Courage, so far as it is a sign of race, is peculiarly the mark of a gentleman or a lady; but it becomes vulgar if rude or insensitive, while timidity is not vulgar, if it be a characteristic of race or fineness of make. A fawn is not vulgar in being timid, nor a crocodile "gentle" because courageous.
John RuskinBeethoven always sounds to me like the upsetting of a bag of nails, with here and there an also dropped hammer.
John RuskinEvery great man is always being helped by everybody, for his gift is to get good out of all things and all persons.
John RuskinNo good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art.
John RuskinI know few Christians so convinced of the splendor of the rooms in their Father's house, as to be happier when their friends are called to those mansions... Nor has the Church's ardent "desire to depart, and be with Christ," ever cured it of the singular habit of putting on mourning for every person summoned to such departure.
John Ruskin