the engrossing pursuit of Americans is wealth.

No influence is so powerful as that of the mother.

The temple of our purest thoughts is silence.

It requires but a few threads of hope, for the heart that is skilled in the secret, to weave a web of happiness.

Rugged strength and radiant beauty-- These were one in Nature's plan; Humble toil and heavenward duty-- These will form the perfect man.

There is no impossibility to him who stands prepared to conquer every hazard. The fearful are the failing.

There is small danger of being starved in our land of plenty; but the danger of being stuffed is imminent.

... rights are liable to be perverted to wrongs when we are incapable of rightly exercising them.

The most welcome guest in society will ever be the one to whose mind everything is a suggestion, and whose words suggest something to everybody.

There can be no education without leisure; and without leisure, education is worthless.

Water is the grand epic of creation; and there is not a human soul but feels the influence of its majesty, its power, or its beauty.

The precious promise of God’s word is light unto our path.

Be careful what you tell yourself, and do not belittle yourself, even in jest. Negative, deprecating self-talk can do significant harm to your self-image.

I spell 'god' with a small 'g' because I do not believe in him, but I love to swear by him.

Language is more fashion than science, and matters of usage, spelling and pronunciation tend to wander around like hemlines.

When I was a kid, everybody in the neighborhood picked me to be the one in jail or be in the cemetery by the time I was 20.

It is right to prefer our own country to all others, because we are children and citizens before we can be travellers or philosophers.

You know, I had the ability like a catalyst to really get everybody hyped up.

Activity does not necessarily equal progress.

When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.

Leona Helmsley's dog made $12 million last year... and Dean McLaine, a farmer in Ohio, made $30,000. It's just a gigantic version of the madness that grows in every one of our brains.