To withdraw myself from myself has ever been my sole, my entire, my sincere motive in scribbling at all.
A little still she strove, and much repented, And whispering “I will ne’er consent” – consented.
In solitude, where we are least alone.
Like the measles, love is most dangerous when it comes late in life.
I am always most religious upon a sunshiny day...
The poor dog, in life the firmest friend. The first to welcome, foremost to defend.
I know that two and two make four – and should be glad to prove it too if I could – though I must say if by any sort of process I could convert 2 and 2 into five it would give me much greater pleasure.
To be perfectly original one should think much and read little, and this is impossible, for one must have read before one has learnt to think.
Fare thee well, and if for ever Still for ever fare thee well.
I deny nothing, but doubt everything.
Fools are my theme, let satire be my song.
A man of eighty has outlived probably three new schools of painting, two of architecture and poetry and a hundred in dress.
There’s naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion.
Oh who can tell, save he whose heart hath tried.
Farewell! if ever fondest prayer For other’s weal avail’d on high, Mine will not all be lost in air, But waft thy name beyond the sky.
Exhausting thought, And hiving wisdom with each studious year.
All Heaven and Earth are still, though not in sleep, But breathless, as we grow when feeling most.
Gone, glimmering through the dream of things that were.
By Heaven! it is a splendid sight to see For one who hath no friend, no brother there.
And dreams in their development have breath, And tears, and tortures, and the touch of joy; They have a weight upon our waking thoughts, They take a weight from off our waking toils, They do divide our being.