I like a cat because it does not disguise its selfishness with any flattering hypocrisies. Its attachment is not to yourself, but to your house. Let it but have food, and a warm lair among the embers, and it heeds not at whose expense. Then it has the spirit to resent aggression. You shall beat your dog, and he will fawn upon you; but a cat never forgives : it has no tender mercies, and it torments before it destroys its prey.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

No thoroughly occupied man was ever yet very miserable.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

laughter happiness men

How beautiful, buoyant, and glad is morning! The first sunshine on the leaves: the first wind, laden with the first breath of the flowers—that deep sigh with which they seem to waken from sleep; the first dew, untouched even by the light foot of the early hare; the first chirping of the rousing birds, as if eager to begin song and flight; all is redolent of the strength given by rest, and the joy of conscious life.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

song morning beautiful

I think hearts are very much like glasses. If they do not break with the first ring, they usually last a considerable time.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

heart life thinking

There is the cause for pleasure and for pain:

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

strong inspiration memories

We might have been - these are but common words, and yet they make the sum of life's bewailing.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

might-have-been common might

It is curious how inseparable eating and kindness are with some people.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

eating kindness people

Ah, tell me not that memory

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

regret forget remember

Confidence is its own security.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

security confidence

Knowledge is much like dust - it sticks to one, one does not know how.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

dust doe knowledge

An apt quotation is like a lamp which flings its light over the whole sentence.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

fling lamps light

We are ourselves our happiness.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

healing

To enjoy yourself is the easy method to give enjoyment to others.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

pleasure easy giving

The fearless make their own way.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

fearless courage way

There is no existence so content as that whose present is engrossed by employment, and whose future is filled by some strong hope, the truth of which is never proved. Toil and illusion are the only secrets to make life tolerable.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

strong secret work

I will look on the stars and look on thee, and read the page of thy destiny.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

astrology destiny stars

All beginnings are very troublesome things.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

troublesome

Surprises are like misfortunes or herrings - they rarely come single.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

herring misfortunes surprise

Strange the affection which clings to inanimate objects - objects which cannot even know our love! But it is not return that constitutes the strength of an attachment.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

inanimate-objects our-love attachment

All profound truths startle you in the first announcement.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

truth profound firsts

who has not experienced, at some time or other, that words had all the relief of tears?

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

relief tears talking