There is always a pleasure in unravelling a mystery, in catching at the gossamer clue which will guide to certainty.
A solitary life cherishes mere fancies until they become manias.
What’s the use of watching? A watched pot never boils...
All the earth, though it were full of kind hearts, is but a desolation and desert place to a mother when her only child is absent.
Opportunities are not often wanting where inclination goes before...
In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.
Waiting is far more difficult than doing.
I would not trust a mouse to a woman if a man’s judgment could be had.
Man, through all ages of revolving time, Unchanging man, in every varying clime, Deems his own land of every land the pride, Beloved by heaven o’er all the world beside; Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
A man is so in the way in the house.
He had not an ounce of superfluous flesh on his bones, and leanness goes a great way towards gentility.
What other people may think of the rightness or wrongness is nothing in comparison to my own deep knowledge, my innate conviction that it was wrong.
That kind of patriotism which consists in hating all other nations.
But Mr. Hale resolved that he would not be disturbed by any such nonsensical idea; so he lay awake, determining not to think about it.
A little credulity helps one on through life very smoothly.
I take it that ‘gentleman’ is a term that only describes a person in his relation to others; but when we speak of him as ‘a man,’ we consider him not merely with regard to his fellow-men, but in relation to himself, – to life – to time – to eternity.
Really it is very wholesome exercise, this trying to make one’s words represent one’s thoughts, instead of merely looking to their effect on others.
Trust a girl of sixteen for knowing well if she is pretty; concerning her plainness she may be ignorant.
To be sure a stepmother to a girl is a different thing to a second wife to a man!
Were all men equal to-night, some would get the start by rising an hour earlier to-morrow.