Dinah Craik

Immortality Alone could teach this mortal how to die.

The buttercups across the field Made sunshine rifts of splendour.

Lo! all life this truth declares! Laborare est orare; And the whole earth rings with prayers.

Autumn to winter — winter into spring — Spring into summer — summer into fall — Thus rolls the changing year, and thus we change; Motion so swift we know not that we move.

Oh, the comfort — the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person — having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will …

The present only is a man's possession; the past is gone out of his hand, wholly, irrevocably. He may suffer from it, learn from it — in degree, perhaps, expiate it; but to brood over it is utter madness.

[T]here are no judgments so harsh as those of the erring, the inexperienced, and the young.

No one but me ever knew all his goodness, no one but himself ever knew how dearly I loved your father. We were more precious each to each than anything on earth; except His service, who gave us to one another.

It is often easiest to lose those we are fond of and who are fond of us, because in one sense we never can really lose them. Nothing in this world, nor, I believe, in any other, can part those who truly and faithfully love.

There is no such word as 'too late,' in the wide world — nay, not in the universe.

Do you recognize what you were born to be? Not only a nobleman, but a gentleman; not only a gentleman, but a man — man, made in the image of God.

In marriage there must be perfect unity;—one aim, one faith, one love, or the marriage is incomplete, unholy—a mere civil contract and no more.

"You want to found a family. [...] [A]ll coming generations shall live to the honour and glory of your name—our name—" "My boy, there is only one Name to whose honour we should all live."

I think a wife is bound to the very last to obey in all things not absolutely wrong, her husband's will.

I hold every man's faith so sacred, that no other man has a right to interfere with it, or to question it. The matter lies solely between himself and his Maker.

I think either parent would have looked amazed had any one pitied them for having a blind child. The loss—a loss only to them, and not to her, the darling!—became familiar, and ceased to wound; the blessedness was ever new.

Half the sting of poverty is gone when one keeps house for one's own comfort and not for the comments of one's neighbours.

John held strongly the opinion that so solemn a festival as marriage is only desecrated by outward show.

I am a Christian. I shall not return blow for blow.

Lad, I thought so. Thee hast found the curse of man's life—woman.

It's astonishing what a lot of odd minutes one can catch during the day, if one really sets about it.

"Get out o' Mr. Fletcher's road, ye idle, lounging, little —""Vagabond," I think the woman (Sally Walkins, once my nurse,) was going to say, but she changed her mind.

Oh, if I could live four weeks longer! but no matter, no matter!

And when I lie in the green kirkyard, With the mould upon my breast, Say not that 'She did well — or ill,' Only, 'She did her best!'