The grand difficulty is to feel the reality of both worlds, so as to give each its due place in our thoughts and feelings, to keep our mind's eye and our heart's eye ever fixed on the land of promise, without looking away from the road along which we are to travel toward it.

Philosophy cannot raise the commonalty up to her level: so, if she is to become popular, she must sink to theirs.

Nature is mighty. Art is mighty. Artifice is weak. For nature is the work of a mightier power than man. Art is the work of man under the guidance and inspiration of a mightier power. Artifice is the work of mere man, in the imbecility of his mimic understanding.

Some minds are made of blotting-paper: you can write nothing on them distinctly. They swallow the ink, and you find a large spot.

Curiosity is little more than another name for Hope.

They who disbelieve in virtue because man has never been found perfect, might as reasonably deny the sun because it is not always noon.

Who is fit to govern others? He who governs himself. You might as well have said: nobody.