Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect.

Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses.

Versailles was a gulf into which the labor of France poured its earnings; and it was never full.

It was a rich and gorgeous sunset - an American sunset; and the ruddy glow of the sky was reflected from some extensive pools of water among the shadowy copses in the meadow below.

Spanish civilization crushed the Indian. English civilization scorned and neglected him. French civilization embraced and cherished him.

Four men are missing; R., Sorel and two emigrants. They set out this morning after buffalo, and have not yet made their appearance; whether killed or lost, we cannot tell.

America was still a land of wonder. The ancient spell still hung unbroken over the wild, vast world of mystery beyond the sea,-a land of romance, adventure, and gold.

We were in all four men with eight animals; for besides the spare horses led by Shaw and myself, an additional mule was driven along with us as a reserve in case of accident.

America, when it became known to Europeans, was, as it had long been, a scene of wide-spread revolution.

Humanity, morality, decency, might be forgotten, but codfish must still be had for the use of the faithful in Lent and on fast days.

The most momentous and far-reaching question ever brought to issue on this continent was: Shall France remain here, or shall she not?

...There are too many idiots in this world. And having said it, I have the burden of proving it.

Blood is power, and the heart consumed of one much loved is the most powerful thing of all. After all, what is love if you keep your heart?

You can't control all the crazy stuff that happens to you. All you can control is the way you handle it.

Your heart just breaks, that's all. But you can't judge or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough to find someone who appreciates you.

Color, which is the poet's wealth, is so expensive that most take to mere outline sketches and become men of science.

I need family support close because when you go to work, they are long days and it can get lonely.

All of my films deal with the same thing: striving, socially and culturally, to stay alive.

A tired exclamation mark is a question mark.

The orchestra whirls me wider than Uranus flies, It wrenches such ardors from me I did not know I possess'd them