Throughout their friendship Deronda had been used to Hans' egotism, but he had never before felt intolerant of it: when Hans, habitually pouring out his own feelings and affairs, had never cared for any detail in return, and, if he chanced to know any, had soon forgotten it

Even much stronger mortals than Fred Vincy hold half their rectitude in the mind of the being they love best. The theater of all my actions is fallen, said an antique personage when his chief friend was dead, and they are fortunate who get a theater where the audience demands their best.

the philanthropic banker his brother-in-law, who predominated so much in the town that some called him a Methodist, others a hypocrite, according to the resources of their vocabulary;

If you like to swallow him, for his sister's sake, you may; but I've no sauce that will make him go down.

His friend Tulliver had asked him for an opinion; it is always chilling, in friendly intercourse, to say you have no opinion to give. And if you deliver an opinion at all, it is mere stupidity not to do it with an air of conviction and well-founded knowledge. You make it your own in uttering it, and naturally get fond of it.

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

Love has been defined, analyzed, explained and excused. It has been the cause of wars, feuds, heroism, martyrdom, inordinate passion, and beautiful friendships. It pulls two people of opposite temperaments together into a married state and permits them to live happily. It makes friends understand each other without the necessity of words.

A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.

The longer we live the more we think and the higher the value we put on friendship and tenderness towards parents and friends.

Always set high value on spontaneous kindness. He whose inclination prompts him to cultivate your friendship of his own accord will love you more than one whom you have been at pains to attach to you.

The joy of life is variety; the tenderest love requires to be rekindled by intervals of absence.