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Death, which we are accustomed to consider an evil, really acts for us the friendliest part, and takes away the commonplace of existence.

Alexander Smith

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Alexander Smith
Age: 36 †
Born: 1830
Born: December 31
Died: 1867
Died: January 5
Poet
Cille Mheàrnaig
Evil
Death
Friendliest
Away
Commonplace
Part
Accustomed
Really
Acts
Consider
Takes
Existence

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Happiness never lays its finger on its pulse. If we attempt to steal a glimpse of its features it disappears.
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I go into my library, and all history unrolls before me. I breathe the morning air of the world while the scent of Eden's roses yet lingered in it, while it vibrated only to the world's first brood of nightingales, and to the laugh of Eve. I see the pyramids building I hear the shoutings of the armies of Alexander.
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Winter does not work only on a broad scale he is careful in trifles.
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There is a certain even-handed justice in Time and for what he takes away he gives us something in return. He robs us of elasticity of limb and spirit, and in its place he brings tranquility and repose—the mild autumnal weather of the soul.
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It is not of so much consequence what you say, as how you say it. Memorable sentences are memorable on account of some single irradiating word.
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Seated in my library at night, and looking on the silent faces of my books, I am occasionally visited by a strange sense of the supernatural.
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The great man is the man who does a thing for the first time.
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In my garden I spend my days, in my library I spend my nights. My interests are divided between my geraniums and my books. With the flower I am in the present with the book I am in the past.
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The sun was down, And all the west was paved with sullen fire. I cried, Behold! the barren beach of hell At ebb of tide.
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Fame is but an inscription on a grave, and glory the melancholy blazon on a coffin lid.
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We have two lives The soul of man is like the rolling world, One half in day, the other dipt in night The one has music and the flying cloud, The other, silence and the wakeful stars.
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My heart like moon-charmed waters, all unrest.
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The truly great rest in the knowledge of their own deserts, nor seek the conformation of the world.
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A man's real possession is his memory. In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor.
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How beautiful the yesterday that stood Over me like a rainbow! I am alone, The past is past. I see the future stretch All dark and barren as a rainy sea.
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The globe has been circumnavigated, but no man ever yet has you may survey a kingdom and note the result in maps, but all the savants in the world could not produce a reliable map of the poorest human personality.
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Everything is sweetened by risk.
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One never hugs one's good luck so affectionately as when listening to the relation of some horrible misfortunes which has overtaken others.
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To be occasionally quoted is the only fame I care for.
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Eternity doth wear upon her face the veil of time. They only see the veil, and thus they know not what they stand so near!
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