No poems can please for long or live that are written by water drinkers.

Poetry is a beautiful way of spoiling prose, and the laborious art of exchanging plain sense for harmony.

Plot, rules, nor even poetry, are not half so great beauties in tragedy or comedy as a just imitation of nature, of character, of the passions and their operations in diversified situations.

It's a good thing to be foolishly gay once in a while.

I shall not altogether die.

Your own safety is at stake when your neighbor's house is ablaze