Assuredly there is no more lovely worship of God than that for which no image is required, but which springs up in our breast spontaneously when nature speaks to the soul, and the soul speaks to nature face to face.

It is said, that no one is a hero to their butler. The reason is, that it requires a hero to recognize a hero. The butler, however, will probably know well how to estimate his equals.

The world is for thousands a freak show; the images flicker past and vanish; the impressions remain flat and unconnected in the soul. Thus they are easily led by the opinions of others, are content to let their impressions be shuffled and rearranged and evaluated differently.

Shakespeare is dangerous to young poets; they cannot but reproduce him, while they fancy that they produce themselves.

Riches amassed in haste will diminish; but those collected by hand and little by little will multiply.

One of the most striking signs of the decay of art is the intermixing of different genres.

He who cannot love must learn to flatter.