It is one of the great beauties of our system, that a working-man may raise himself into the power and position of a master by his own exertions and behaviour;.
We hate to have laws made for us at a distance. We wish people would allow us to right ourselves, instead of continually meddling, with their imperfect legislation. We stand up for self-government, and oppose centralization.
But all laws which depend for their enforcement upon informers and fines, become inert from the odiousness of the machinery.
It was rather dull for Margaret after dinner. She was glad when the gentlemen came, not merely because she caught her father’s eye to brighten her sleepiness up; but because she could listen to something larger and grander than the petty interests which the ladies had been talking about.
Man of action as he was, busy in the world’s great battle, there was a deeper religion binding him to God in his heart, in spite of his strong wilfulness, through all his mistakes, than Mr. Hale had ever dreamed.
Every talent, every feeling, every acquirement; nay, even every tendency towards virtue was used up as materials for fireworks; the hidden, sacred fire, exhausted itself in sparkle and crackle.
Fancy is three parts o’ love.
The truth had entered his soul before this, and he knew that no doctor, be he ever so cunning, could, with all his striving, put the breath into that body again.
I can’t bear to part with you, and yet I am miserable with anxiety as long as you stop here.
You know, my dears, that your mother was an orphan, and an only child; and I dare say you have heard that your grandfather was a clergyman up in Westmoreland, where I come from.
Her mother was one of those who throw out terrible possibilities, miserable probabilities, unfortunate chances of all kinds, as a rocket throws out sparks; but if the sparks light on some combustible matter, they smoulder first, and burst out into a frightful flame at last.
The spring of life had begun again to flow, and with the flow returned the old desires and projects and plans, which had all become mere matters of indifference during the worst part of her illness.
I do not know whether I am brave or not till I am tried...
That doubt and trouble, fear and pain, And anguish, all, are shadows vain, That death itself shall not remain; That weary deserts we may tread, A dreary labyrinth may thread, Thro’ dark ways underground be led; Yet, if we will one Guide obey, The dreariest path, the darkest way Shall issue out in heavenly day; And we, on divers shores now cast, Shall meet, our perilous voyage past, All in our Father’s house at last!’ R. C. TRENCH.
A man is to me a higher and a completer being than a gentleman.
My precept is, ‘Do something, my sister, do good if you can; but, at any rate, do something.’” “Not excluding mischief,” said Margaret, smiling faintly through her tears. “By no means. What I do exclude is the remorse afterwards.
He never looked at her, and yet, the careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some way he knew exactly where, if they fell by chance, they would rest on her.
Your poor mother’s fond wish, gratified at last in the mocking way in which over-fond wished are too often fulfilled.
He had not an ounce of superfluous flesh on his bones; and leanness goes a great way to gentility. His complexion was sallow, and his hair black;.
He had not loved her without gaining that instinctive knowledge of what capabilities were in her.