“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.”

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864) - was an American novelist, born in Salem, Massachusetts.  His first novel, "Fanshawe" was published in 1828. He published several short stories in periodicals, which he collected in 1837 as "Twice-Told Tales".  "The Scarlet Letter" was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity.
This quote is from his Novel, "Fanshawe".