"Grin: — Your true diddler winds up all with a grin. But this nobody sees but himself. He grins when his daily work is done — when his allotted labors are accomplished — at night in his own closet, and…"

"The Tale originated in a bet that I could produce nothing effective on a subject so singular, provided I treated it seriously."

"I wish I could write as I feel—no, I mean as I feel in the day-time—for at night I feel like a demon."

"Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears."

"The truth is, I am heartily sick of this life & of the nineteenth century in general. (I am convinced that every thing is going wrong)."