When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.

There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.

Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.

The death of a beautiful woman, is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world.

The idea of freedom is inspiring. But what does it mean? If you are free in a political sense but have no food, what's that? The freedom to starve?

My specialty is detached malevolence.

I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman.

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

A toast, Jedediah, to love on my terms. Those are the only terms anybody ever knows - his own.

There is the view that poetry should improve your life. I think people confuse it with the Salvation Army.

Laziness never arrived at the attainment of a good wish.

All battles are fought by scared men who'd rather be some place else.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

By desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich.

Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.

Where grief is fresh, any attempt to divert it only irritates.

I feel as if I were a piece in a game of chess, when my opponent says of it: That piece cannot be moved.

What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

Once you label me you negate me.