Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.

The soul is dyed by the thoughts. Dye it then, with a continuous series of such thoughts as these - that where a man can live, there - if he will - he can also live well.

Doctors keep their scalpels and other instruments handy, for emergencies. Keep your philosophy ready too - ready to understand heaven and earth. In everything you do, even the smallest thing, remember the chain that links them. Nothing earthly succeeds by ignoring heaven, nothing heavenly by ignoring earth.

But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is in your power whenever you choose to retire into yourself.

Don't go on discussing what a good person should be. Just be one.

You should banish any thoughts of how you may appear to others.

Art thou angry with him whose armpits stink? Art thou angry with him whose mouth smells foul?