The art of nations is to be accumulative, just as science and history are; the work of living men not superseding, but building itself upon the work of the past.

I cannot but think it an evil sign of a people when their houses are built to last for one generation only.

The Divine mind is as visible in its full energy of operation on every lowly bank and mouldering stone as in the lifting of the pillars of heaven, and settling the foundation of the earth.

In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it. They must not do too much of it. And they must have a sense of success in it.

Depend upon it, the first universal characteristic of all great art is Tenderness, as the second is Truth. I find this more and more every day: an infinitude of tenderness is the chief gift and inheritance of all the truly great men. It is sure to involve a relative intensity of disdain towards base things, and an appearance of sternness and arrogance in the eyes of all hard, stupid, and vulgar people

Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.

There is material enough in a single flower for the ornament of a score of cathedrals.