Love turns, with little indulgence, to indifference or disgust: hatred alone is immortal.
Travel’s greatest purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.
Even a highwayman, in the way of trade, may blow out your brains, but if he uses foul language at the same time, I should say he was no gentleman.
Modern fanaticism thrives in proportion to the quanitity of contradictions and nonsense it poures down the throats of the gaping multitude, and the jargon and mysticism it offers to their wonder and credulity.
Any one may mouth out a passage with theatrical cadence or get upon stilts to tell his thoughts. But to write or speak with propriety and simplicity is a more difficult task.
Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours’ march to dinner – and then to thinking!
We cannot read the same works forever. Our honey-moon, even though we wed the Muse, must come to an end; and it is followed by indifference, if not by disgust.
I bear the creature no ill-will, but still I hate the very sight of it.
Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.
When I take up a book I have read before, I know what to expect; the satisfaction is not lessened by being anticipated. I shake hands with, and look our old tried and valued friend in the face, – compare notes and chat the hour away.
The more we do, the more we can do; the more busy we are, the more leisure we have.
A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.
I’m not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.
We are fonder of visiting our friends in health than in sickness. We judge less favorably of their characters when any misfortune happens to them; and a lucky hit, either in business or reputation, improves even their personal appearance in our eyes.
Rules and models destroy genius and art.