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.

All really great pictures exhibit the general habits of nature, manifested in some peculiar, rare, and beautiful way.

The repose necessary to all beauty is repose, not of inanition, nor of luxury, nor of irresolution, but the repose of magnificent energy and being; in action, the calmness of trust and determination; in rest, the consciousness of duty accomplished and of victory won; and this repose and this felicity can take place as well in the midst of trial and tempest, as beside the waters of comfort.

Morality does not depend on religion.

Success by the laws of competition signifies a victory over others by obtaining the direction and profits of their work. This is the real source of all great riches.

Science has to do with facts, art with phenomena. To science, phenomena are of use only as they lead to facts; and to art, facts are of use only as they lead to phenomena.

It is far better to give work that is above a person, than to educate the person to be above their work.