When I consider what some books have done for the world, and what they are doing, how they keep up our hope, awaken new courage and faith, soothe pain, give an ideal life those whose hours are cold and hard, bind together distant ages and foreign lands, create new worlds of beauty, bring down truth from heaven; I give eternal blessings for this gift, and thank God for books.

Religion is life, philosophy is thought; religion looks up, friendship looks in. We need both thought and life, and we need that the two shall be in harmony.

We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.

All the strength and force of man come from his faith in things unseen.

Even where there is talent, culture, knowledge, if there is not earnestness, it does not go to the root of things.

Progress, in the sense of acquisition, is something; but progress in the sense of being, is a great deal more. To grow higher, deeper, wider, as the years go on; to conquer difficulties, and acquire more and more power; to feel all one's faculties unfolding, and truth descending into the soul,--this makes life worth living.

Never hurry. Take plenty of exercise. Always be cheerful. Take all the sleep you need. You may expect to be well.