Sarah Josepha Hale

What has made this nation great? Not its heroes, but its households.

The most welcome guest in society will ever be the one to whose mind every thing is a suggestion, and whose words suggest something to everybody.

We have said little of the "Rights of Woman." Her first right is to education, in its Widest sense—to such education as will give her the full development of all her personal, mental, and moral qualities. Having that, there will be no …

Beauty was lent to nature as the type Of heaven's unspeakable and holy joy, Where all perfection makes the sum of bliss.

And evermore the Deep has worshipped God; And Bards and Prophets tune their mystic lyres While listening to the music of the floods.

Oh! wondrous power, how little understood, Entrusted to the Mother's mind alone To fashion genius, form the soul for good, Inspire a West, or train a Washington!

Woman's empire, holier, more refined, Moulds, moves and sways the fall'n but God-breathed mind, Lifting the earth-crushed heart to hope and heaven.

What matter though the scorn of fools be given, If the path followed lead us on to heaven!

Rugged strength and radiant beauty— These were one in nature's plan; Humble toil and heavenward duty— These will form the perfect man!

Hail, Holy Day! the blessing from above Brightens thy presence like a smile of love, Smoothing, like oil upon a stormy sea, The roughest waves of human destiny— Cheering the good, and to the poor oppressed Bearing the promise of their …

Nor need we power or splendor, Wide halls or lordly dome, The good, the true, the tender, These form the wealth of home.

Crackers toasted or hard bread may be added a short time before the soup is wanted; but do not put in those libels on civilized cookery, called dumplings! One might about as well eat, with the hope of digesting, a brick from the ruins of …

Let no one understand me as speaking lightly of that Catechism. It was framed by good men, and doubtless with the best intentions. But there can be no perfect system of faith as expounded by men; and there should be no creed which requires …

O, beautiful rainbow, All woven of light! There's not in thy tissue, One shadow of night:— It seems as heav'n opened, When thou dost appear, And a visible presence Of angels drew near, And sung the rainbow, The rainbow— The smile of God is …

A few hundred dollars will dry the weeping eyes of the most despairing damsel, and make her think the defection of her plighted swain a very lucky speculation—and so instead of breaking her own heart, she very coolly determines to break …

A man is never more self satisfied than when he is confirming a favorite theory.

What in the rising man was industry and economy, becomes in the rich man parsimony and avarice.

The violet bank, the moss-fringed seat Beneath the drooping tree.

Though youth be past and beauty fled, The constant heart its pledge redeems, Like Box that guards the flowerless bed And brighter from the contrast seems.

And you each gentle animal In confidence may bind, And make them follow at your call, If you are always kind.

Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow, And every where that Mary went The lamb was sure to go.

What a ready passport wealth gives its possessor to the good opinions of this world!

You may indulge any childish propensity with less injury to the intellect than that of gluttony. Eating to excess constantly will deaden or destroy the energies of the mind, while those of the animal are increased, till the immortal …

There are few sensations more painful than in the midst of deep grief, to know the season which we have always associated with mirth and rejoicing is at hand.