the first sentence of each of the books on the table next to me - 04-16-06

The human soul is contained in the nerves of the body; about their physical nature I, as a layman, cannot say more than that they are extraordinarily delicate structures - comparable to the finest filaments - and that the total mental life of a human being rests on their excitability by external impressions.

The clash between the Celtic communistic social system and the crushing slavery of the Anglo-Norman feudal system marked the beginning of the struggle of the Irish working classes.

Of shapes transformde to bodies straunge, I purpose to entreate,
Ye gods vouchsafe (for you are they ywrought this wondrous feate)
To further this mine enterprise.

This is a memory book, rather than one of hard fact and precise statistic.

The Man, O Muse, informe, that many a way
Wound with his wisedome to his wished stay;
That wanderd wondrous farre when He the towne
Of sacred Troy had sackt and shiverd downe.

My dear little Blossoms, there are now in this world, and always will be, a great many grannies besides myself, both in petticoats and pantaloons, some a deal younger to be sure; but all monstrous wise, and of my own family name.

We've been devastated by the severest and deadliest drought in history - that of our profound awareness of the futility of all effort and the vanity of all plans.