Elizabeth Barrett Browning

At painful times, when composition is impossible and reading is not enough, grammars and dictionaries are excellent for distraction. ”

An ignorance of means may minister to greatness, but an ignorance of aims make it impossible to be great at all. ”

Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God: But only he who sees takes off his shoes. ”

Who so loves believes the impossible. ”

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. ”

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. ”

World's use is cold, world's love is vain, world's cruelty is bitter bane; but is not the fruit of pain. ”

If thou must love me, let it be for naught except for love's sake only. ”

Smiles, tears, of all my life! - and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. ”

Girls blush, sometimes, because they are alive, half wishing they were dead to save the shame. The sudden blush devours them, neck and brow; They have drawn too near the fire of life, like gnats, and flare up bodily, wings and all. What then? Who's sorry for a gnat or girl? ”