And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

The best of man is he who blushes when you praise him and remains silent when you defame him.

Now I realize that the trees blossom in Spring and bear fruit in Summer without seeking praise; and they drop their leaves in Autumn and become naked in Winter without fearing blame.

Your reason and your passion are your rudder and sails of your seafaring soul, if either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

You work that you may keep peace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

A truly religious man does not embrace a religion; and he who embraces one has no religion.