Strength is incomprehensible by weakness, and, therefore, the more terrible. Nathaniel Hawthorne More Quotes by Nathaniel Hawthorne More Quotes From Nathaniel Hawthorne It will startle you to see what slaves we are to by-gone times-to Death, if we give the matter the right word! ... We read in Dead Men's books! We laugh at Dead Men's jokes, and cry at Dead Men's pathos! . . . Whatever we seek to do, of our own free motion, a Dead Man's icy hand obstructs us! Nathaniel Hawthorne men book hands It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates. Hatred, by a gradual and quiet process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility. Nathaniel Hawthorne inspirational-love anger hate We are as happy as people can be, without making themselves ridiculous, and might be even happier; but, as a matter of taste, we choose to stop short at this point. Nathaniel Hawthorne matter might people My fortune somewhat resembled that of a person who should entertain an idea of committing suicide, and, altogether beyond his hopes, meet with the good hap to be murdered. Nathaniel Hawthorne literature suicide ideas Life, within doors, has few pleasanter prospects than a neatly-arranged and well-provisioned breakfast-table. We come to it freshly, in the dewy youth of the day, and when our spiritual and sensual elements are in better accord than at a later period; so that the material delights of the morning meal are capable of being fully enjoyed, without any very grievous reproaches, whether gastric or conscientious, for yielding even a trifle overmuch to the animal department of our nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne spiritual animal morning A screen... the scenery and the figures of life were perfectly represented, but with that bewitching, yet indescribably difference, which always makes a picture, an image, or a shadow, so much more attractive than the original. Nathaniel Hawthorne attractive shadow differences This greatest mortal consolation, which we derive from the transitoriness of all things-from the right of saying, in every conjuncture, "This, too, will pass away. Nathaniel Hawthorne consolation endurance passing-away It is my opinion that a man's soul may be buried and perish under a dung-heap, or in a furrow field, just as well as under a pile of money. Nathaniel Hawthorne money witty peace But she named the infant "Pearl," as being of great price-purchased with all she had-her mother's only treasure! Nathaniel Hawthorne treasure pearls mother ...and we have so far improved upon the custom of Adam and Eve, that we generally furnish forth our feasts with a portion of some delicate calf or lamb, whose unspotted innocence entitles them to the happiness of becoming our sustenance. Nathaniel Hawthorne lambs humanity animal If a man, sitting all alone, cannot dream strange things, and make them look like truth, he need never try to write romances. Nathaniel Hawthorne dream writing men He whose genius appears deepest and truest excels his fellows in nothing save the knack of expression; he throws out occasionally a lucky hint at truths of which every human soul is profoundly though unutterably conscious. Nathaniel Hawthorne lucky soul expression The aspect of the venerable mansion has always affected me like a human countenance, bearing the traces not merely of outward storm and sunshine, but expressive also, of the long lapse of mortal life, and accompanying vicissitudes that have passed within. Were these to be worthily recounted, they would form a narrative of no small interest and instruction, and possessing, moreover, a certain remarkable unity, which might almost seem the result of artistic arrangement. Nathaniel Hawthorne sunshine unity long When a writer calls his work a Romance, it need hardly be observed that he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to its fashion and material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume had he professed to be writing a Novel. Nathaniel Hawthorne romance fashion writing Let us acknowledge it wiser, if not more sagacious to follow out one's day-dream to its natural consummation, although if the vision has been worth the having, it is certain never to be consummated otherwise than by a failure. Nathaniel Hawthorne failure vision dream The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we. Nathaniel Hawthorne garden spiritual rain See! those fiendish lineaments graven on the darkness, the writhed lip of scorn, the mockery of that living eye, the pointed finger, touching the sore place in your heart! Do you remember any act of enormous folly, at which you would blush, even in the remotest cavern of the earth? Then recognize your Shame. Nathaniel Hawthorne touching eye heart Every crime destroys more Edens than our own Nathaniel Hawthorne crime prison eden The greatest possible mint of style is to make the words absolutely disappear into the thought. Nathaniel Hawthorne disappear style writing Romance and poetry, ivy, lichens and wallflowers need ruin to make them grow. Nathaniel Hawthorne romance ivy writing
