On his bold visage middle age Had slightly press'd its signet sage, Yet had not quench'd the open truth And fiery vehemence of youth: Forward and frolic glee was there, The will to do, the soul to dare.

Just at the age 'twixt boy and youth, When thought is speech, and speech is truth.

It is wonderful what strength of purpose and boldness and energy of will are roused by the assurance that we are doing our duty.

A glass of good wine is a gracious creature, and reconciles poor mortality to itself and that is what few things can do.

A sound head, an honest heart, and an humble spirit are the three best guides through time and to eternity.

It is a great disgrace to religion, to imagine that it is an enemy to mirth and cheerfulness, and a severe exacter of pensive looks and solemn faces.

The half hour between waking and rising has all my life proved propitious to any task which was exercising my invention... It was always when I first opened my eyes that the desired ideas thronged upon me.