It was mortifying to find how strong the habit of idle speech may become in one’s self. One need not always be saying something in this noisy world.

In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.

The road was new to me, as roads always are, going back.

Tact is the ability to tell a man he has an open mind when he has a hole in his head

'Taint't worthwhile to wear a day all out before it comes.

A harbor, even if it is a little harbor, is a good thing... It takes something from the world, and has something to give in return.