Alphonse de Lamartine

Private passions tire and exhaust themselves, public ones never.

Sometimes, only one person is missing, and the whole world seems depopulated.

Grief knits two hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can; and common sufferings are far stronger links than common joys.

You have to have really wide reading habits and pay attention to the news and just everything that's going on in the world: you need to. If you get this right, then the writing is a piece of cake.

What feeling is so nice as a child's hand in yours? So small, so soft and warm, like a kitten huddling in the shelter of your clasp.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.