There are but two roads that lead to an important goal and to the doing of great things: strength and perseverance. Strength is the lot of but a few privileged men; but austere perseverance, harsh and continuous, may be employed by the smallest of us and rarely fails of its purpose, for its silent power grows irresistibly greater with time.

Men are so constituted that every one undertakes what he sees another successful in, whether he has aptitude for it or not.

Be generous with kindly words, especially about those who are absent.

What we don't understand we don't possess.

There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity.

Where a man has a passion for meditating without the capacity of thinking, a particular idea fixes itself fast, and soon creates a mental disease.

All that is noble is in itself of a quiet nature, and appears to sleep until it is aroused and summoned forth by contrast.