Nor is it enough to toughen up his soul; you must also toughen up his muscles.

Obstinacy and contention are common qualities, most appearing in, and best becoming, a mean and illiterate soul.

We should spread joy, but, as far as we can, repress sorrow.

My library is my kingdom, and here I try to make my rule absolute-shutting off this single nook from wife, daughter and society. Elsewhere I have only a verbal authority, and vague. Unhappy is the man, in my opinion, who has no spot at home where he can be at home to himself-to court himself and hide away.

We are never present with, but always beyond ourselves; fear, desire, hope, still push us on toward the future.

He that I am reading seems always to have the most force.

We find ourselves more taken with the running up and down, the games, and puerile simplicities of our children, than we do, afterward, with their most complete actions; as if we had loved them for our sport, like monkeys, and not as men.