It is impossible to exaggerate the evil work theology has done in the world.
A human heart can never grow old if it takes a lively interest in the pairing of birds, the reproduction of flowers, and the changing tints of autumn leaves.
Genius hath electric power which earth can never tame.
I will work in my own way, according to the light that is in me.
The eye of genius has always a plaintive expression, and its natural language is pathos.
A reformer is one who sets forth cheerfully toward sure defeat.
I was gravely warned by some of my female acquaintances that no woman could expect to be regarded as a lady after she had written a book.
Happiness consists not in having much, but in wanting no more than you have.
That a majority of women do not wish for any important change in their social and civil condition, merely proves that they are the unreflecting slaves of custom.
The civilization of any country may always be measured by the degree of equality between men and women; and society will never come truly into order until there is perfect equality and copartnership between them in every department of human life.
We must not forget that all great revolutions and reformations would look mean and meagre if examined in detail as they occurred at the time.
Birds and beasts have in fact our own nature, flattened a semi-tone.
Make people happy and there will not be half the quarreling, or a tenth part of the wickedness there now is.
Whoso does not see that genuine life is a battle and a march has poorly read his origin and his destiny.
Even if nothing worse than wasted mental effort could be laid to the charge of theology, that alone ought to be sufficient to banish it from the earth, as one of the worst enemies of mankind.
England may as well dam up the waters of the Nile with bulrushes as to fetter the step of Freedom, more proud and firm in this youthful land than where she treads the sequestered glens of Scotland, or couches herself among the magnificent mountains of Switzerland.
But men never violate the laws of God without suffering the consequences, sooner or later.
Young ladies should be taught that usefulness is happiness, and that all other things are but incidental.
The good old home habits of our ancestors are breaking up – it will be well if our virtue and our freedom do not follow them!
A mind full of piety and knowledge is always rich; it is a bank that never fails; it yields a perpetual dividend of happiness. In.
In early childhood, you lay the foundation of poverty or riches, in the habits you give your children. Teach them to save everything, – not for their own use, for that would make them selfish – but for some use. Teach them to share everything with their playmates; but never allow them to destroy anything.