Shall we never never get rid of this Past? ... It lies upon the Present like a giant's dead body.

As a general rule, Providence seldom vouchsafes to mortals any more than just that degree of encouragement which suffices to keep them at a reasonably full exertion of their powers.

Strength is incomprehensible by weakness, and, therefore, the more terrible.

What is called poetic insight is the gift of discerning, in this sphere of strangely-mingled elements, the beauty and the majesty which are compelled to assume a garb so sordid.

Angels do not toil, but let their good works grow out of them.

he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.

When he is cheerful--when the sun shines into his mind--then I venture to peep in, just as far as the light reaches, but no further. It is holy ground where the shadow falls!

... for when a man's spirit has been thoroughly crushed, he may be peevish at small offenses, but never resentful of great ones.

Jim Crow, moreover, was seen executing his world-renowned dance, in gingerbread.

Might and wrong combined, like iron magnetized, are endowed with irresistible attraction.

It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are generally quite as vain, or even more so, of their deficiencies than of their available gifts.

Open the window of your mind. Allow the fresh air, new lights and new truths to enter.

I love my job when I'm not there.

You can understand conflict, but you don'thave to live in it.

There is a luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves, we feel that no one else has a right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution.

Breathing is underrated.

For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.

Why did I walk so purposefully in a straight line? Where would it take me? He went round and round and we got there all the same.

Quit playing, start praying. Quit feasting, start fasting. Talk less with men, talk more with God. Listen less to men, listen to the words of God. Skip travel, start travail.

I don’t know any redneck that’s not into fun. That’s their middle name: Red-Fun-Neck.