There is, in all great poets, a wisdom of humanity which is superior to any talents they exercise.
Milton says, that the lyric poet may drink wine and live generously, but the epic poet, he who shall sing of the gods, and their descent unto men, must drink water out of a wooden bowl. For poetry is not “Devil’s wine,” but God’s wine.
A state of war or anarchy, in which law has little force, is so far valuable, that it puts every man on trial. The man of principle is known as such, and even in the fury of faction is respected.
In old Egypt, it was established law, that the vote of a prophet be reckoned equal to a hundred hands. I think it was much under-estimated.
The primary wisdom is intuition. In that deep force, the last fact behind which analysis cannot go, all things find their origin.
I think it is the best of humanity that goes out to walk. In happy hours, I think all affairs may be wisely postponed for walking.
It’s a luxury to be understood.
I am constrained every moment to acknowledge a higher origin for events than the will I call mine.
It behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.
Happy is he who looks only into his work to know if it will succeed, never into the times or the public opinion; and who writes from the love of imparting certain thoughts and not from the necessity of sale – who writes always to the unknown friend.
When we can’t piece together the puzzle of our own lives, remember the best view of a puzzle is from above. Let Him help put you together.
When believers and unbelievers live in the same manner – I distrust the religion.
Therefore is nature ever the ally of Religion: lends her all her pomp and riches to the religious sentiment.
Ethics and religion differ herein; that the one is the system of human duties commencing from man; the other, from God. Religion includes the personality of God; Ethics does not.
Each religious sect has its own physiognomy. The Methodists have acquired a face; the Quakers, a face; the nuns, a face. An Englishman will pick out a dissenter by his manners.
Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither built nor filled by atheists.
Everywhere I am hindered of meeting God in my brother, because he has shut his own temple doors and recites fables merely of his brother’s, or his brother’s brother’s God.
Life is comic or pitiful as soon as the high ends of being fade out of sight, and man becomes near-sighted, and can only attend towhat addresses the senses.
Our religion vulgarly stands on numbers of believers. Whenever the appeal is made – no matter how indirectly – to numbers, proclamation is then and there made, that religion is not. He that finds God a sweet, enveloping presence, who shall dare to come in?
The reliance on authority measures the decline of religion, the withdrawal of the soul.