It is not easy to make our lives respectable by any course of activity. We must repeatedly withdraw into our shells of thought, like the tortoise, somewhat helplessly; yet there is more than philosophy in that.
You fail in your thoughts, or you prevail in your thoughts only.
Keep up the fires of thought, and all will go well.
We should treat our minds, that is, ourselves, as innocent and ingenuous children, whose guardians we are, and be careful what objects and what subjects we thrust on their attention.
Only what is thought, said, or done at a certain rare coincidence is good.
As polishing expresses the vein in marble, and grain in wood, so music brings out what of heroic lurks anywhere. The hero is the sole patron of music.
Music is the sound of the universal laws promulgated. It is the only assured tone. There are in it such strains as far surpass anyman’s faith in the loftiness of his destiny. Things are to be learned which it will be worth the while to learn.
Who that has heard a strain of music feared then lest he should speak extravagantly any more forever?
English sense has toiled, but Hindoo wisdom never perspired.
The wise are not so much wiser than others as respecters of their own wisdom.
On every hand we observe a truly wise practice, in education, in morals, and in the arts of life, the embodied wisdom of many an ancient philosopher.
Unless we do more than simply learn the trade of our time, we are but apprentices, and not yet masters of the art of life.
What we need to know in any case is very simple.
Ex oriente lux may still be the motto of scholars, for the Western world has not yet derived from the East all the light which itis destined to receive thence.
The life of a wise man is most of all extemporaneous, for he lives out of an eternity which includes all time.
Men do not fail commonly for want of knowledge, but for want of prudence to give wisdom the preference.
I should consider it a greater success to interest one wise and earnest soul, than a million unwise and frivolous.
The community has no bribe that will tempt a wise man.
Is there any such thing as wisdom not applied to life?
From exertion come wisdom and purity; from sloth ignorance and sensuality.