Man is the broken giant, and in all his weakness both his body and his mind are invigorated by habits of conversation with nature.

Man is made of the same atoms the world is, he shares the same impressions, predispositions, and destiny. When his mind is illuminated, when his heart is kind, he throws himself joyfully into the sublime order, and does, with knowledge, what the stones do by structure.

All history is biography.

Power obeys reality, and not appearances; power is according to quality, and not quantity.

In the order of nature, we cannot render benefits to those from whom we receive them, or only seldom. But the benefit we receive must be rendered again, line for line, deed for deed, cent for cent, to somebody. Beware of too much good staying in your hand. It will fast corrupt and worm worms. Pay it away quickly in some sort.

When a man does not write his poetry, it escapes by other vents through him.

It is said that the world is in a state of bankruptcy, that the world owes the world more than the world can pay.