That man is not truly brave who is afraid either to seem or to be, when it suits him, a coward.

That pleasure which is at once the most pure, the most elevating and the most intense, is derived, I maintain, from the contemplation of the beautiful.

The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true.

Of puns it has been said that those who most dislike them are those who are least able to utter them.

It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.

There are few cases in which mere popularity should be considered a proper test of merit; but the case of song-writing is, I think, one of the few.

With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion.

The generous Critic fann'd the Poet's fire, And taught the world with reason to admire.

It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and the truly imaginative never otherwise than analytic.

I have, indeed, no abhorrence of danger, except in its absolute effect - in terror.

I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of Beauty.

The nose of a mob is its imagination. By this, at any time, it can be quietly led.

It is the nature of truth in general, as of some ores in particular, to be richest when most superficial.

To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.

The rudiment of verse may, possibly, be found in the spondee.

A strong argument for the religion of Christ is this - that offences against Charity are about the only ones which men on their death-beds can be made - not to understand - but to feel - as crime.

In one case out of a hundred a point is excessively discussed because it is obscure; in the ninety-nine remaining it is obscure because it is excessively discussed.

There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.