history, could we tell it right.

We are not altogether here to tolerate. We are here to resist, to control and vanquish withal.