“Verence would rather cut his own leg off than put a witch in prison, since it'd save trouble in the long run and probably be less painful.”

“The trouble with most of us is that we'd rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.”

“I’d have much rather gotten dragged into someone else’s fight than face what was waiting for me. Other people’s emotional pain, no matter how painful, is so much less painful than your own.”

“but, had I a place to new fashion, I should not put myself into the hands of an improver. I would rather have an inferior degree of beauty, of my own choice, and acquired progressively. I would rather abide by my own blunders than by his.”

“What he brought out was a wooden gag they put in someone's mouth before doing something drastic, like cutting off a leg.”

“if you chance upon a big, gray cate, you probably owe him a favor. Even if you do not remember the favor,do it, anyway. In the long run, you will do it, but it will be far less painful if you do it up front.”