It is part of the irony of life that the strongest feelings of devoted gratitude of which human nature seems to be susceptible, are called forth in human beings towards those who, having the power entirely to crush their earthly existence, voluntarily refrain from using that power.

Ask yourself whether you are happy and you cease to be so. The only chance is to treat not happiness, but some end external to it, as the purpose of life.

The peculiarity of the evidence of mathematical truths is that all the argument is on one side.

Strong impulses are but another name for energy. Energy may be turned to bad uses; but more good may always be made of an energetic nature, than of an indolent and impassive one.

A party of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life.

The object of universities is not to make skillful lawyers, physicians or engineers. It is to make capable and cultivated human beings

Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an injunction of religion.