Great art is precisely that which never was, nor will be taught, it is preeminently and finally the expression of the spirits of great men.

It is in this power of saying everything, and yet saying nothing too plainly, that the perfection of art consists.

I do not believe that any peacock envies another peacock his tail, because every peacock is persuaded that his own tail is the finest in the world. The consequence of this is that peacocks are peaceable birds.

The first test of a truly great man is his humility. By humility I don't mean doubt of his powers or hesitation in speaking his opinion, but merely an understanding of the relationship of what he can say and what he can do.

We require from buildings two kinds of goodness: first, the doing their practical duty well: then that they be graceful and pleasing in doing it.

People are eternally divided into two classes, the believer, builder, and praiser...and the unbeliever, destroyer and critic.

In one point of view, Gothic is not only the best, but the only rational architecture, as being that which can fit itself most easily to all services, vulgar or noble.