Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it receives permission to be otherwise useless. We do not blame emeralds and rubies because we cannot make them into heads of hammers.

Not without design does God write the music of our lives.

He who offers God a second place offers Him no place.

The enormous influence of novelty--the way in which it quickens observations, sharpens sensations, and exalts sentiment--is not half enough taken note of by us, and is to me a very sorrowful matter. And yet, if we try to obtain perpetual change, change itself will become monotonous.

Do not think it wasted time to submit yourselves to any influence which may bring upon you any noble feeling.

Men were not intended to work with the accuracy of tools, to be precise and perfect in all their actions.

Why is one man richer than another? Because he is more industrious, more persevering and more sagacious.