“The land of literature is a fairy land to those who view it at a distance, but, like all other landscapes, the charm fades on a nearer approach, and the thorns and briars become visible.”
Other Washington Irving Quotes
Young lawyers attend the courts, not because they have business there, but because they have no business.
Washington Irving 
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A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles.
Washington Irving
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An inexhaustible good nature is one of the most precious gifts of heaven, spreading itself like oil over the troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the roughest weather.
Washington Irving
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A woman's whole life is a history of the affections.
Washington Irving
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