Speculation is the romance of trade, and casts contempt upon on all its sober realities. It renders the stock-jobber a magician, and the exchange a region of enchantment. Washington Irving More Quotes by Washington Irving More Quotes From Washington Irving There are moments of mingled sorrow and tenderness, which hallow the caresses of affection. Washington Irving affection sorrow moments A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. Washington Irving affection life-is history I profess not to know how women's hearts are wooed and won. To me they have always been matters of riddle and admiration. Washington Irving admiration matter heart It's a fair wind that blew men to ale. Washington Irving beer wind men Sometimes he spent hours together in the great libraries of Paris, those catacombs of departed authors, rummaging among their hoards of dusty and obsolete works in quest of food for his unhealthy appetite. He was, in a manner, a literary ghoul, feeding in the charnel-house of decayed literature. Washington Irving paris ghouls house The scholar only knows how dear these silent, yet eloquent, companions of pure thoughts and innocent hours become in the season of adversity. When all that is worldly turns to dross around us, these only retain their steady value. Washington Irving innocent silent adversity The natural principle of war is to do the most harm to our enemy with the least harm to ourselves; and this of course is to be effected by stratagem. Washington Irving principles war enemy Nothing impresses the mind with a deeper feeling of loneliness than to tread the silent and deserted scene of former throng and pageant. Washington Irving solitude loneliness feelings If I can, by a lucky chance, in these uneasy days, rub out one wrinkle from the brow of care, or beguile the heavy heart of one moment of sadness; if I can, how and then, prompt a happier view of human nature, and make my reader more in good humor with his fellow-beings and himself, surely, I shall not have written in vain. Washington Irving inspirational-life sadness heart Surely happiness is reflective, like the light of heaven; and every countenance, bright with smiles, and glowing with innocent enjoyment, is a mirror transmitting to others the rays of a supreme and ever-shining benevolence. Washington Irving light mirrors happiness All these, however, were mere terrors of the night, phantoms of the mind that walk in darkness; and though he had seen many spectres in his time, and been more than once beset by Satan in divers shapes, in his lonely pre-ambulations, yet daylight put an end to all these evils; and he would have passed a pleasent life of it, in despite of the devil and all his works, if his path had not been crossed by a being that causes more perplexity to mortal man than ghosts, goblins, and the whole race of witches put together, and that was - a woman. Washington Irving lonely men night Nature seems to delight in disappointing the assiduities of art, with which it would rear legitimate dulness to maturity; and to glory in the vigour and luxuriance of her chance productions. Washington Irving maturity nature art The land of literature is a fairy land to those who view it at a distance, but, like all other landscapes, the charm fades on a nearer approach, and the thorns and briars become visible. Washington Irving distance reading book I could not but smile to think in what out-of-the-way corners genius produces her bantlings! And the Muses, those capricious dames, who, forsooth, so often refuse to visit palaces, and deny a single smile to votaries in splendid studies, and gilded drawing-rooms--what holes and burrows will they frequent to lavish their favors on some ragged disciple! Washington Irving dames drawing thinking A few amber clouds floated in the sky without a breath of air to move them. The horizon was of a fine golden tint, changing gradually into a pure apple-green, and from that into the deep blue of the mid-heaven. Washington Irving air clouds moving There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse. Washington Irving people-changing life-changing change The slanders of the pen pierce to the heart; they rankle longest in the noblest spirits; they dwell ever present in the mind and render it morbidly sensitive to the most trifling collision. Washington Irving criticism mind heart Into the space of one little hour sins enough may be conjured up by evil tongues to blast the fame of a whole life of virtue. Washington Irving space evil may One point is certain, that truth is one and immutable; until the jurors all agree, they cannot all be right. Washington Irving agree certain truth It is but seldom that any one overt act produces hostilities between two nations; there exists, more commonly, a previous jealousy and ill will, a predisposition to take offense. Washington Irving two-nations ill-will war
