“The harvest of this world is to the resolute, and he that is infirm of purpose is ground betwixt the upper and the nether millstone”

“The worst of it is that I am perpetually being punished for nothing; this governor loves to punish, and he punishes by taking my books away from me. It's perfectly awful to let the mind grind itself away between the upper and nether millstones of regret and remorse without respite; with books my life would be livable -- any life.”

“I swore that I would not suffer from the world's grief and the world's stupidity and cruelty and injustice and I made my heart as hard in endurance as the nether millstone and my mind as a polished surface of steel. I no longer suffered, but enjoyment had passed away from me.”

“Science is a first-rate piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber, if he has common sense on the ground floor.”

“I am the Colombus of this nether world!Dr. Leidenbrock”

“Strong relationships are not rocked by a truth that is grounded by resolute monogamy.”