Nearly all our powerful men in this age of the world are unbelievers; the best of them in doubt and misery; the worst in reckless defiance; the plurality, in plodding hesitation, doing, as well as they can, what practical work lies ready to their hands.

God intends no man to live in this world without working, but it seems to me no less evident that He intends every man to be happy in his work.

Beethoven always sounds to me like the upsetting of a bag of nails, with here and there an also dropped hammer.

So far as I have myself observed, the distinctive character of a child is to live always in the tangible present.

In order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work.

You can only possess beauty through understanding it.

Large fortunes are all founded either on the occupation of land, or lending or the taxation of labor.