Misfortune is never mournful to the soul that accepts it; for such do always see that every cloud is an angel's face. Every man deems that he has precisely the trials and temptations which are the hardest of all others for him to bear; but they are so, simply because they are the very ones he most needs.

The great difficulty in education is that we give rules instead of inspiring sentiments. ... it is not possible to make rules enough to apply to all manner of cases; and if it were possible, a child would soon forget them. But if you inspire him with right feelings, they will govern his actions.

We must not forget that all great revolutions and reformations would look mean and meagre if examined in detail as they occurred at the time.

Every human being has, like Socrates, an attendant spirit; and wise are they who obey its signals. If it does not always tell us what to do, it always cautions us what not to do.

affectation is fond of making a greater show than reality. ... Nature and truth have never learned to blow the trumpet, and never will.

Work! work! that is my unfailing cure for all troubles.

I keep working because I am quite sure that no particle of goodness or truth is ever really lost, however appearances may be to the contrary.